Towel warmer rack installation.

If you are concerned about the proximity to the tub/shower, you can put the warmer on a GFI. Your bathroom should have at least one outlet on a GFI, or you can put a GFI breaker in that feeds your bathroom. In regard to hardwiring it, you need to install an electrical box exactly where it mounts on the wall ( your installation instructions should say this). If you want to add a timer in a closet thats up to you, but why cut off the switch? Just leave it the warmer switch on if the timer will be controlling the power to it.

All the ones I've seen/used in the UK are hardwired to the panel - no switch used.

The ones I have seen in Europe are not electric; they are plumbed into the hot water heating system, with a valve to turn them off. Mine is Oil filled heated with electric (I don't have hot water heating), and is plugged into a GFI protected outlet. Mine doesn't have an on/off switch, but has an infra-red controller that can be programmed with on and off times.

Most of those I have seen > I have a new heated towel rack that can be either hardwired or "soft

You can't reach the switch, only the rubber coating. Are you going to turn it off and on while taking a shower? Just be sure it is on a ground fault as the bathroom should be.

All the ones I've seen in Europe are tied into the central heating system with steam or hot water. In some cases, that towel rack is the only heat in the bathroom. They may have electric, but I've never seen them.

Put your towels in a chest freezer, and plug the chest freezer into a GFCI. Problem solved.

Nobody says you can't have a switch that you reach from the shower. The NEC rule says the switch can't be "in tub space", basically inside the shower curtain/door.

I could not have thought of anything dumber.

I take that for high praise. You may arise.