Caravan Awards 2023 - Best Twin-Axle Caravan

What does it have to offer?

It was a close call between the Bologna and its sister model, the same-priced Messina (which is only marginally heavier, at 1,698kg MTPLM). Both have Bailey’s unique G-shaped lounge, with seating all of the way across the front and along the offside and, on the nearside, a dining area for two, with a table that can be removed to create more seating (there’s a narrow, upholstered section beneath it). When more than two are dining, the free-standing table comes into play – and this can be placed next to the smaller table, creating dining space for up to six. This layout is super adaptable. Bailey calls it a G-shape because it approximately forms the letter G. We think, though, that the G should stand for ‘genius.’

The Messina shares this lounge layout; the difference is that the Messina’s shower room is amidships, whereas the Bologna’s is at the rear; both are great layouts. But the judges felt, on balance, that the Bologna’s layout has broader appeal. And width is arguably the Bologna’s main attribute. This 2.45m-wide tourer’s bed is aligned across the caravan. It has a mechanism for retracting the base, pushing it back, towards the nearside wall, to create extra corridor space en route to the shower room. But, even with a duvet in place and hanging over the edge, there is plenty of space to walk by the end of the bed without the need to create more.

Peace of mind

The Bologna (and also the Messina) has a unique storage configuration at the front. A locker runs the whole width of the caravan, with hatches on each side; the offside one is large enough for folding chairs to be put in here. That means, together with the offside hatch to the under-bed space, the Bologna has two areas where outdoor chairs and awning tables can be put from the outside. The Messina’s bed being at the rear, there is no exterior access to this space beneath it – giving the Bologna a clear storage advantage over its sibling.