Just did my bathroom. Put in the large tile blocks with an accent 'stripe' about 2/3 of the way up the wall. The plastic/vinyl did accumulate the soap scum and shampoo residue, while the tile seems not to.

I have had both plastic and tile and I find that the plastic is much harder to keep clean. I also think tile looks more luxurious.

I like tile and clean mine with homemade cleaner, white vinegar mixed with 2x Dawn (1 cup vinegar to 1/2 cup dawn) in a spray bottle. Spray it on the leave it for 20 minutes or so and wash down. If you had a hand held sprayer it would be very easy (I don't). You just need to be careful because the mixture can be slick. My shower has a shower pan floor so it is my tile and is less slick.

When we built our house, we had very large tiles - less grout to clean - in a walk-in shower, no door, nothing plastic. When we redo our bathrooms in our new (old) house, we'll put in quartz, available from the countertop store. Solid piece, no grout except in floor.

When we put in our new vanity, we went with one that is almost as high as our kitchen counters.

Grab bars are handy - if you don't want them right now, put reinforced areas in the walls so they can be installed area.

You might also consider having areas large enough around the toilet so that one can help a person off and on, if/when necessary.

Lighting and storage areas are also things to consider. Remember electrical outlets.

I don't know if you like a "fancy" bathroom, or a "plain" bathroom - but easy to clean is important.

I would avoid "little" tiles - especially on the floor.

Oops - you are just talking bathtub/shower area.

We put in ceramic tile - we usually just squeegee it down. But every once in a while (like every few years) - it does need a more thorough cleaning. We picked a light tan/ivory/cream pattern with a matte finish that (we think) looks elegant, but does not seem to show every little spatter and mark.

We had plastic. We polished it with gel gloss every now and then but squeegeed it after every use. It stayed shiny. Then after about 15 years we remodeled and put in cultured marble. Squeegeed that after every use and it stayed new looking. We moved and have tile here. Had the cloudiness removed from the shower door by a company using a machine. It is crystal clear. We squeegee the whole thing after we shower and it looks fine. One recommendation is to put in comfort height toilets. Same price but easier to use. And a heated floor. Did that in the old place and loved it so did it here. Nothing like a cold winter morning and a toasty bathroom. Yes I do wear slippers most of the time but it does take the chill off the bathroom without having to crank up the furnace.

We have a large shower stall where someone could roll in in a wheelchair, we are not there yet but it will be handy in the coming years. The shower is covered in tile, I just spray with cleaner after each shower.