The Hotel Room Feature Europeans Expect That Makes Americans Request Different Floors

And what it reveals about privacy, noise, and the radically different expectations people bring to shared spaces

If you’ve ever checked into a hotel in Spain, Italy, or France and found yourself being handed a key to a room next to the elevator, above the bar, or facing a busy street only to find no one else complaining you’re not alone in being confused.

Because what many Europeans expect, accept, and even prefer in hotel room layouts and amenities often makes American travelers immediately uncomfortable.

But there’s one specific feature that consistently unsettles Americans more than any other:

Hotel rooms with thin walls, little soundproofing, and zero separation between the bathroom and the rest of the room or the hallway.

To Europeans, these features are normal. Expected. They don’t even blink.

To Americans, they’re cause to switch rooms, complain at the desk, or write a three-paragraph review online.

Here’s why Europeans are perfectly comfortable with hotel room setups that would make Americans request a new floor entirely — and what it says about how each culture defines privacy, boundaries, and the role of public accommodation.

Want More Deep Dives into Everyday European Culture?
– Why Europeans Walk Everywhere (And Americans Should Too)
– How Europeans Actually Afford Living in Cities Without Six-Figure Salaries
– 9 ‘Luxury’ Items in America That Europeans Consider Basic Necessities

Quick Easy Tips

Research before booking – Check hotel reviews for details about floor layouts, noise levels, and room features.

Ask at check-in – Europeans may request lower floors for convenience, while Americans often prefer higher floors for privacy and views—choose based on your comfort.

Consider culture – In Europe, elevator access and old buildings often mean staying closer to the ground is practical; in the U.S., high-rise hotels push “higher floors” as premium.

Request your preference early – Don’t wait until check-in; call or note your request when booking.

For Europeans, a hotel room close to the ground floor is a sign of practicality. Narrow staircases, slower elevators, and centuries-old architecture make it easier to be near the lobby. Americans, however, often reject those floors outright, associating them with less safety, more street noise, and fewer views. This cultural clash leads many U.S. travelers to insist on higher floors something Europeans sometimes find unnecessary or even illogical.

Another layer of debate comes from the perception of status. In the U.S., being placed on a higher floor is seen as a perk better views, more prestige, and often linked to “executive” rooms. In Europe, however, staying low is considered smarter, especially in smaller hotels where lugging luggage up several floors might mean no elevator at all.

There’s also a subtle tension around safety expectations. Americans tend to worry about theft or break-ins from ground-floor rooms, while Europeans argue that hotels are secure enough and that convenience outweighs paranoia. This difference shows just how much cultural habits shape what travelers think of as “comfort.”

1. Europeans Don’t Expect Hotel Bathrooms to Be Fully Private

In the United States, hotel bathrooms are expected to be soundproof, visually separate, and outfitted with a fan or at least a secondary door. The idea is that bathroom functions are intensely private — and anything less than full separation feels awkward.

In Europe, the bathroom might be two feet from the bed, with a sliding glass door. Or a swinging frosted panel. Or no door at all.

This isn’t a design flaw. It’s intentional — and not seen as inappropriate.

Even in nicer hotels, you’ll find setups where the toilet and shower are only loosely divided. There may be a window between the bathroom and the main room, or a half-wall.

To Europeans, this is space-saving. Functional. Elegant, even.

To Americans, it’s cause to ask for a new room.

2. Thin Walls Are Normal — and No One Complains

In the U.S., soundproofing is a selling point. Hotels advertise double-insulated walls, quiet floors, and “adult-only” wings. Silence is part of comfort.

In Europe, especially in older buildings, walls are often thin by default. You hear hallway noise. You hear plumbing. You hear your neighbors getting ready in the morning.

And that’s not seen as a failure — it’s just part of the space.

You don’t call the front desk. You don’t change rooms. You accept that a hotel is a shared experience — and that shared experiences come with sound.

3. Europeans Don’t Mind Facing the Street

In many American cities, a room that faces the street — especially a busy one — is avoided. Road noise, foot traffic, late-night bars: these are things to escape.

In European cities, especially ones with walkable centers, having a room that faces the street is often considered desirable.

