Full review

Words: Rachel Scholes  Photography: Bailey of Bristol

The Bailey Pegasus Grande GT75 Amalfi

If you’ve already read the Ancona review, you’ll have read about the reasons for an 8ft-wide caravan (spoiler alert, more interior space) and how it’s a really good idea for family models. Here, however, we are looking at the other model of the newly born additions to the Pegasus Grande range and it’s something a little more unusual.

That’s mainly thanks to the bed layout in the rear, which we’ll come on to, but this model here is a twin-axle, unlike the Ancona’s single axle. 

What does that really mean? Well, along with the Al-Ko ATC trailer control as standard, you get a much more stable caravan to tow as there are four wheels gripping the road. 

This also means it’s easier for manoeuvring, especially when reversing, when still hooked up to the car, as the caravan is much slower to turn.

It’s also a couple of hundred kilograms heavier than the Ancona, so you will need a slightly bigger towcar.

The exterior

The exterior has the same silver (Bailey calls this ‘dove grey’) sides with white mouldings and that tall window up front (called an infinity window). 

The gas locker is mounted centrally to also help with towing stability as well as reducing the impact on noseweight.

You’ll also see locker doors at the rear on each side, providing external access to two under-bed spaces – great for outdoor furniture and your garden games, etc, although we would like these to be slightly larger apertures.

The interior

Stepping on board, the unusual nature of this layout isn’t immediately apparent, as the central washroom essentially creates a three-zone caravan.

Up front is the open-plan lounge and kitchen. This is also your dining area, if you are not dining outside in the awning.

Note the channel to attach your chosen awning is concealed in the Alu-Tech framework and can be affixed to either side – useful if you are pitched a different way to maximise those views out of that front window.

The bedroom

As already referred to, you go through the washroom to get to the bedroom, but this is a proper family room with a fixed double bed running lengthways along one side opposite a pair of bunks. 

If you’re looking at both this and the smaller Ancona, the reason to buy this Amalfi is that fixed bed.

It’s a decent size – 1.27m (4ft 2in) wide and 1.90m (6ft 3in) long, with a padded headboard. There’s a rooflight and a window for ventilation, spotlights for reading and small shelves for your glasses, etc.

The bunks

The bunks opposite are both the same size (58cm or 1ft 11in by 1.83m or 6ft) – apparently if one is bigger than the other, you could have a fight on your hands for the roomier bed. 

Each has shelved open storage at the foot, a curtain, reading light and a window. The fixed ladder provides access to the upper bunk and there’s a lip on this one, too.

Between the bunks and the fixed bed you’ll find a wardrobe to accompany the eye-level lockers above the bed. 

And while we understand that you are only an arm’s length from the kids at night, that’s a good thing, too, as you are within ear’s reach if they need something in the night or you need to tell them to be quiet and go to sleep. This is also no different to some family rooms in hotels.

What this layout means is that, for a family of four, each occupant gets a proper comfy bed and there’s no nightly and morning lounge/bed conversion routines needed. There are good curtains to provide privacy for each bed.

The washroom

The washroom sits either side of the aisle, but can form its own room; swing the toilet door over to close off the front and the slide the rearmost partition to give privacy from the bedroom. This will also allow privacy if you have anyone using the lounge bed.

The offside has the washroom itself with a swivel cassette toilet and a smart Belfast-style basin mounted on a counter that has space for toiletries and more. There’s oodles of storage in here too, more than enough for the whole family.

Opposite, the shower has a folding door, single drain in the tray and a rooflight for ventilation as well as a handy step over the wheelarch. 

What’s great is that using the shower doesn’t put the whole washroom out of action.

The kitchen

We’re finally back up front, with a slightly smaller kitchen area than the Ancona, but this model comes with a more than capable 137-litre fridge/freezer mounted higher for ease of access.

Adjacent to this – next to the door – you’ll find the multimedia station, with a TV mount, wireless charging/USB points and the Sonos docking port.

And while there’s a smidge less worktop (the worktop cover on the cooker really comes into its own here) and storage, you still get an oven, grill and three gas burners on the hob as well as an electric hotplate, along with the microwave in a dedicated locker.

Take a look at the splashback here, too. It covers the entire kitchen wall but integrates the Truma controls (easy to access from the lounge) and sockets that are perfectly located where you’ll be able to place the devices you need to plug in, even if the power cable is short. It’s a little detail, but an important one.

The lounge

The lounge features two inward-facing sofas. There’s storage below (one of which can be accessed externally), while overhead lockers provide room for books, games or more clothing.

Like the Ancona, these sofas can make single beds that are 61cm (2ft) wide and 1.90m (6ft 3in) long, but for more room, simply pull out the slats from the central unit at the front to make a massive double. 

It’s likely this will only be deployed for bigger families or if you get roped into taking your kids’ friends on holiday.