We have actually shared an apartment and bathroom quite a few times in Europe and it has always worked out well. Actually 6 people to 1 bathroom a few times. We have even done 11 people on a 54 ft sail boat.

Here are my tips:
#1- make sure you like each other a lot
#2- make sure your group doesn't get hung up on modesty- brushing your teeth at the kitchen sink needs to be ok
#3- Generally, guys shower at night, girls shower in the morning AND there is no primping in the bathroom mirror!
#4- in our group, if you make the reservations, you get first choice of rooms--- good incentive to do the leg work for reservations!
#5- Sharing works best if you don't plan to spend much time in the apartment.

I'm surprised that no one was signed in who normally stays in shared bath hotels. It's not for me, but when a lot of people see nothing wrong with sharing a bathroom with a bunch of total strangers, I'd think sharing one with just two good friends should be even less traumatic.

Here's a major difference between the two situations. In a shared bath hotel, there should be several toilets, showers, and sinks. There isn't just one. So the odds of all of the above being occupied for a long period of time are very low. It's different when four people are sharing all of the above that are placed in one single room. If the toilet and sink were placed in a separate room from the shower, that would make a big difference in how convenient this arrangement is.

Degas - We are seasoned travelers - we have been to more than 40 countries. "obvious drawbacks" - If you read my original post, what concerned me were the obvious drawbacks. We have never had that arrangement before, and that is why I was asking. Friends of ours had done it that way, but I was concerned.

Paula - I am looking at hotels, motels, and B and B's. No apts.

Marilyn and Suze - ((F)) ((F))

I wish there were a perfect place to stay in all 9 cities/towns - a "unit" with 2 BR and 2 baths. But utopia is over the horizon, and we have to deal with what exists.

After reading all these posts, I am getting the feeling (!!) that 2BR, 1 bath is not a good idea. ;;)

Again I thank everyone for their experiences.

Jed, honey, obviously you spent all that money that you got when you hit oil? ( joke!)
So, do this, believe me, it is not only a matter of enjoying your holiday, but a matter of keeping both your friends as friends and your wife as your wife...get two rooms each with its own bathroom.
If it costs a little more, scrimp somewhere else..there is nothing worse than struggling over the needs of 4 people and one bathroom.
Start imagining worst case scenarios...someone has stomach trouble after eating too much of that tasty stuff with all the sauce..someone drinks too much..someone wears more makeup than Tammy Faye...You are a senior couple, leave the college roughing it to the young'uns and stay in a room with your own bathroom.
You will kiss me for my sage advice, based on real life experience..believe me, no one is that good a friend!
((F)) Scarlett

I have experienced the shared bathroom situation dozens of times in Europe. WillTravel is on the right track. Most of the shared bathrooms I have encountered have a general bathroom area which is really divided into three seperate small areas. The main area contains the sinks and mirrors and doesn't need to be all that private. The toiliet area has its own door. The shower area has its own door and is divided into a 4X4 changing area and a 4X4 shower tub with a curtain. You can undress and dress within the privacy of the shower area behind a closed door. At least three different "activities" can be going on at the same time with appropriate privacy.

I'm glad I brought up the issue of the shared bath hotel. Never having done one, I guess I always assumed there was a single bathroom that people took turns using. I did know that sometimes there was a separate toilet room, but never pictured the multiple sinks and other facilities.

Jed, maybe you could tell us what cities you plan to visit and your mode of transportation. And I thought apartments required a minimum stay of a week or maybe 3 days at least. Have you found many that don't?

Do they rent Winnebagos there?

"Jed, maybe you could tell us what cities you plan to visit and your mode of transportation"

Sure - proposed itinerary
We start from Philly
LA - 1 night
Overnight to
Auckland (NZ) - 3 nights; drive to:
Farmstay in Waitomo area - 1 night
Rotorua - 2 nights; fly to:
Christchurch - 3 nights; train to Greymouth, drive to :
Franz Josef Glacier - 1 night
Lake Moereki - 2 nights
Queenstown - 3 nights
Doubtful Sound - overnight on boat; drive to:
Invercargill - 1 night
Catlins - 2 nights
Dunedin -1 night; fly to Auckland, home the same day.

In all, we will be away from home for 22 nights, and actually we will be staying in 12 places (I lied).

"And I thought apartments required a minimum stay of a week or maybe 3 days at least."

As I wrote, "I am looking at hotels, motels, and B and B's. No apts." There are many 2 BR, 1 or 2 bath non-apt "units" that go by the night, at all prices. Honestly, the real reason that we are looking for 2BR units is that they usually have a larger living space. The cost is a minor consideration. The question is what to do if there is only 1 bath, and the concensus seems to be to avoid that configuration.

"Do they rent Winnebagos there?" - Are there 2 BR, 2 bath Winnebagoes? :->

Having just completed our 3 week trip to New Zealand, I post this to say what happened.

I took the collective advice of the sages of this forum and did not get shared baths, although that is quite common in NZ.

However, in Auckland and Queenstown, I got 2 BR, 2 bath apartments, which had a large and comfortable living area. It was a great move, since it allowed us to have breakfasts together and to relax with a glass of wine in private before going out to dinner. Combined with a balcony, fireplace, and laundry facilities, it couldn't be beat. ((F))

More!More! I must hear more!

What do you want to hear? About the apt?

If it is about the trip, I am in the process of posting a report on the Australia and Pacific forum - "NZ trip report".

Jed, I just want to thank you for coming back to this thread and giving us a report. It's really nice to know what happened, and I'm glad your trip was such a success.