Full review

Marquis Majestic 506

Dealer special editions are always an attractive prospect in terms of added value and extra equipment. Some add more value and more kit to the standard caravan than others. And some transform the internal appearance so radically that the character changes from few-frills, budget look to something bordering on luxury class. The Marquis Majestic range is one of these. It’s based on Elddis’s budget Xplore range; there are two four-berths, a five-berth, a two-berth and a six-berth. The package of extra equipment adds just 17kg to the weight and £1500 to the price. The extras you get amount in value to £1818. That effectively means you are getting £317-worth of equipment free of charge. The package includes the Xplore SE pack, which would cost £399 if you were to opt for it with a standard Xplore. Crucially, it gives you a hitch head stabiliser; it’s the Winterhoff model that goes with the BPW chassis on which all Elddis caravans ride. You also get a spare wheel and carrier, door flyscreen and alloy wheels as part of the pack.

Fitted Carpet
Marquis adds on another £1419-worth of equipment that transforms the interior appearance, elevating the Xplore from budget status to something really special. That’s due to two things. The item you’ll notice first when you walk through the door is the carpet. Instead of the single strip of loose carpet in standard Xplores, Majestics get carpets that are shaped to fit around the furniture, and they’re press-studded down to the floor, so they can’t move when you walk on them. The second major factor in the transformation is the seating and curtain fabric. Both fabrics are higher in quality than those in standard Xplores – and the seating is upholstered in an appealing plain cream colour, with just enough pattern interest to make it interesting. The curtains are totally plain, with a light-reflecting sheen in the weave. The fabric is quite heavy, and the lining is also substantial material, which means that the curtains hang crisply.

Larger rooflight
Other features of the Majestic upgrade include a radio/CD player, a larger rooflight than in standard models (that alone would cost you £300), a barbecue point and a mains power point inside the battery box. The exterior appearance benefits, too, with chrome grab handles replacing the Xplore’s plain white ones, and graphics to identify the Majestic as something distinctive. As example of the range, we tested the family layout Majestic 506, a six-berth model with three bunks and two lounge-dining areas.

Kids’ zone
It’s a brilliant layout, with a true kids’ zone at the rear – and a kitchen that has an amazing amount of storage for a caravan that’s only 5.59m long. Big cupboard space is made possible because the fridge isn’t in the kitchen cabinet suite. It’s opposite, under the wardrobe. Kitchen cabinet space is as good as you find in many much longer caravans. There’s a full-height cabinet with three deep shelf spaces, plus a smaller cabinet alongside, with two drawers above. The reason why that’s possible is that the Xplore’s designers didn’t have to work their layout around the big bulk of a Truma heater unit. Xplores use Whale blown air heating; the unit is mounted under the floor so isn’t a feature of the layout. The system is impressively efficient. On the 5ºC day of our test, it warmed the 506 to a habitable temperate within five minutes. Elddis has made the best use of space in another area. The table store is just forward of the wardrobe; both the freestanding table for the lounge and the second table that clips to the wall in the kids’ area are hidden away here. Above this slim cabinet is a useful shelf and a television wall bracket, plus power and aerial points. Two more power points are mounted on the forward end of the kitchen and, importantly, there’s also one in the children’s areas, together with a second TV aerial socket.

Three bunks
Triple bunk layouts are ideal for families while the children are very young. That’s because the lowest bunk is at floor level, which means toddlers can’t fall out of bed. Triple bunk caravans appeared in almost every manufacturer’s range three or four years ago – and then just as quickly as this layout sprang up, it faded away, replaced by twin bunks. Although, for older children, twin bunks are better because they give more headroom, triple bunks still have their place when the children are very small – so it’s great to see that Elddis is continuing to cater for families of this age group in the 506. Usefully, the lower bunk base folds upwards. This feature will appeal to dog owners; it’s the perfect place for Fido’s bed, keeping him well out of the way. And you could put your awning here in transit. Any negatives about the 506? Among all the excellence of layout and value, there is just one. There’s no separate shower, but in a caravan that otherwise caters so well for a family of six, we think this compromise will be viewed as acceptable, especially by families who stay on sites with good shower facilities.