(photo courtesy of Elddis)
So, you want a permanent double bed, but you can’t live with the access issues imposed by a French bed or transverse double?
This is the answer. An island bed is like your double at home, with access to the mattress on either side.
It can be found in coachbuilts of all types (but never van conversions, which are too narrow).
Be sure to watch our complete guide to motorhome layouts.
Words by Rachel Scholes and Peter Vaughan
The Island bed layout
(photo courtesy of Swift)
Typical overall lengths are around 7.5m but more compact designs (down to 6.5m and, increasingly, around 7m) do exist.
French brands especially favour island bed layouts (whereas German makers tend to focus more on single bed floorplans), but UK brands offer a good range of models, too.
At the front, you can choose between half-dinette lounges and side settees.
The latter are increasingly common, with many manufacturers now offering settees that can be converted into a pair of forward-facing travel seats – some doing this transformation considerably more slickly than others!
Check out whether extra cushions/frames are needed and, if so, where they are going to be stored.
As with all fixed bed layouts, under-bed storage is a key feature. This can be a bike-swallowing garage if the bed is set high enough.
A number of models have bed raising/lowering mechanisms (laborious manual or easy electric) to change the locker-size-to-bed-height ratio, but remember that you’ll almost certainly need to move your bikes outside (and lock them up!) and lower the bed to a more comfortable height for your kip.
The size of the bed and the access around it are two issues that need checking – brochure figures cannot always be trusted! Beds can be short and/or with a radiused foot, while space for undressing can be lacking, too.
Some have a mechanism that sees the head of the bed rise as the mattress moves back – thus creating more space for getting dressed, while making sitting up in bed easy and comfortable.
But, if this is the case, do look carefully at how much room there is around the foot of the bed when it’s fully extended for sleeping.
(photo by Warners Group Publications)
The best island bed floorplans feature an en suite washroom with the shower on one side and the toilet/washbasin on the other, with a door that closes across the aisle to create a generous full-width en suite.
Here, again, it’s space that separates the good from the not so good.
Also, look for a second door that gives privacy between the bedroom and the bathroom, especially if you’re intending to use your ’van as a four-berth.
Some brands have dabbled with layouts featuring an island bed running across the vehicle, though these have now fallen out of favour.
Another variation is the semi-island or offset island bed, where there is more limited access to one side of the bed – this is a space-saving compromise between a true island bed and a French bed.
Why should I buy one?
- ✔ It’s like your bedroom at home
- ✔ Spacious en suite bathroom at the foot of the bed
- ✔ Huge choice of models when buying new
Top choices of 2024
- Adria Coral Supreme MB 670
- Carado T449 Edition24
- Coachman Travel Master 545
