I feel badly for all of you who have reported that in your experience it's been the "norm" to share hotel rooms with co-workers. I actually don't mind traveling for work, and I realize that may be due in large part to that I get some alone time while doing so. From the perspective of most people I know, they don't see much of an upside to traveling for work, since you're usually spending all of your daytime hours doing the bidding of your employer. But at least at the end of the night, you should be allowed some alone time away from colleagues if you so choose.  No wonder so many people dread business travel if they are stuck with their colleagues 24/7.

My philosophy is that if you're going to give up additional time to travel for work, you should get some semblance of a benefit. For me, a dad with 2 small children, having 'quiet time' (read: zoning out in front of the TV in my hotel room) is that benefit!  When I imagine having to deal with a co-woker (who I might not even like) in the room with me, all because my employer is out to cut costs....that would change my whole attitude towards such travel.

 

 

I had to share rooms for years with at two of my previous companies. I was actually repremanded a couple times when I got separate rooms on some trips. I have often wondered if there are any legal implications when it comes to this. While many times it was not a horrible experience, I did have one trip where a co-worker who I hardly knew got very drunk and threw a liquor bottle out our 5th story window onto the beach boardwalk below. What a disaster that turned out to be....the room was in my name and of course the front desk called an yelled at me, (just before security got there).

For a few years I was lucky enough to work with a good friend, so sharing a room was not so bad....but still.....I never thought it was good to be required to share a room.

I think asking employees to share a hotel room is just plain cheap. I would refuse to travel if I was told I had to share a room with a co-worker. Like working with them, but don't have any desire to know if they snore, what they wear to bed, or how long they spend in the shower!!! 

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Barbie