Holidaying with a friend

Hi
I have found myself in this situation a couple of times, not in such confined accomodation as you seem to be considering, but friends have often asked me on weekends away and 'To make it cheaper' we would share a room and thus share the costs.However, this is my worst nightmare.I don't want to sleep all night with someone I don't really know that much or even someone I do, on a friends basis. I wouldn't want to sleep in the same room as family either, so in answer toi your question I'm up front and just say 'Yes I will go with you but I'm not sharing a room' I make it really clear from the outset so there are no misunderstandings, if that doesn't fit in, then I'd rather not go.

I’m going away with my two ‘oldest’ friends for our 75ths this year. We started school together aged 5.

We’ve all said we want our own rooms which we have now booked.

I’ve been away with friends and shared but it’s been a disaster and we’ve spent all night sitting up chatting and drinking tea, as neither of us could sleep.

There must be something you can find . Or as someone else said. Go somewhere else.

(Posted too soon)
I didn't suggest it as I thought maybe they wanted to tag along with the others.

Astitchintime

maybeaye .......perhaps the answer is to book a proper walking holiday through a tour operator? Accommodation, catering, etc all done for you.

This was going to be my suggestion - maybe book one with hotels en route and a "luggage" service.

I have travelled in many different ways, and so have camped in tents, sailed up to scotland , b@bs etc . I mostly like to look for b@b's in farmhouse, so in the country but reasonably near to visit N T,s etc.My problem now is as a widow, the cost of staying anywhere is usually prohibitive as most places that advertise price it for 2 people staying together , whether as a couple or 2 singles. With my back problems I am usually awake well before anyone else, but can walk very quietly , so can creep out and go elsewhere usually .

So , I am a trouble shooter and whilst it can be annoying at times, things like this are something that I tend to think of all the possible problems that could arise. So firstly, you have to think on your own what matters and what doesnt to you. If not sharing a room is very important, you may find that you cannot go to some places as they will be too expensive to have a room on your own. If you care more about visiting the place then I suggest that you have a talk with your friend, so you could have options. 1. pay more and get single rooms. 2. not go to that area but find a cheaper place where you can have your holiday and single rooms and still have the actual holiay. 3. Share a room, but you could agree in what way you will share, for example, you might agree that you would prefer to change for the night in the bathroom and that you would sort of mentally be on your own in the bedroom. By which I mean you agree that apart from saying goodnight or do you want the light left on, you do your own thing as if you were on your own. I am an inveterate reader and always read in bed before I put the light out, so I would have my nose in my book and not be concerned with what you might be doing. Or you could put a dividing curtain or something like a clotheshorse with a sheet draped over it to separate you both. I think as someone else mentioned that going away for 2 nights somewhere here will be a good trial run to see if you could tolerate it on a longer journey. I say 2 nights because the first night is going to be strange in anycase so a couple of nights would tell you more about it. IN actual fact speaking about this will allow you to at least hear what each other thinks of sharing and how they see you travelling on your holiday.

Having camped in tents, and sailed where you are all in bunks and very close together , I feel able to cope with mot things. My way up til now has often been to go to hostels. I have been in plays and operas etc and am used to seeing skin and it doesnt bother me, so quite often I will just stay in a hostel dormitory. As I say, I am usually awake early and am up and off before anyone is awake. That way also I am not waiting for literally hours to get some breakfast. I did suggest to National trust that we could have a list for those that wish to be on it, where you could agree to share fuel costs to go and visit properties a long way away. I have driven for so many years and it is not a problem for me. My idea, which was very green too, was that if 2 other people would like to go to say Northern Scotland or cornwall we could travel together in my car, and they would share the fuel costs. That way we could make our own arrangments about where we stayed , but I would be happy to pick them up door to door and we use one car for 3 people , but N T werent interested which is a shame. For this country again I used to use the farmhouse b@b as I much prefer to be out in the country. Tend to avoid pubs simply because they can be noisy late at night. So , I think it really comes down to you deciding what you feel is important and what is not, and if you feel ok about sharing suggest it to your friend. I have sharede a room with someone but always with 2 single beds not in a double. Let us know what you decide and good luck

Another time you might consider looking at HF Holidays. I have taken several holidays alone with them, with my own bedroom. They do walking and special interest holidays in the UK and abroad. Not cheap, but you don't need to spend any money when with them. There will be a mix of singles and couples or groups. One can enjoy company or not. I am a bit of a loner, and my need for alone time was always respected when I wished.

I would just laughingly say to your friend that the accommodation is proving a real problem for you because you just could not share a bedroom with anybody anymore however close. a friend they are. Your friend may already be thinking the same thing and even if not at least you could then offer to cancel your place and allow her to go with someone else.

I had to share a room with a colleague during a trip to Barcelona I was worried I would disturb her with either coughing or snoring, but she reassured I did neither. We had a great trip.

