Bailey Alicanto Grande Porto twin-axle caravan

Eight-foot width, three wardrobes, a wine rack, an enormous whole-width rear storage compartment, and lighting that gives you the entire spectrum to choose from

Words: Val Chapman  Photography: John Chapman

The Bailey Alicanto Grande Porto

Alicanto Grande is Bailey’s flagship range; three models that earn their keep in the luxury class, eight feet wide, with king-size beds, large L-shaped kitchens and super-comfortable lounges. There’s the  single-axle Alicanto Grande Lisbon, and two twin-axle models, the Evora – and this one, the Porto. The difference between these two is that the Evora has a rear shower room, and the Porto has a rear bedroom. This is the one to go for if you fancy a caravan that can literally be divided into two rooms.

We came to Leisure Sales, in Cheshire, to explore the Porto in detail. But before we start, it’s worth taking a look at some figures. 

With lots of caravans in the eight-foot-wide luxury bracket topping £40,000, and with MTPLM figures above 1,900kg, Bailey’s Porto and Evora are notable for sitting below both of those figures. So, good for the budget and good for the towmatch.

Alde heating is a given in this price bracket, so these caravans easily earn a place on your shortlist if you are looking for a caravan to use at all times of the year. That’s not a criticism of Truma’s blown-air system, just that the Alde system warms every corner of the caravan, so super-cosiness is guaranteed.

The layout

The Porto’s layout is a star performer. The bedroom is a delightfully luxurious environment, dividable by a sliding door from the central shower room. The shower is on the nearside and the toilet and washbasin are opposite. The door that  closes across the toilet and washbasin area opens forwards to divide the entire shower and bedroom area from the rest of the caravan. 

Effectively, then, the Porto has two rooms. With a king-size bed (you can only get that in an eight-foot-wide caravan), and a mattress that is pocket-sprung, comfort is guaranteed. The velvety headboard looks luxurious, as do the voiles-and-panels curtain design, using a pale gold shade in an abstract geometric design. And speakers are set into the base of the over-bed lockers.

Storage

There’s something outstandingly unusual about the wardrobes. They are wider at the top (46cm) than at the base, curving around the bed; the shape enhances the cosy look of the room. And a light comes on automatically when you open the door.

But there’s much more to the wardrobe area than first meets the eye. Forward of the wardrobes are what appear at initial glance to be cabinet tops. But they’re not. 

Beneath them is one of caravanning’s greatest (literally) storage features: a locker than runs all of the way across the back of the caravan under the bed, and has access hatches at each side that measure 73cm by 28cm. All manner of folding chairs, tables and other outdoor paraphernalia would hide away easily here. 

And, as an added bonus, part of the ledges at each side of the bed hinge upwards, to reveal storage areas; one of many ingenious features of the Porto. 

The lounge

The lounge is elegant and plush in design. It has deeply curved front corners with headrests, and a blend of velvety suede-look fabric with a prominent weave. 

The cushions are light grey on one side and dark grey on the other. The grey tones create a very on-trend look. And the slightly  exotic pale gold and dark brown of the curtain panels brings in a sophisticated element. 

We say curtain panels, not curtains, for the Porto borrows continental caravan styling, with voiles and panels on the lounge side windows and in the bedroom. 

And there’s a surprise: the front windows do not have curtains at all. The Porto has no windowsill. The front central chest of drawers goes right to the base of the enormous window that arches high above the lounge. 

The chest of drawers top measures 72cm by 52cm. The pull-out occasional table measures 60cm by 38cm. Although the two don’t sit at the same level, together they form an area that’s plenty large enough for two to dine. The free-standing dining table lives on rests under the bed. It’s generously sized, at 98cm by 80cm. 

The kitchen

There are many outstanding features in the Porto. Among them is the drainer; five grooves in the kitchen surface direct water into the (neat, rimless) sink. A five-bottle wine rack sits to the right of the oven and grill. 

And there’s a lighting feature in the kitchen and lounge that sets Alicanto Grandes apart from all other caravans. You can select from the entire spectrum of colour. Choose glowing red, vibrant green or cool blue, for example, or blend your own colour by tapping a dial on the forward edge of the kitchen. 

The kitchen is 1.4m long and the L-shape creates a metre-long area of surface. Importantly, there is a 15cm-wide section that runs to the right of the hob; perfect for popping things that you use during cooking, like salt, pepper, olive oil and utensils.

The 153-litre capacity fridge/freezer is opposite. And, aft of it, a surprise: a full-length wardrobe (with a 39cm-wide rail), and three shelf spaces beneath it. 

Cabinets are above and beneath the fridge/freezer. There’s a small two-shelf cabinet by the door, together with two recessed shelves with a spotlight to make sure they make a contribution to the décor as well as to practicality. 

Under the sink, a 70cm-wide cabinet gives you three shelf spaces. It is only 15cm deep, owing to the position of the gas bottle compartment. In the L-shaped sector are three drawers, 30cm deep, and there are two lockers beside the microwave. 

So, inevitably, we have to say that kitchen storage isn’t one of the strong points of the Porto.

The washroom

The central wash area is amazing, in terms of both style and space. A brown stone-effect panel clads the wall on which the large mirror is mounted, with concealed lighting on all four sides. 

The same stone effect forms a feature area in the shower  cubicle, where there is a wide shelf for shampoo bottles. A hinged towel rail enables you to dry not only towels but raincoats, too. 

Under the Belfast-style washbasin is a large amount of shelf space, plus a three-shelf cabinet. Three towel hooks, plus a towel warmer, together with the rail in the shower area, create first-class towel provision.

<p>The Porto is a stunning caravan in terms of spaciousness, kitchen surface configuration, and lounge comfort. The whole-width under-bed locker, with large hatches at both sides, is a massive (literally) asset that makes storing outdoor items super easy. We love the spacious bedroom, the extra wardrobe, and the awesome lounge and kitchen full-colour-spectrum lighting that is the icing on a very good cake.</p>