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Slippery showers

I am traveling around England, taking Rick's advice on many things, using my well worn ricksteves bags, staying in guest houses that he has recommended or that are of the quality I would expect him to recommend. They are clean, have comfortable beds, charming hosts, edible breakfasts, and a lot of chintz in most places! Everything is going well until I take a shower. First of all, each shower mechanism is different. There are cryptic markings that may or may not be decipherable. The showers have all been enclosed in glass, and the doors tend to stick together so it's hard to escape! Without exception there is nothing to hang on to inside, and with only one exception the shower floors have been slippery. They are seriously hazardous! I don't know a remedy to suggest to other travelers except to beware!

Posted by
8365 posts

yes, have frequently encountered the skating rink shower. I sometimes put a towel on the floor of the shower. It gets soaked, but better than nothing.

Posted by
419 posts

Sometimes, if you ask, the management will provide a non-skid rubber mat, but a towel on the floor will also do.
I would suggest that you ask the host to explain the plumbing to you.

Posted by
5835 posts

First of all, each shower mechanism is different.

The on demand water heaters can be interesting. We stayed at one UK B&B inn that placed the primary power switch for the heater outside of the bathroom. Wife took a cold shower.

Posted by
1064 posts

Either pack a pair of flip-flops in your bag or buy them there.

Posted by
1439 posts

Maybe some aqua shoes...flip flops might fall off. If you stay in family B & Bs...some have guest tub baths available with shower nozzle. Maybe not ensuite but just across the hall...and you may be the only user.

Posted by
795 posts

Use a towel and get a replacement each day. Your hosts won't mind.

Posted by
3580 posts

The floor outside the shower may get wet. Use caution there, too. I fell on a slippery floor last week.

Posted by
1064 posts

That's why flip-flops (or aqua shoes, if you prefer) are important. Flip-flops do come in different sizes, so it is not so easy to slip out of them.

Posted by
41 posts

This has given me an idea. I have found lots of uses for rubberized net shelf liner and it seems as if a square of it could make a lightweight travel bath mat. The liner is great for wrapping breakables so if I can think of a third use for it, it could be placed on my packing list.

Posted by
3584 posts

I think Kathleen has the best idea, yet. I just wish this issue had come up about a month ago. Last week, I did take a fall and cracked my head hard against a tiled wall. Fortunately, I'm hard-headed, (as I've been told more than once). I did speak to the management about the issue, and they were rightly aghast. They promised to get mats to forestall further guest mishaps.

Posted by
7063 posts

Thanks for sharing your idea, Kathleen! I have a scrap of the shelf liner that's going into a Ziploc & into my suitcase right now.

Posted by
1221 posts

The universal thing about bathroom fixtures is that they are anything but universal whether you're staying at a small family-run inn or at an allegedly standardized big chain property.

It's the koan of the faucet, and one of the more common complaints on frequent traveler surveys- "I'm an engineer. I shouldn't have to spend five minutes trying to get the shower to work!"

So you are not alone in that regard.

Posted by
2349 posts

The weird faucets or drains are in private homes as well. So, right now, if you have one of those showers that have little tricks to them, go put a note in your guest room, or laminate some instructions, or use your P-touch label maker. You think you'll remember to tell the next person that stays in your guest room, but will you?

And while you're at it, put a plunger in the guest bath.