daph

I am not super fussy but I've had two gross experiences sharing a hotel bathroom that linger in my mind some 20 years later. Ugg! One was at a dump on Ebury St. and one at the YWCA, both in London. Before those experiences, I used to lose patience with Americans and their private bathroom requirements, but not anymore.

xxx

<BR><BR>Keep talking about how horrible shared baths are. Spread the word, tell everyone! It just means less competition for those of us who don't mind less expensive rooms which share a bath.

Anon

Here's an interesting article on the subject: http://www.msnbc.com/news/793417.asp

xxx

<BR>Thank you, Anon, good article. <BR><BR>The author makes the point that because places with shared baths are &quot;shunned by the great majority of all international travelers&quot; that places with shared baths &quot;must charge low rates—often a quarter the level of the standard hotel—to attract their clientele.&quot;<BR><BR>And I'm fine with that. So keep on shunning, all you international travelers!

Shayne

I have stayed in several pensions, B and Bs, etc in Europe without private baths and I have never had a problem. In many of the good ones a bathroom is only shared by 2,3 or 4 rooms and you have a sink in your room. Do your research. Ask the hotel how many rooms to a bathroom. Ask if the shower and toilets are separate. The savings are almost always more than the $10 a night a previous poster mentioned. I often find you can save $40-50 a night. I would much rather spend the money on extra sight seeing or a really great dinner that lasts hours, than think &quot;boy I'm glad I have an en suite&quot; for that one trip to the bathroom a day in my room.<BR>

Sebastian

Anyone who's gone to summer camp, or been on a religious retreat, or worked in an office, or lived in a college dorm, or attended a large house party has shared a loo with strangers. People who've never experienced any of the above seem sheltered to me, but - it's your money, spend it how you will.

Topper

Topping this for Jaime....

jcat73

Take some clorox babywipes and wipe the toilet and bath and sink off. No problem. Oh and the doorknobs too...that's what I am going to do for my backpacking trip..

Patrick

My guess is that anybody who doesn't understand why others insist on a private bathroom, has never experienced any of the following:

1) oversleeping and having to take a quick shower, shower, etc. and catch a train without having to wait for someone else to finish in the common bathroom.
2) never gotten sick in the middle of the night and had to stand in the hall waiting for someone else to finish.
3) never experienced using a common bathroom after someone who had a major intestinal emergency, or had just thrown up.
4) never been annoyed by trying to take a reasonable amount of time and having someone outside knocking repeatedly on the door.

ira

When we werevery young we couldn't afford ensuite facilities and shared the bath.

Now that we are older and richer we go for ensuite. We also go 1st cl on trains.

nytraveler

A shared bath in a hotel is nothing like shared bath facilities in college dorms, camps etc. First of all, in the latter you know who you're sharing with - they're not random strangers off the street. Second, there is no waiting - when you have 6 or 7 showers, sinks and toilet stalls in a row what you need is always free. Third, with a camp or college dorm there is always someone checking/responsbile for clenliness on a regular basis.

Given the state of toilets in even upscale restaurants and department stores (not to speak of airports - ugh!) I would never risk sharing a bath with other random members of the public.

GSteed

The farther East you travel the less there is a concern about 'sanitary facilities'. I think McDonald's has done much to bring the world up to USA plumbing standards. It was not long ago, and it may still be, when much of rural America enjoyed outdoor privies and Saturday night tubs. I have never heard of a health problem associated with sharing sanitary facilities. I have read of bizarre activities in filling station toilets. Ask any cleaner about strange behaviors and results. A small percentage of people are not properly trained. Most if not all tourists are. Practical..Check the WC before you decide to eat in that restaurant. Plumbing is expensive! Imagine what it costs to clear New York of the days waste. There are now theories that we will drown in our own wastes. Population is growing and the infrastructure is static.

nytraveler

Just two points - &quot;when much of rural America enjoyed outdoor privies and Saturday night tubs&quot; was abut a hundred years ago. And in that time the life span of the average American has increased from about 45 yeasr to about 80 years. The two major reasons for this increase are 2) the invention of antibiotics and 1) the adoption of standard cleanliness/handwashing procedures.

One of the chief causes of bad outcomes in hospitals is nosocomial infections - which the patient picks up in the hospital usually due to improper handwashing by the staff. Are you willing to assume your fellow guests are cleaner than hospital staff members?