Standard business practice??

I certainly don't travel with my husband on trips.  It's not expected and would be considered very odd in his line of work.

Nope -- don't travel w/ DH.  He's away right now, as a matter of fact, and I'm enjoying my time at home!   

Definitely not usual for spouses to go along and it's fairly common to have a work "bonding" thing and have everyone stay in a hotel even if it's near where everyone lives. The point is to keep them all in the same place so they have dinner together, breakfast together etc.  I don't think you've got anything to worry about honestly Pittpanther, although when I read your original post I thought they were all staying in the same ROOM!

I think it is rather common practice if the event includes drinking and goes on late. My Beloved has done this at Christmas parties and the like.

But he lives an hour away from the event, not 20 minutes.

I was never suspicious but we are older and have been  married before.  I couldn't, however, resist teasing him. I also know him well enough to detect tiredness or if he is really about to fall asleep over the phone. We call each other before bedtime every night. That also gave him permission to tease me sometimes too.  It lets us know we trust the other but that we are not taking anything for granted. (Which is GOOD for a relationship as long as it does not slide into jelousy.)

I would talk to your BF and tell him that it bothers you. If nothing is going on he shouldn't mind being the "big" one and taking a cab. If he loves you, instead of telling you you are wrong to be uncomfortable, he should be willing to go out of his way (and in this instance, only a little bit) to make you comfortable.
If he refuses or invalidates your feelings in any way, let him know that is not acceptable and that that behaviour might be a deal breaker.  If he can't  be loving when so far away, and in such difficult circumstances, how will he be when you are together, and ordinary life kicks in?

20minute cab ride home - we've gone out before in leeds for a night of drinking til 1am or so and taken a cab home, no problem. I just angry that he hides behind the fact that it's "standard" there and since i'm in america - it makes me question it. I know that it could be the case here, but not likely a company would pay if you live so close to stay in a hotel. I don't want to be irrational or blow this out of proportion, but I am sick of being told that it's what they do there and I just don't get it.

Yeah, but he takes the cab ride home because he's going home with you.

I don't think he's hiding behind anything.  I wouldn't worry about it, really.

I would talk to your BF and tell him that it bothers you. If nothing is going on he shouldn't mind being the "big" one and taking a cab. If he loves you, instead of telling you you are wrong to be uncomfortable, he should be willing to go out of his way (and in this instance, only a little bit) to make you comfortable.
If he refuses or invalidates your feelings in any way, let him know that is not acceptable and that that behaviour might be a deal breaker. If he can't be loving when so far away, and in such difficult circumstances, how will he be when you are together, and ordinary life kicks in?

Is that being loving - or is that being "whipped" because he gives in instead of her being the one to understand "how things are"? 

NB If this is meant to be a team building thing, his employer might view him as not being one of the team if he doesn't stay the night with everyone else.   

he should be willing to go out of his way (and in this instance, only a little bit) to make you comfortable.

This is true.  After a particularly heated discussion regarding my trust issues, DH actually said that he would knew he would have to work extra hard to prove I didn't have anything to worry about.  He has, and I don't!

I've heard of this too-I wouldn't say it was unusual.  And it's pretty important to be seen as a 'team player' and not one to be hen-pecked if you know what I mean.  There's more to making a good impression at work than just what you do during the day.  
I really don't see it as a big thing.  I think you should probably trust him on this.  

Loving means that you do whatever you can for the other's good, and the good of the relationship. It does not mean worrying about whether you are "Whipped" or what your mates say. The beloved comes way before your mates.

I and my BF are in our 40's and such male stupidity is not an issure for either of us.  I would not even date a man if he had such fears.

But I wouldn't even date a person if they had such doubt and jealousy issues that they insisted I do something that wasn't considered unusual by the people I work with.  And 'mates' is different from 'boss'.  This isn't a stag party-where you are allowed to put your foot down if you feel uncomfortable.  It's a work do. 

I need a better explanation from him than, "this is how we do it here". I know that he will be willing to give me that, apparently, just not for another 1-2hrs.

My gut told me something was up after he told me today about this...hence the sudden questioning and posting.

If it's something arranged by the company and they all have separate rooms, fine.  If it's been arranged by the team themselves and is really just a way of extending the time they have to drink , not fine. 

But I admit I wouldn't insist that he change his plans this time, but I would watch him to see if he changes anything next time. Even if it means calling you few times during the event to say he wishes you were there with him.  He didn't know it would bother you this time, but next time he will know.

This practice obvious makes you uncomfortable and you do not have to justify your feelings to him. They are just feelings and need no defence.  But I still say that if he loves you he will find a way to make you more comfortable in the future.

Bosses have GF too, and it just takes a little creativity to make everyone happy enough.

In the end this is standard practice, but so is taking care of the relationship. Give and take applies to both parties...

I can understand that you're concerned, but you've got to remember that to him it IS usual.  And since he's not seeing it from your point of view it might be difficult for him to come up with a quick explanation-you know how sometimes people ask you questions about how you do things in America and you can't think of any explanation other than that's the way we do it.  It's probably just as hard for him to understand why you're so upset-after all there will be married and engaged people there whose partners don't have a problem with it.
I'd wait for an explanation from him, but I'd also keep in mind that in some people's experience on this board it IS common practice.  I know it's happened a few times with my husband's job.
Part of it is bonding, part of it is the company thinking they're doing something nice for the employees.  It's not unusual and it doesn't necesarrily mean that anything is going on.  I really think that part of being in a relationship is being able to trust.  Doubting someone and second guessing someone just weakens the foundation in my opinion.  

But I admit I wouldn't insist that he change his plans this time, but I would watch him to see if he changes anything next time. Even if it means calling you few times during the event to say he wishes you were there with him. He didn't know it would bother you this time, but next time he will know.

This practice obvious makes you uncomfortable and you do not have to justify your feelings to him. They are just feelings and need no defence. But I still say that if he loves you he will find a way to make you more comfortable in the future.

I agree and he has changed things previously b/c it made me uncomfortable. I don't expect him to change anything this time - the future will be different now that he knows how I feel...funny thing was, I thought maybe he was trying to engineer a surprise visit, but he has been using his blackberry, so that's not it.