# Two Questions About Hotel Bathrooms **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653 "2013-09-12T13:12:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bert\_Nobbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bert\_Nobbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bert_Nobbins)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/41 "2013-09-12T19:49:53Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Transistors are called “electronic valves” in the UK, which is much more descriptive of their function than “transistor”. 🙂 Absolutely not true. In the UK an “electronic valve” is a glass thing that glows red inside. Called “tubes” in the USA. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/42 "2013-09-12T19:52:52Z")
> [@Bert\_Nobbins](#): > > Absolutely not true. In the UK an “electronic valve” is a glass thing that glows red inside. Called “tubes” in the USA. I was under the impression that a tube was an electric valve and that a transistor was an electronic valve. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/43 "2013-09-12T20:00:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Now we have _Americans_ peeing on their shoes! You can’t pee in the dark? Edit- accurately? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/44 "2013-09-12T20:02:16Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > You can’t pee in the dark? > > Edit- accurately? Nor can I run in boxer shorts. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/45 "2013-09-12T20:20:54Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > In the US, I’ve noticed lately that they’re not terribly fond of shower curtain liners. Is this just because they tend to build up soap scum and other nastiness? One would think they could get some sort of very cheap disposable liner that they change between guests. I’m a bit tired of irrigating my hotel bathroom floor when I take a shower. I personally don’t like the curtain-liner duo. It seems to increase mold. Just one layer is good. > [@](#): > > In Europe, they’ve got a different approach to making sure that most of the water winds up outside of the shower: rather than any sort of shower curtain at all, they’ve got a little glass partition-door thing that covers, at max, half of the bath enclosure. And I found also that the tub is often raised, so when you step out, you are not only stepping onto a wet floor, but one that is significantly lower than the tub floor, messing with your ability to stay upright. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/46 "2013-09-12T20:27:12Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > And I found also that the tub is often raised, so when you step out, you are not only stepping onto a wet floor, but one that is significantly lower than the tub floor, messing with your ability to stay upright. Frack yeah. I can’t remember where I encountered a really bad case of this, but it was a good six inch difference, and a high, high step each direction, and a tile floor. I finally had to learn to use a monkey-clamber to get in and out, very humiliating. I wonder how many people had slipped and fallen in those rooms. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/47 "2013-09-12T20:34:28Z")
> [@PaulParkhead](#): > > And by having the fitting being completely different, so there’s no way (without rewiring) to connect your hairdryer or vacuum cleaner to a shaver point. We would plug our laptop and cell phone chargers into the bathroom outlets in the UK since they were 110V, but I believe that the amperage must have been pretty low because it took awhile longer than usual (the US being usual of course). 😉 Was told that we risked damaging the devices but never did. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/48 "2013-09-12T21:08:45Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > We would plug our laptop and cell phone chargers into the bathroom outlets in the UK since they were 110V, but I believe that the amperage must have been pretty low because it took awhile longer than usual (the US being usual of course). 😉 Was told that we risked damaging the devices but never did. Yeah, I don’t think there’s really any risk to your laptop or cellphone by charging them this way. Well, except that they might get wet. But most modern laptops and pretty much all cell chargers can deal with 110-240v, so you could probably just plug it in to any outlet with a suitable adapter. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/49 "2013-09-12T21:09:12Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > If there is only a curtain and no liner, then the curtain goes inside the tub when you shower and water doesn’t or shouldn’t hit the floor. The reason not to have a liner, apart from cost, is that moisture tends to be trapped between the curtain and the liner, and this encourages the growth of mildew or mold. If you have a liner, the liner should be in the tub and the other curtain (usually decorative and often not waterproof) should be outside the tub. Not only would the big gap between them keep anything from getting trapped in there, but if the outer one isn’t vinyl, if any moisture does get trapped in there, it should be able to absorb into the outer one and evaporate. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/50 "2013-09-12T21:13:42Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > If you have a liner, the liner should be in the tub and the other curtain (usually decorative and often not waterproof) should be outside the tub. Not only would the big gap between them keep anything from getting trapped in there, but if the outer one isn’t vinyl, if any moisture does get trapped in there, it should be able to absorb into the outer one and evaporate. A dual rod helps. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/51 "2013-09-12T21:25:44Z")
What I’ve noticed is shower curtains that are not really waterproof. The cloth kinda blocks the water spray, but can get wet and drip. Even if the ends are inside the tube, I’ve had water get through to the floor because the material is permeable. The other thing I’ve seen is shower curtains that have a half-liner that connects to it. This I presume is so they can remove the liners and launder them. I believe the clothish shower curtains are for the same reason- they run them through their regular laundry. What’s with the light switches outside the bathroom? Are they thinking people are getting their hands wet and operating the switches? Or is the concern that moisture from the shower will get into the switch via humid air? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/52 "2013-09-12T21:31:49Z")
Why faff about with two curtains when one is enough to do the jjob ? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/53 "2013-09-12T22:05:00Z")
One is waterproof, the other is pretty. I only use a liner myself, but I’m a dude. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/54 "2013-09-12T22:32:57Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > I’d assume the lower ceiling is to allow ventilation shafts/piping/etc without spoiling the look of the room. Camera equipment also takes up space. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/55 "2013-09-12T22:54:38Z")
Ok - putting a light switch in a UK bathroom (here you should understand that our bathrooms are rooms with a bath in them) is not actually illegal. It would, however be illegal for an electrician to fit one within three metres of the bath. The regulations are far too complex for this forum but in general everything has to have 30mA RCD protection. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/56 "2013-09-13T00:36:51Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > (here you should understand that our bathrooms are rooms with a bath in them) So are ours. That is why they are called “bath rooms” instead of “toilets”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/57 "2013-09-13T00:54:38Z")
I happen to be posting from a hotel which got totally renovated 2-3 years ago, and neither is true. The bathroom ceiling is the same height as the room, and the light switches are inside. (And the one in the separate toilet room is inside that also.) They are on the opposite side of the door from the shower, so it would be pretty hard to hit them by accident when wet. Oh, and the tub has a curtain and liner too. I’d think a better reason to put the light switch outside is so that someone going in doesn’t have to feel around to find the switch. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/58 "2013-09-13T01:24:59Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I’d think a better reason to put the light switch outside is so that someone going in doesn’t have to feel around to find the switch. In every residential bathroom I’ve been in, you put your hand out to the left and there is the switch. The hallway light also illuminates the bathroom to a certain extent. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/59 "2013-09-13T02:13:13Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > So are ours. > That is why they are called “bath rooms” instead of “toilets”. 🙂 Here in the United States, a bathroom need not have a bath. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653/60 "2013-09-13T02:22:52Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Here in the United States, a bathroom need not have a bath. Are you helping the British Oppressors we fought against, or what? No bathrooms without representation! 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-questions-about-hotel-bathrooms/668653.md?page=4)