Going away with a group of friends or family sounds like the perfect holiday. There are people to laugh with, meals to share, games to play and memories to make. Nobody has to sit around wondering what to do because there is always someone else around to suggest an activity. At least, that is the theory.

In reality, group holidays can sometimes become a fascinating test of human relationships. One person wants to sleep late while another is ready for breakfast at 6.30am. One wants to spend the day swimming, another wants to go exploring, and someone else has decided that absolutely nothing should happen before lunchtime. Then comes the question of dinner, where suddenly eight people have eight different opinions.

A successful group getaway is not about everyone doing everything together. It is about understanding that different people have different ideas of what makes a holiday enjoyable, and giving everyone enough space to enjoy it.

Perhaps the first and most important rule is to discuss expectations before leaving home. It may not sound very exciting, but a ten-minute conversation before the trip can prevent a great deal of friction later.  Nobody needs a formal contract, but knowing roughly what everyone has in mind makes a huge difference.

Money is another area where friendships can become surprisingly complicated. Before the holiday begins, agree on how shared expenses will work. Will everyone contribute to groceries? Will meals be split equally or will people pay for what they consume? Who is paying for fuel? What about activities or restaurant meals?

It is perfectly acceptable for people to have different budgets. The important thing is not to make assumptions. If one person wants to eat at an expensive restaurant every evening while another is trying to keep costs down, resentment can build quickly. Discussing the budget beforehand allows everyone to know what they are signing up for.

Then there is food. Group holidays have a wonderful ability to turn the simple question of “What shall we have for dinner?” into a lengthy committee meeting. The easiest solution is to share the responsibility. One person should not automatically become the holiday chef, shopper, dishwasher and kitchen manager simply because they are the one who normally cooks at home. Make a basic meal plan, divide the shopping or cooking between people and be realistic about what everyone actually wants to eat. If someone has dietary requirements, allergies or foods they genuinely cannot eat, that should be communicated beforehand rather than announced when the meal is already on the table.

The same principle applies to activities. A group does not have to move around like a school outing, with everyone following the same programme from breakfast to bedtime. In fact, trying to make everybody participate in every activity can be one of the quickest ways to spoil a holiday.

A good compromise is to agree on a few things that everyone would like to do together, while leaving plenty of free time for people to make their own choices. If half the group wants to go for a hike while the other half would rather sit beside the water with a book, there is no reason both groups cannot be happy. Nobody should feel guilty for opting out of an activity, either. “No thanks, I think I’ll stay here” should be treated as a perfectly acceptable holiday answer.

Personal space is equally important. Just because you are sharing accommodation does not mean you have to spend every waking minute together. Some people need quiet time. Others like to get up early, while some regard anything before 9am as a personal attack. Be considerate about noise, bathroom time, bedrooms and shared spaces.

If you are sharing a room, remember that not everyone has the same sleeping habits. Agreeing on lights, television, alarms and bedtime routines beforehand can save a surprising amount of irritation.

The same goes for cleanliness. Holiday accommodation is a shared space, which means everyone should contribute. Nobody wants to spend their weekend quietly becoming more and more resentful while cleaning up after everyone else. If you use it, clean it. If you finish it, replace it. If you spill it, wipe it up. These are not complicated principles, but they become remarkably important when several households are temporarily living under one roof.

Then there is the question of time. Some people are naturally punctual. Others operate according to a mysterious internal clock that bears little resemblance to the agreed departure time. If a group is planning an outing, be clear about when you are leaving and try to respect that time. At the same time, allow for the reality that getting a large group of people organised is rarely a military operation.

Perhaps the biggest piece of group-holiday etiquette is learning to compromise. You may not get your preferred restaurant, activity or departure time every day. That is part of travelling with other people. If everyone insists on having things their own way, the holiday quickly becomes less about relaxation and more about winning arguments. Take turns choosing activities and meals.

Finally, remember why you went away together in the first place. A weekend away is supposed to be a break from normal life, not an opportunity to recreate all the responsibilities and irritations of normal life somewhere else. Nobody wants to come home needing another holiday to recover from the first one.

Be considerate. Communicate. Share the work. Respect different budgets and preferences. Give people space. Laugh at the inevitable little mishaps rather than turning them into major dramas. The best group holidays are not necessarily the ones where everybody agrees on everything. They are the ones where everyone feels comfortable enough to be themselves, flexible enough to compromise and relaxed enough to enjoy the company of the people they came with.

If all else fails, there is always the golden rule of group travel: when in doubt, order pizza, open a bottle of something cold and stop discussing where everyone wants to eat.