You see the plaza. You hear the church bells. You feel the city’s rhythm. You might close the shutters or use earplugs — but you don’t act like street noise is a design flaw.

To Europeans, quiet often equals isolation, not luxury.

4. Proximity to Elevators Isn’t a Dealbreaker

Many American travelers request rooms away from the elevator, assuming more privacy, less foot traffic, and fewer chances of late-night disruptions.

In Europe, this request is far less common.

Most buildings are smaller. Elevators are used sparingly (if there’s one at all). And hallway noise is considered a minor inconvenience, not a major disruption.

Even if a door faces the elevator directly, the assumption is: you’ll sleep fine. Or, you’ll bring earplugs like everyone else.

5. Shared Hotel Bathrooms Still Exist — and Aren’t Taboo

In the U.S., a hotel without private in-room bathrooms is nearly unthinkable outside of hostels or budget motels.

In Europe — even in well-rated guesthouses and pensions — shared bathrooms are still common, especially in older buildings or historical city centers.

And no one is horrified.

Guests take turns. Facilities are cleaned often. People bring robes or walk the hallway in pajamas. It’s functional, not shameful.

Americans may panic about hygiene or privacy. Europeans work around it.

6. Doors Don’t Always Fully Close — and That’s Fine

Bathroom doors in European hotel rooms — and even room doors themselves — may not latch tightly. Some use magnetic closures. Some swing freely. Some don’t lock from inside.

To Americans raised on the need for firm separation between spaces, this can feel like a design flaw or safety concern.

To Europeans, it’s not a problem. You close the door. That’s enough.

If it squeaks or leaves a gap? Not ideal. But not worth moving rooms over.

7. You Might Hear Intimacy — and Be Expected to Ignore It

In the U.S., overhearing neighbors in a hotel room — especially intimate noises — is often met with embarrassment, complaints, or avoidance.

In Europe, this kind of background noise isn’t dramatized.

You hear things. You don’t comment. You go about your business. If anything, it’s expected. A hotel is full of people. People live. You deal with it.

The line between “private” and “communal” is simply drawn in a different place.

8. Bathrooms With Glass Walls Aren’t Considered Scandalous

American travelers are often shocked by the trend of glass-walled bathrooms in European hotel rooms — including transparent showers or partial frosted panels between the bathroom and bedroom.

To many Americans, this feels overly exposed, especially when sharing a room with a friend or family member.

To Europeans, the design is stylish, efficient, and not that revealing.

If you need more privacy, you work around it — not by moving rooms, but by using timing, towels, or creative angles.

9. Smells and Sounds Aren’t Covered — They’re Understood

In American hotels, fans, separate rooms, and scent-masking products are standard. Odor and noise control are part of the experience.

In Europe, especially in smaller hotels or historic buildings, these features often don’t exist. And people adjust.

You open a window. You use the bidet. You deal with less-than-perfect air circulation.

There’s less expectation that every physical reality must be hidden.

One Hotel, Two Assumptions

To Americans, a hotel room should offer privacy, silence, and separation.
To Europeans, a hotel room offers shelter, access, and participation in the place around you.

One model is about control. The other is about coexistence.

So the next time you check into a European hotel and discover your bathroom door is a frosted pane of glass and you can hear a neighbor’s shower running — don’t assume it’s a design failure.

Assume you’ve entered a different relationship with space. One where the room isn’t sealed off from life, but connected to it.

At the end of the day, hotel comfort is about perspective. Europeans prioritize ease of access and tradition, while Americans crave privacy, quiet, and a sense of exclusivity on higher floors. Neither approach is wrong—it’s simply a reflection of cultural habits shaped by architecture, lifestyle, and even psychology.

If you’re traveling abroad, understanding these differences can help avoid disappointment and misunderstandings. Instead of assuming your way is the “right” way, it’s worth adapting to local norms and considering why preferences exist.

Whether you choose ground level convenience or a sky-high view, the real win is knowing how to make your stay align with your own needs. After all, the best hotel room is the one that lets you relax and enjoy your trip—no matter what floor it’s on.