Bathroom down the hall!?!

We have often stayed in rooms with the bathroom down the hall and it never seemed to be a problem. Very often there is a hand basin in the room, which lessens the inconvenience. Once we had a room in a B&B in Glasgow and the bathroom was down a flight of stairs. That I didn't like.

Whilst I obviously prefer en suite I have never found this a problem. In many places I have stayed all the other rooms were en suite so I have had the bathroom to myself. I have not yet had a problem with someone hogging the bathroom or leaving it messy.

My friend once stayed in a bizarre farmhouse and had to climb out of the bedroom window and walk across the roof to get to the bathroom!

I've read comments like "your room is bigger" and "the bathroom is very very clean". I'd totally rent a room with a shared bathroom if it meant saving 20 bucks a day.

My two experiences with a shared bathroom changed my perspective. The toilets and shower stalls were very private. Nothing like the scene in "European Vacation" where anyone can walk in while you bathe.

Clearly the biggest pro is the better price. Sometimes too, it's the only room left in a good B&B in a prime location. The cons are minimal. I've stayed in larger almost hostel-type hotels and I've stayed in small family homes where the bathroom is the upstairs bath. In both cases, the only time I've had to wait is when I've been traveling with my parents and I probably would have had to wait for another reason if it hadn't been the bath. ; ) Pam

Frankly, I prefer the "bathroom down the hall" to a pokie little room added inside of a bedroom to make into en suite. Some of these are very nice but, alot are just too small.

One thing to find out is how many rooms share that bathroom. I have found the range to be anywhere from 2-5 rooms. Two to three rooms seems reasonable, any more and I think you will have some "morning" issues. I have never "shared" a bath with more than one other room. (although last September we stayed in a B&B where 3 shared...one room was only let out one of the nights we were there and the other was a permanent resident who left for work at 4 AM.)

There is nothing wrong with bath down the hall. My wife and I have stayed in over 20 hostels with bath down the hall. She doesn't like it, but there are some other things we tolerate while traveling. It is all part of saving money if you are interested in saving money.

I did it when I was younger. ti was not a huge deal, but, . I would not do it now, after three kids,, well, lets just say I do not care to be walking up and down the hallway all night my pajamas... it is worth an extra 20 GBPs to have my own loo, and it is also worth the smaller room.

Not something I would chose to do. However, I encountered this situation a couple of years ago in Lisbon. Having to wait to use the shower is one thing, having to wait 20 minutes to use the toilet, is quite another thing!!!!

Why not? Do you ever visit friend's homes? Do you expect them to give you the master bedroom so you won't have to use the bathroom down the hall? When you go to a restaurant, do you insist that your table have it's own bathroom?

Just like being a guest, use the facilities when you need to. Don't hog them and everyone gets along fine.

The biggest pro is you can save a ton of money. Too many Americans wouldn't dream of staying in a room sans ensuite bath (which may be one of the things that makes us ugly Americans). They reserve only those ensuite rooms and are willing to pay a lot extra for the convenience (while complaining about the price). For me a bed and bathroom are necessary but not the point of my trip. As long as things are clean and quiet, I'm happy.

To be honest, from reading travel message boards, you can get the wrong idea of how common a shared bath room is. (I think Chevy Chase has something to answer for here too.) Most British people prefer en-suite too, nothing ugly about it.

You only really find then in older, cheaper properties or quirky places, generally in converted buildings, where it is very impractical to move plumbing.

If you're shopping at the budget end you'll probably see a disproportionate number of shared bathroom, the "pro" here is obviously price

You sometime see them in historical properties and here it's less a "pro" and more a trade-off. If you really want to stay in a 500 year old hunting lodge or whatever and the price is sharing a bathroom...

I like my own loo. Having reached the age where it is common for me to get up 1-3 times at night to use it, I'd prefer it be handy in my room.

In fact, I will no longer stay in a hotel which isn't ensuite. I don't care what the size of the bathroom is, just as long as it's in the room. I'm not judging others, for everyone can do what they please, but for me, it's a deal breaker if the bath is "down the hall."

And no, I don't think you miss out on local culture by not sharing a toilet.

I experienced both, and I have to say I totally agree with Franklin on that one!