What is a bidet shower?
A bidet shower is the generic European name for the handheld bidet hose mounted next to the toilet. It's the same family of fixture you'll find called a shattaf in Dubai, a bum gun in Bangkok, or a bidet sprayer in the US — different name, same hardware, same job.
Also called: bidet hose, bidet sprayer, hand shower bidet.
How it works
A flexible hose ends in a trigger sprayer, plumbed into the toilet supply with its own shutoff. You aim, squeeze, rinse — no electronics, no heated seat, just cold water. Most are mounted on a wall clip to the right of the toilet.
Where it's standard
Particularly common in Finland (where it's near-universal), the Baltics, Russia, parts of Greece, and increasingly Scandinavian hotels marketing themselves as eco-conscious. Common in Australian and New Zealand hotels too, where it's often labeled a 'toilet sprayer' or 'bidet hose'.
Hotels with a bidet shower
Bidet Baron is a crowdsourced atlas of traveler reports. Search by city to see which hotels travelers have confirmed have a bidet shower (or equivalent) in the room.
Frequently asked
What is a bidet shower?
A bidet shower (sometimes 'bidet hose' or 'hand shower bidet') is the generic name in Northern and Eastern Europe for the handheld sprayer mounted next to the toilet. It's the same hardware as a shattaf or bum gun, just under a different label.
Where is a bidet shower standard?
Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, parts of Greece, Cyprus, and increasingly in Scandinavian hotels marketing themselves as eco-conscious (using a hose saves paper). Also common in Australia.
How is a bidet shower different from a traditional bidet?
A traditional bidet is a standalone porcelain basin you straddle next to the toilet — common in Italy, France, Portugal. A bidet shower is a handheld hose attached to the toilet itself. Same cleaning function, very different fixture.
Which hotels have a bidet shower?
Most hotels in Finland and the Baltics, many in Scandinavia, and a growing number of design-conscious hotels across Europe. Bidet Baron tracks confirmed sightings by city.
Other names around the world
Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines
The handheld sprayer mounted next to almost every toilet in Southeast Asia — informal slang, universally understood.
Japan (now exported worldwide)
Japan's electronic bidet seat — heated, with a warm-water rear and front wash, air dry, and (usually) a deodorizer.
Middle East, North Africa, South & Southeast Asia
Handheld water hose mounted by the toilet, used for the ritual washing (istinja) that's standard across Muslim-majority countries.
United States & Canada (mostly DIY retrofits)
The North American name for a handheld bidet that clamps onto the toilet supply line — what most US hotels would have, if they had anything.
India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan
Indian-English for the wall-mounted jet or health faucet found in most Indian bathrooms — paired with a small water pot (lota) in older homes.