6 European Hotel Features Americans Find Strange

For all the similarities Americans share with their friends across the pond, there are still countless differences between the U.S. and Europe. This includes hotels, where many travelers from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean experience culture shock after checking in. Here are six of the biggest surprises Americans find at European hotels (and vice versa).

Room Sizes

America is nearly as large as the entirety of Europe, meaning its one country is about the same size as 40 or so of theirs. As a result, things tend to be bigger in the U.S.: portions, cars, and, yes, hotels.

Space is a precious commodity on the Continent, where the cities are older and so are the buildings. On average, European hotel rooms are about 160 to 215 square feet, or around one-third smaller than their American counterparts, which average 330 square feet. As a result, the beds and showers tend to be relatively cramped as well. It can be a bit of an adjustment, but most travelers probably aren’t flying to Paris or Prague just to luxuriate in their hotel rooms.

Washcloths

Towels are plentiful at hotels in the United States, but often, washcloths are a rarity in Europe, according to travel expert Rick Steves. They’re usually thought of as a personal item that travelers are expected to bring themselves rather than a standard amenity. If your bathroom doesn’t come stocked with any washcloths, you can always call the front desk and ask for one — just don’t be surprised if they can’t accommodate your strange American ways.

Air Conditioning

According to a recent report from Mother Jones, only one in 10 European homes has air conditioning. The reason is simple: Until recently, most of them simply didn’t need it. As temperatures continue to rise, however, AC is becoming a necessity rather than a luxury. But old habits die hard, and many Europeans have proved resistant to adopting air conditioning despite brutal heat waves becoming increasingly common. That’s true in hotels as well, especially outside the warmer southern countries. It’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning to visit Europe during the summer.

Ice Machines

For many travelers, a quintessential hotel experience in America is taking the bucket from your room, walking down the hallway, and filling it up in the loud ice machine. (Be warned, however, that the ice bucket may not be as clean as you think.) On the other side of the Atlantic, many of our European friends find the American fixation on ice-cold beverages odd — there’s even a joke about it in Downton Abbey. So, don’t expect an ice machine at your Parisian hotel, even if iced wine is fairly common further south.

Bidets

Though bidets have become more popular in America over the past several years, they’re still fairly uncommon — particularly at hotels, where they’re practically nonexistent. The opposite is true in Europe, where bidets have long been a standard bathroom fixture.

Floor Numbers

In America, the first floor of a building is, well, the first floor: the ground level where the entrance, exit, and lobby are. In Europe, the first floor is the one above the ground floor, and the lobby is considered floor zero. But one thing we have in common is a shared superstition: Many buildings in both America and Europe skip the 13th floor and go straight to 14.