Motorhome Layouts Guide

Motorhome layout FAQs

• Fixed bed or not fixed bed?

  You can find fixed beds in a number of compact coachbuilts, some only 6m long. However, as you move into larger coachbuilts of 7.5m or more, it becomes harder to find layouts that don’t have a fixed bed.

  In motorhome layouts without a fixed bed, there is commonly extra living space (especially in bad weather), but having a permanent bed offers better sleeping comfort – and not having to rearrange cushions every night and morning.

  In longer motorhomes the bedroom feels less of a dominating feature. If you’re really not sure which way to go on this topic, why not hire a ’van first?

  A possible compromise, if you’re unsure, is a motorhome with a drop-down bed. If this is the main bed, it won’t take up any space during the day, but it will still give you a proper bed with a flat, one-piece mattress at night.

  It still won’t feel like a separate bedroom, though, and you’ll usually lose your lounge with the bed down (except in an A-class motorhome, where the bed drops down into the cab area).

• How much storage and living space do you want?

  Fans of traditionally British layouts without a fixed bed will point to the extra living space on offer and extra space for entertaining friends and family, but a fixed bed also results in a large storage area beneath the mattress (right up to a full-sized garage for your bikes).

  Always think about whether you need to get your cycles inside and where you’re going to keep other bulky gear, such as outdoor chairs, barbecue, etc. Some layouts without fixed beds still manage to offer a reasonable amount of external storage, but many fall down in this area.

  Remember, too, that bedding will usually live in situ with a fixed or drop-down bed, but will need storing separately in models where seats become beds at night.

• How many travel seats do you need?

  There are pros and cons for any layout – there’s no such thing as the perfect motorhome – so it’s important to decide what’s essential for you (as well as things you’d like, but might not be deal-breakers).

  Think carefully about how many travel seats you need and, where sofas convert into forward-facing passenger seats, see how easy that conversion process is.

  If you're travelling with children, look for models with Isofix for child seats – while relatively rare in older models, this feature is becoming a more common option on new models, and is standard in some motorhomes for sale today.

• How many berths do you need?

  You may plan on just being a twosome for most motorhome trips, but think about whether other family members might need to be accommodated from time to time.

  Unlike travel seats, though, there are alternatives here to catering for extra sleepers on your motorhome adventures without needing to change vehicles – an awning, tent, or Cabbunk system could be a better alternative than a different model of motorhome, especially if the additional beds are only going to be required on rare occasions.

• How big a vehicle do you want?

  Think, too, about the size of vehicle you want – not just in terms of length but width, too. The latter can become important on country lanes, although there are a growing range of slimline coachbuilts that are not much broader than a campervan.

  Typical coachbuilts are often 2.3m wide and 7m to 7.5m long. A smaller vehicle means less living space but also a motorhome that’s easier to drive, less hassle to manoeuvre – and, perhaps, a better fit on your drive at home.

  Bigger motorhomes also weigh more, thus reducing the payload, unless you go for a heavier chassis (with implications for driving licences, as well as speed limits and tolls, especially on the Continent).