Bailey Phoenix GT75 762 twin-axle caravan (2024 model)

Beds for six, two wardrobes, two seating areas, two axles – and a sound system all for under £30,000

Words: Val Chapman  Photography: John Chapman (exterior image courtesy of Bailey of Bristol)

The Bailey Phoenix GT75 762

At £27,499, with an MTPLM of 1,636kg, and with beds for six, the Phoenix GT75 762 ticks a lot of family-appeal boxes. 

It has a shower room that’s spacious enough to be regarded as a family dressing room – and with a large wardrobe, of which more later. But what sets this caravan apart from all others is its layout. Yes, it’s a bunk bed layout – but with a twist.

Whereas it’s usual in a six-berth layout to find that bunk beds are directly opposite a seating area that transforms into two more bunks, the 762’s nearside seating area is offset to the bunks, further forward, towards the kitchen. 

The result is a feeling that the seating area integrates more with the day space than the ‘bedroom’. Somehow, this creates a nicely open aspect in the centre of the caravan.

The media

You may think of the Phoenix range, by reason of its price, as firmly in the affordability, few-frills sector. And you’d be right; these six caravans, badged to celebrate Bailey’s seventy-fifth year of manufacturing, all sit comfortably under £30,000. 

Yet there’s a surprise in terms of equipment. These are definitely not few-frills tourers. 

They have a sound system, comprising a Sonos speaker that has its own charging dock and can be moved anywhere (including outside, but be careful not to annoy your campsite neighbours, for the sound quality is good, so there’s a temptation to enjoy volume!)

In the 762, the speaker dock is built into the fridge cabinet surface. There’s also a wireless charging pad set into the area alongside the speaker dock. It has a push-up facility that reveals a USB port. And, while on the subject of media, Phoenix models have wiring for WiFi installed, so putting in a WiFi system is easy. 

The kitchen

Kitchen surface space is key to the efficiency of a caravan designed to accommodate six, of course. And the 762 proved, during our day of detailed exploration at Campbells Caravans, to be a star performer.

That’s because there is surface space on both sides of the caravan. In the main kitchen area, when the hob top that matches the work surface area is down, there is a 1.24m length of surface.

We were keen to discover how well it measures up to the storage needs for six appetites.

Two lower cabinets, one with three shelves, the other with two, are 33cm and 36cm wide. There’s a cutlery drawer (with a soft-close mechanism; nice!). 

Opposite, on top of the 103-litre fridge and the slim cabinet alongside it, is another surface area, measuring 70cm by 42cm. 

And there’s the option to buy an extension to the main kitchen area surface. It measures 48cm by 32cm, costs £109, and is available from Prima Leisure Accessories, Bailey’s parts division. 

We think that’s well worth considering, to make the kitchen even more efficient.

The storage

Still in the kitchen, the 70cm-wide wall cabinet gives you a total of three shelf spaces. And there’s a slim cabinet alongside the fridge, in the dresser opposite the main kitchen area. 

Plus, in this dresser sector, there’s a 70cm-wide, double-doored wall cabinet with four shelf spaces.

We think the total amount of storage provision is up to the task of catering for six, especially when you consider that there are a total of four wide top lockers (two over the lounge and two above the dining area). 

So, if one of these has to be taken over by kitchen equipment or food, there’s still plenty of space for clothing.

The lounge

The lounge space is lovely. Two long settees (1.8m), comfortable, and with squashy front corner bolster-style armrests, plus two scatter cushions, enable you to get cosy here. 

Importantly, the settees are long enough to be used as single beds as an alternative to making up the double bed.

This is done by drawing out linked slats from within the front central drawers unit to form the centre section of the bed, then turning the seat upholstery sections over so that the knee rolls are on the outside edge, and placing the backrests in the centre to complete the mattress.

The dining area

The dining area transforms into a single bed, using the table as the centre of the base, with a bunk above, that folds upwards from the wall. A curtain tracks around this area, and each of the fixed bunks has its own curtain, plus a spotlight.

On the aft end of the dining area is a cleverly designed cabinet that accommodates the free-standing table. The table actually forms part of the cabinet. This idea surely owes its inspiration to weight saving, but is also an impressive piece of ingenuity.

The wardrobe

On the other side of the door is another star invention. It’s an open wardrobe, with a 27cm-wide rail, so that you can put coats here as you step inside.

Two shelves and a large space beneath create ample places for footwear. It’s immensely practical, unique to the 762, and makes a significant contribution to what, we were realising by this stage in our exploration, is a caravan of strong practicality.

And, just in case you want to check your outfit before you step outside, there’s a full-height mirror alongside the wardrobe. 

The washroom

In the shower room there’s more to impress you in terms of practicality. 

The wardrobe is larger than you might expect. The rail gives you 64cm of hanging width and there are four shelves of varying sizes; two are very large. 

The shower room wall cabinet contains three shelves and the under-washbasin cabinet also has three shelves. 

Rock-effect splashback and spotlights shining down from within the mirror’s frame contribute to the refined look.

<p>Every which way you look at the Phoenix 762 it represents excellent value for money. There&rsquo;s enough space in all areas for family holiday efficiency. And enough storage space, too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s the super convenience of a wardrobe and plenty of space for shoes by the door. Fabrics and carpet are of high quality so no compromise in the interest of price.&nbsp;</p>
<p>And it has the road handling advantage of twin axles. We love it.</p>