Shared bathrooms.

My first trip to London in 1988 we stayed in a very central hotel, recommended by a travel agent, that did not have ensuite bathrooms. Our room had a sink and down the hallway was a room of toilets with another room of tubs/showers. I think we were in our bathrobes (not sure if supplied by the hotel) at the beginning and end of each day as we used the facilities. Staff cleaned it all quite promptly. Once we left London for the Cotswolds, we encountered shared bathrooms in the small B and B.

I haven’t stayed anywhere since without my own bathroom and now I’m older, I won’t. I’m willing to stay in a really small room (that would be you Paris) to spend less, or in a less popular area, but will prioritize a private bathroom.

We have, in the past, had a B&B room with a shared toilet and bath. Only once in a hotel, years ago, in Bacharach. And that was only because of a reservation foul up and a scarcity of last minute rooms. I wouldn't care to do that again. The whole place was shabby and dismal. But at our age, and the necessity of middle of the night toilet visits, an ensuite is a minimum requirement for us. We budget accordingly.

When I first started traveling back in the early 90's, a lot of the single rooms were shared baths and it was difficult to find anything that was en suite. But I lived with it and never had any problems. I don't ever really remember waiting to use it, but I probably did. It just wasn't long enough to make it memorable. :) The shared bathrooms were always clean as well.

Now I spring for en suite rooms; mostly for convenience. I don't want to have to pack a robe and put it on before I go down the hall. Plus I can afford more now. :)

We had communal bathrooms in all of our hotels in Switzerland but in France and Italy we mostly had private bathrooms. Never had an issue with cleanliness or inconvenience.
In the UK and Ireland we always had communal bathrooms because we slept in our van at campgrounds or off grid. When off grid we'd usually pay a small fee to use showers at hostels or campgrounds. Again no issue with cleanliness or inconvenience
In Nepal on the EBC trek a mixed bag of private and communal in the tea houses. Obviously no running water and no plumbed toilets. Not always sparkling clean, I utilised gloves and wipes where needed.
Most of my long distance multi day wilderness hikes toileting involves a hand shovel and washing requires a natural water source.
Most recent longer trips were roadies around W.Aus and Tassie. Both cases always communal bathrooms, always well maintained and no inconvenience.
Private bathrooms are a nice but unnecessary luxury.

ideal situation vs. cost i suppose. i try to travel as cheaply as possible. airbnbs all the way and not even entire apartments or rooms with private bathrooms. sometimes i get lucky but since i try to find places at $60 a night or less i can't be choosy. on my recent 2-month trip through northern italy and spain i stayed in 13 different airbnbs. most were a room in an apartment shared with the host. some were large apartments with 2 or 3 rooms with shared bathrooms with the host nowhere in sight (the closest thing to a hotel with a shared bathroom, i guess). i used to be a shy type but with age the opposite has happened. i don't mind sharing as long as people leave the bathroom clean. i do. so far i have not had a bad experience.

We always get an en suite bathroom so we can use it when we want. We haven’t been in a “hotel” (rooms above a pub) with a bathroom down the hall since 2004. It wasn’t overly clean, but neither was the room. It just happened to be the only place in town with rooms and was in an about 200 years old building. The walls were paper thin. It worked for the one night we needed it. It would not have gotten a good review on TripAdvisor or Booking.

When we lived in Spain in the late 1970s even if the room had an en suite, chances are there was no hot water. Hot water cost extra. It was the same in some other countries too.

Thanks all.

First and last time I booked a place with a shared bathroom was in 1982 and even then (at age 24) I didn't like it 🙂

Depends on the place and how well the owners keep up with the cleaning. Over the years I have stayed in several small hotels in Belgium with shared toilets and/or showers and they were fine, in fact some of my favorites. Just look carefully at the reviews.

Just got back from Iceland and my BnB had a shared bathroom for 3 rooms. Never had to wait, everyone kept it clean. Having walked the Camino, several times, other than the hostel type accomodations, also had a few small private rooms in pensions with shared bathrooms. Everyone kept them clean and I never had to wait. Usually just 3-4 rooms are sharing a bathroom space. Occasionally, there was an extra WC separate from the shower.
In San Francisco, stayed in a hostel with shared bathroom, and that was a different experience. People did not keep it as clean. Maybe they just were not used to shared spaces?
I would rather save money and share the bathroom, but read the reviews on TA or booking dot com.

I think it depends on the situation.

In Europe on the Rick Steves tour I was in a shared bath situation at a hotel in Stechelberg, Switzerland. The other 7 people on my floor sharing were tour members. There was a separate toilet for men and women and one shower. I never had to wait and it was clean. We had sinks in our room. It was fine but not something I’d choose myself.

I also have done shared bath cabins in Yellowstone because that particular lodge is on a great wildlife watching spot. I did it in June for 5 nights and made it easier on myself by taking a female urinal with me (and a container to decant into) so I didn’t have to go out at night. This is an area heavily traveled by bear so trying to be alert, carry bear spray and a flashlight while making a 2AM run to pee is not my thing.

For Europe, no, I would not go shared bath to save money. I’d cut down on my number of days if my budget was that tight.

Each person travels differently, though!

Stayed in a hotel in Venice and that had shared bathrooms. It was fine. The bathroom was a single person use shower, sink, toilet and it felt clean.

Stayed in a mountain hotel in Albania. So far removed that the hotel staff slept there too. Guests, staff, we all shared one of 2 bathrooms. Sort of an Eastern style "wetroom" but the folks were good enough to squeegee the floors and wipe the toilet seat after showers. The waitresses provided the soap and shampoo. Actually one of the most enjoyable hotel experiences of my life.