During a recent trip to Fuerteventura my DH and I were woken up by the man in the next room snoring, it was extremely loud in our room so goodness knows how loud it was in his. On a couple of occasions we moved on to the sofa bed in the living area to get some sleep. Its not always the person you’re sharing the room with that disturbs you.

Move the beds as far apart as possible and possibly move the bedside table between the 2 beds. I imagine that after walking all day and then dinner you will just fall in to bed and not care about the bed situation. Enjoy your holiday.

maybeaye .......perhaps the answer is to book a proper walking holiday through a tour operator? Accommodation, catering, etc all done for you.

I’ve been on girls trips and have shared a bedroom . But it’s always had twin beds . Many places have a double or kingsize which can be separated into twins . If you book through Airbnb or booking.com you can message the owners with your requests. On Airbnb you can specify the number of bedrooms and beds . Many places say 2 beds but one of the beds is in the living room .
I’d have a chat with your friend about whether she’s happy to share a twin bed or have her own room .

I'm not sure here but are you planning your own trip or are you hoping to go wherever the "others" are going?

If funds allow then a tiny studio each, as close to each other as possible could be a solution.

I often travel with a very dear friend who I’ve known pretty much all my life. We always have separate rooms. For us it isn’t just the sleeping issue. We are very similar and both like to have our own space to retreat to from time to time. Love her as I do I’d find it difficult to be together 24/7 and I know she feels the same.

Yeah, I do think a lot of places are best suited to couples sharing beds. It's very difficult. Part of my problem is likely that am used to being alone, so being in a room with others now feels kind of stressful. Keepingquiet, that's such a shame there was a fall out with your friends over snoring. I once shared in a bunkhouse/hostel room for a walking weekend and the sound of snoring was incredible - all the others in the room were men and seemed to have their own particular snore, it became like a chorus. There was no chance of sleep. It was actually comical at the time, but I was only there 2 nights and certainly if I could have avoided it, I would!

This sounds like us- though we never go abroad. Finding good and reasonably priced accommodation for three adults is difficult here though.

With some work we have always managed to avoid sharing a bed and sometimes even have our own rooms.

We get on very well too, but last time had a fall out over snoring- the fall out has been serious and we may never go away as a threesome again. Very sad.

I'm in Lanzarote at the moment for a week with three friends. This is the seventh year we've holidayed together, we missed one during covid.

We have a two bedroom apartment: one twin room with two single beds, one room with a king-size bed with two single duvets.
(Sometimes the large bed is two singles fastened together which can be separated, but not this time).
The two early birds share one room and the two night owls share the other.

We've all known each other for 30+ years and probably get on better than family 🙂
We spend our days walking, talking, eating out, talking, bit of shopping, more talking!

We've already booked our accommodation and flights for Tenerife next year ☀️

Not so shy Shysal these days eh
Like you I m always awake by 5 or before I ve shared with my adult daughter and she loves a lie in, its so difficult I m trying not to get up to the loo, rustle a book page, cough or barely breathe
I d never want to share with a friend however dear they are to me but it’s never come up anyway most of my friends are married and do couple things

I wouldn't want to share a room, let alone a bed as I am a very early riser! If you can manage it why not book a double for single use, but it is expensive, and obviously your friend would have to do the same.
A friend once pestered me to share in France. She wakes at lunch time, I am up at 5 am. I was honest and told her it was not going to happen. I am old enough to speak my mind these days!

But we re all different some people have no cares about sharing a bed, others do I wouldn’t want to share a bed with a friend however close we were I think I would wriggle around probably need the loo and would be uncomfortable that if I turned over in my sleep I d fling an arm over her 🤣🤣
I d pay extra for a single room or happily sleep on the pull out couch
But then I ve never holidayed with a friend

Four of us are planning a holiday together. Two are sharing a twin room . The 3rd person and I will be paying £40 extra to have a single room each.. Due to asthma, I tend to cough at night and I certainly don’t want to disturb anyone.

Could you do a trial run near home in a twin bedded room or similar before you book? It might not be as bad as you fear or perhaps horrendous but it would give you a better idea.

That's a good idea keepingquiet to switch sleeping arrangements part way through, then everyone gets the comfiest bed for a while. Seems fair. Mumofmadboys, your holiday sounds like a similar plan. I expect we'll be too exhausted to worry much. Thanks all xx

When booking to go away with friends I always check and scrutinise the photographs because a lot of twin rooms can just be for children with small beds close together or even bunk beds.

If I am staying with a few friends and some of the beds/rooms/sofas are better than others we rotate so eveyone gets a good bed for at least one night!

I am doing the Tour de Mount Blanc in September with a friend . We are going with a holiday company and will be sharing a room. She is a good friend and I have no concerns. After walking all day we will be too tired to care!