If there’s one thing you don’t want when you’re traveling is to be uncomfortable in the process, but let me tell you—it happens, and more often than not, it comes from those you least expect.
That’s right, girlfriends, boyfriends, partners, and significant others—we’re talking to you. There are some specific things you do when you travel that can absolutely set the other person off—to the point of not wanting to travel with you ever again, in the most extreme cases!
Hotels.com recently surveyed American travelers to find out what the biggest partner icks when traveling are, and some of the results are so specific that your jaw might drop. And what’s more, travelers feel very strongly about them. According to the survey, 24% of respondents said that their partner’s travel icks are so bad or embarrassing that they actually ruin the vacation experience.
You may be thinking that isn’t a huge statistic, and you’re right. But this next one surely is: 88% of the travelers surveyed said that their partner’s travel behavior is so terrible to them that it makes them want to travel less together. Other travelers are even more cutthroat—one in three respondents confessed that they actually broke up with their partner due to their travel habits.
But let’s get into the most popular icks, shall we? According to the survey, one of the most hated behaviors is when a partner doesn’t let the other person drink from the mini bar because it is deemed “too expensive.” But not everything has to do with money. Another huge ick, according to the survey, is keeping the room a mess, but so is unpacking immediately. On the list we also find “bringing their own pillow or bedding with them” and last but not least, the “crime” of always forgetting the keys and assuming the other person has it.
But traveling doesn’t have to become a cold war. There are some things you can do to try and smooth out the differences and travel preferences in a couple. For example, you can choose a hotel with specific amenities that will help you coexist without getting frustrated with one another.
“I unpack as soon as I get to my room, so it’s alarming to find out that’s a big ‘no’ for so many people on a romantic weekend,” said Melanie Fish, a Hotels.com spokesperson, in a statement. “To nip frustrations in the bud, make the most of what your hotel offers, like choosing a room with an unpacking service to get you both out and about, or daily housekeeping if your loved one needs help keeping things tidy.”
If all else fails, of course there’s always the ever-growing trend of solo travel to consider.