Shared baths

stnhk call the phone number on the any RS page, links for "About Us", "Contact Information", and ask for specifics. They'll will tell you the likelihood of this being the case on your specific tour.

Normally when it says shared bath, it simply means the bathroom and shower is down the hallway. This isn't common for all hotels but there may be at least one hotel where you would find this. You would typically find this in the rustic, old fashioned hotels that Rick sometimes likes to include on the tours. You can call our tour department at 425-771-8303 ext 217 or email at tours@ricksteves.com for more details.

I hope this helps some.

It means you don't have a private bathroom. The bathroom you will use is not in your room, and is "shared" with others.

"When they talk about being comfortable having shared bath..."

This refers to bathing - at the same time - with 1-8 of your tour mates.

No? Oh, my mistake ;-)

Seriously, you will likely, but not definitely, have a sink in your room. Then, yes, it's just like college...except with (probably) more considerate adults doing the sharing. This isn't everyone's experience, but so far in my experience with shared facilities I've never even seen the other guests...but I know they were also using the facilities.

I just left a hostel dorm that I shared with three gals for a few nights. We could all be through the shower and fiddling with breakfast in thirty minutes. The last three nights one girl and I had the whole fourteen- bed joint to ourselves. By the time one of us ran down and fired up the coffee pot, the other had cleared the shower.

It ain't hard. You just can't leave your tooth brush and junk in th bathroom.

Our limited experiences with shared baths is not a gang bath but a small, private room with a locked door so you are the only one there at a time. A couple had common sink areas with private shower and toilet area. Never saw an open shower or toilet area like my military days or college dorms.

Nearly all public bath houses in western Europe have closed by now. Most everyone has access to a tub or shower inside the house or apartment now. But in the hotel, it means it's down the hall and you might have to wait your turn. They're pretty rare outside of hostels nowadays, but an economical way to travel if you find one.