I did a bit of a count. Of 210(ish) nights in Europe about 40 have been spent in places with ensuite type bathrooms. I am somewhat amazed that it is a point of concern. Generally the shared/communal bathrooms are superior to the ensuite type, larger, more practical design etc.

I guess no one wants to hear about my wagon train/horseback trip to Wyoming last month, with one shared non-flushing porta-potty for 50 people for 3 nights?

Sounds sensational Tex.
I won't describe in detail the outdoor iced up drop toilet at Gorak Shep in minus 20 celsius conditions for 30 or so guests. I will leave that to the imagination.

Lots of different takes.
One hotel I’m looking at for a potential trip to a part of the UK wants CAN$700 more for five nights for an ensuite room than one with shared bathroom.
Still debating!

No brainer for me. Save 700 by choosing to walk down the hallway to the bathroom. Do you have some particular fear or phobia about having to share bathroom facilities?

I've had hotels with a few shared bathrooms in the past, such as in Hostels. However at my age I'm less willing to tolerate that so will have to put up with the extra cost.

There is something special in the winter with a pre-warmed seat.

Actually I guess we would like to hear about Texas TM's wagon train trip, although we likely don't need a lot more information on the ablutions side of it. When wagon trains were a standard method of travel, I suspect that the "facilities" were distinctly more primitive than that.

$700 Canadian is essentially £50 per night. As a solo traveller, trying to travel on a budget there are certain areas of the UK (notably Cornwall) where trying to find en suite for a solo is a very hard task. The solo rooms are just those which, in an older property, there simply isn't room to install an en suite.
There is no way I would pay £50 a night to avoid a private bathroom- which usually is a separate room (sometimes adjacent to the bedroom, sometimes down the hall), but not actually shared. But at least for a solo that is not an exceptional extra cost.
It's not as if in the middle of the night there will be lots of people wandering round the B and B or even a hotel.
Having said that being unable to find B and B's with en suite at a sensible price is a significant limitation to me in spending more time in Cornwall. I do know when I am being overcharged.
Often that £50 is the difference between staying in a B and B non en-suite and staying in a PI (if not more)- at least in Cornwall, in season.

No brainer for me either…I’d spend the extra 140 a night if the hotel is in a great location. Or spend the extra 140 for 3 or 4 nights and move on.

Tintaldra:
No, no fear of sharing, just taken aback at the difference in hotel prices “with” and “without”.

Now, tell all TexasTravelMom…..I’m just hoping there weren’t a lot of people with weak bladders on the trip causing 2am lineups outdoors……

Well, while the 4 day, 3 night trip with Grand Teton Wagon Train and Horse Adventure, was one of the more unusual and extremely fun things I have done, the bathroom situation was not the highlight. 🤣 But we only had to use the bush bathrooms twice. LOL! They make 10 trips per summer and are already full for 2024 and in Oct. they start taking reservations for 2025. Just don’t expect daily showers and flush toilets….. But the food is fabulous, the people running it outstandingly authentic and wonderful, and the scenery eye candy every minute. Reviews are outstanding and are 100% deserved. Happy to share more if you want to PM! My 3 friends and I loved it!

Seriously, on shared toilets, I don’t usually reserve those places but definitely have. I loved staying in Durham Castle university housing, which had dorm bathrooms. And a number of times I have stayed where I had a private bathroom but it was not en-suite. For me, price and atmosphere are determining factors to balance. So, @ S J, I would be deciding based on reviews.

And lest y’all think Albania (Valbona) only has lodges with shared bathrooms, my small inexpensive hotel was totally en-suite. 🤣 But sometimes the setting and charm of a place totally trumps an en-suite bathroom (for me).

I occasionally stay in small b&bs with shared bathrooms. Before booking, I try to read the reviews carefully to see what guests say about cleanliness, convenience etc. I may contact the place to find out how many rooms share a bathroom if it is not clear from the listing or website. Although a shared bath is not my preference, it has been fine for a few nights here and there.

In 2015 we stayed in two different hostels in Norway. Both had shared bathrooms. Both were clean and I don't remember having to wait to use a toilet. I did have to wait for a shower one day. But it wasn't long. Everyone was considerate about getting in and getting out ASAP. The showers also had cubbies where you could leave your soap, shampoo, etc. which was nice. I also stayed at the pre-renovated Paradise Inn at Mt. Rainier. Although the room had it's own 1/2 bath the showers were shared. Again, I don't remember having to wait an unreasonable amount of time for a shower. And it was kept clean.

$700 Canaduan IS NOT 50 GBP. i think you added an extra zero

How about the long-drop in a hut in the desert in Namibia, where you had to hold onto a pole while squatting so as not to fall in? And in the heat… I was told by the guide to be grateful it was a recently-dug hole! Thankfully it was only while we were touring around and the place we actually stayed at had great en-suite cottages.

$700 Canaduan IS NOT 50 GBP. i think you added an extra zero

Not the poster, but my take is the $700 CAD was broken down to a per night cost to get the 50 GBP comparison.

I get a different answer when I do the math, $700 CAD/ 5 Nights= $140 CAD; $140 CAD is closer to 80 GBP at current rates.

For me, I would save the money and take the toilet down the hall. I do admit though, I first look for places in the 100 GBP/100 euro range, if I find a place I like, I book, if that includes an ensuite great, if not, I might look more, if a room without is much cheaper than the 100 range, I will not take it just to save money.