I considered doing two doors on our new build. It seemed like a great idea, to have one entry directly from the bedroom and another from the laundry room on the other side. Unfortunately I just couldn't get a layout to work correctly because two doors take up a lot of space, so I went with only one door. I think if you have the space, two doors can be great. Of course, it's only DH and I in the house so I wasn't worried about anyone barging in through the other door, but I think that could pose a problem with a large family. You'd have to make sure you always locked both doors!!

Just my personal opionion but when I go to someone's house for a party or visiting I don't like having two doors that I have to lock before using the bathroom. If you kept one of them closed and locked when you have company that would be better but I'm wondering about a bathroom off the dining room...? Wouldn't it be better off the laundry room? But then again, do you want guests coming through the laundry room? I'm not being of much help. Sorry.

In a previous home we had a bathroom that opened into our masterbedroom as well as into our laundry (the laundry opened into the back entry). We loved having the two entries except when the kids ran circles through the house (LOL).

As a guest in someone's home, I wouldn't have a problem closing and locking both doors (what I would have the problem with is remembering to unlock both of them).

My advice is to make it your dream....if you want two doors, put two in.

We used to have a bathroom with 2 doors, and there was often a problem with someone forgetting to open or unlock a door, so it was hard to tell if it was occupied. And if you don't remember to lock both doors when in use, this can be a particular problem if anyone in the household doesn't hear well - doesn't realize the bath is in use.
When we remodeled the bath, we eliminated one door - mostly to gain floor space.

We have one with two doors. As the posts have already noted, there are advantages and disadvantages. We think the advantages for us make the two doors quite worthwhile. One of our doors opens outward from the bath into the adjoining bedroom, so that door takes no space in the bath. A closed bath door would cause a reasonable person to knock (and wait for a response) before entering. One could install a deadbolt keyed both sides (double cylinder) on a door that one wishes to be closed while guests are in the house.

I think your plan makes lot's of sense. I have never minded being in a bathroom with 2 doors. I could see the locked door working both ways. If you did not want the bathroom opening up into the dining room for some reason, you could use the other door.

thank you all for the help......i am going to think about it a little more. I wish i could drawing of our home to show how it would look for a better visual idea that would make things easier if you could see what we have to help me decide. I know for sure that if we did the 2 doorways, the dining room door ( that is here now) would open "into the bathroom" and the new laundry room door would open out(into the laundry room). The laundry room is a dual purpose room that also has the back entry. ( mudroom type thing)
I am going to try to draw up some more ideas and keep working with it....like i said we are still open for changes, no demo work has been started yet.
A second door would be great, then we would not have to walk through the whole house to get to bathroom if watching TV etc.
thank you again for the help.

I had an apartment once that had two doors on the bathroom. One from the living room and one from the bedroom. It was a sort of 'walk through' bathroom.

I loved having a "connecting bath" from the bedroom for getting ready rather than running down a hall to get to it like so many apartments are arranged.

I liked the idea that guests did not have to walk through my BR to get to the bathroom like so many apartments are designed.

The problem was that once guests were in it they couldn't remember how to get OUT. They always ended up exiting through the bedroom door and got 'Twilite Zone' vertigo pacing back and forth from the bathroom and bedroom never thinking that there might be another door to exit and not what they now saw as a linen closet door that they never checked. Sometimes they ended up hollering for help.

OK, maybe my friends are really stupid and yours will figure it out better.

My problem sadly isn't dumb friends but my esthetically clueless husband. Two doors made excellent functional sense, like yours, except that they created a shortcut through the powder room from the foyer to the back sitting room which I just knew my husband would constantly be taking, and grandkids running in circles too. My "solution" was actually to keep both doors because I felt they were important but sacrifice almost a foot and a half of depth (very significant amount) in the sitting room to create a little hall for the bath to open off of and avoid a lot of grouchiness on my part. With the excuse that it was necessary for safety (it isn't required by code here), I also mounted the door to open outward so it has to be closed to pass through the hall and blocks the view in from the foyer when open. :)