Bailey Unicorn Valencia

Although most buyers of Valencias are couples, this model makes a better four-berth than many in its length class

Statistically, the fixed-bed, end shower room layout on a single axle is Britain’s most popular caravan configuration. There’s an enormous choice of styles and weights; every major manufacturer produces a caravan of this layout – and most have several. But there is one single-axle, fixed-bed, end shower room tourer that is like no other. s Unicorn Valencia When Bailey launched its new Unicorn range it introduced two features that are unique in the caravan market. That’s the higharching sunroof, and the split-level kitchen with a semi-oval raised section for the sink – keeping the washing-up function separate from other kitchen activities. In many other respects, the Valencia can be compared with a great many caravans. The heating system is Alde, like most in its high-spec class. And, like most Alde-heated caravans, there’s a heated towel rail in the shower room.

Showering
The Valencia’s heated towel rail is directly alongside the shower importantly, with four towel hooks above it; anything hung here will dry reasonably quickly in the considerable amount of heat that rises from the metal structure below. And towels hanging here are in the perfect place to be reached from within the shower cubicle. The shower head is the Ecocamel model that draws in air at the base of the handle. When the air mixes with the water it increases the flow – and economises on the amount of water you use. Even the shower drain arrangement is worthy of comment; there are two drain holes, which means that if your caravan isn’t precisely level, the water will still drain out.
The shower room has two mirrors. One is on the offside, running the whole length of the shower room wall. The other is a shaving mirror, on a pantograph, so that you can position it in the perfect place for you. The list of unusual refinements goes on – into the realms of boring stuff like the necessity to find somewhere out of the way to hide clothing waiting to be washed. Unicorns have a dedicated place – a cotton bag suspended on four hooks inside a deep, top-opening cabinet alongside the washbasin.

Sleeping
Although most buyers of Valencias are couples, this fixed-bed model makes a better four-berth than many in its length-class. That’s because the lounge is long enough – just! – to make single beds. The nearside settee is 1.75m long and the offside one is shorter, at 1.55m; that’s well within child length range. If you need to make up a double in the Valencia’s lounge, you achieve this by pulling the centre section of bed base out from under the offside settee; it’s a smooth and easy operation. The bedroom is equipped with a mirror, shelf and, importantly, a mains socket mounted in the bed base, close by.

Storage
Any caravan with a double bed automatically gives you brilliant storage. In the case of the Valencia, lifting the base is easy; it rises on gas-filled struts. Unusually, the freestanding table is stored under the bed, on four brackets. Admittedly, it takes a bit of strength to lift it out and back in again – but, with the table in position, you can still get at items stored in almost two thirds of the bed area. Although the wardrobe is wedge-shaped to allow for the bedside corridor, there’s still a good amount of hanging space – 53cm of full-depth space and an additional 27cm of rail length that runs above the shelves on the right-hand side of the wardrobe. Three shelf areas provide ample opportunity for footwear storage – there’s much more space here than in most caravans.

Dining
The dining arrangements for four are as good as you’ll get anywhere. There’s plenty of settee length for four to sit at the freestanding table without feeling too cosy. And the 48cm-deep windowsill gives you auxiliary space for items such as a coffee percolator and the biscuits! It’s when two are dining, without using the large table, that the Valencia – and indeed all the 2013 Unicorns – become less perfect. In most caravans, when you pull out the table that’s part of the central front drawer unit, it becomes level with the top of that unit, so the usable table space is greater than the actual extension. In Unicorns, the three drawers are an integral part of the deep windowsill, so when you pull out the table top, it becomes a surface that’s 3cm lower than the windowsill. That creates a disadvantage. The table part is only just wide enough for plates and cutlery; no room for mugs or goblets; even though they can go on the windowsill, this two-level eating arrangement isn’t as convenient as a larger surface, we discovered during our test.

Lounging
This is where Unicorns grab the attention. In most caravans you’d probably recline with your shoulders nestling into the front corners of the lounge. In the Valencia, you’d more likely recline facing the front of the caravan, so that you can take full advantage of the sky-high vista that you get through the centre-front window. The Valencia has four scatter cushions to enable you to get cosy here – these are much firmer, and larger (at 44cm square) than you’ll usually find in caravans. Unicorns come with Avtex televisions as standard. For 2013, this range now has satellite connectivity. In the Valencia there are two TV positions – on the front windowsill and on the dresser alongside the door. Our test Valencia was equipped with the alternative, Rossini, fabric scheme that costs an extra £199, and also with the optional bed set, of duvet cover, pillows, cushions and sash, all matching the lounge fabrics. If you buy a Valencia, we’d say budget for the bed set (£203) – it completes the total look superbly.

Kitchen
With a total width of 1.12m at its widest point, the Valencia’s kitchen surface has to be up there with the best. Its split-level design makes for interesting kitchen organisation. The food prep area, in the centre of the kitchen, is 54cm wide and as deep as the fridge beneath it, at 66cm. That’s larger than many kitchen surfaces in comparablelayout caravans. Then there’s the raised area, for the sink, with precisely enough space behind it for the removable drainer. The more we studied this configuration the more we became convinced that it would work really well; you stand facing the front of the caravan to wash up, within the slight L-shape created by this sink area – and, there, you’re conveniently out of the central corridor. The microwave is opposite, above the dresser that gives you two deep drawers and a dropdown- front cabinet, plus a cupboard above the microwave. You’ll need to consider this dresser as part of the kitchen, because those drawers and cabinets will be needed to house kitchen items. When you factor those in, together with three semi-circular shelves in the unit under the sink, the amount of lower kitchen storage in the Valencia is more than adequate. Top storage comes in the form of two double-doored cabinets, each 55cm wide. One has a shelf; the other is fitted for plates and mugs. And there’s more. At the forward end of the kitchen is a drinks cabinet, with recesses for three bottles and clips for eight glasses, in two shelves made of sparkling crystal-clear plastic – very refined!

Towing
For 2013, Unicorn gas housing moves from the front to the side, close to the axle. That reduces the imposition of the weight of gas cylinders on nose weight, and also puts these heavy items over the axle, which makes stability sense. The gas compartment is behind the part of the kitchen that accommodates the sink and semi-circular cabinet. Unicorns are equipped with the ATC stability control system. On the Valencia’s test tow, without a high wind to deflect straight-line towing, we didn’t even come close to activating the ATC… or did we? We were overtaken by one over-zealous White Van Man and we did zip past a juggernaut with a 10mph speed differential between the lorry and us. That sort of normal towing activity can induce the beginnings of a sway – and the driver isn’t aware that the ATC unit has electronically applied the caravan brakes to bring it back into perfect alignment. In all, the Valencia delivered a smooth and stable tow performance.

It’s easy to see why this is the best-seller by a long way in the Unicorn range. That’s not just about a layout that is now a proven winner. It’s not about the spec that includes Alde and ATC, either. It’s about the ambience of the Valencia, the obvious cabinetry quality and style, and the touches of practicality (like the four towel hooks directly over the heated rail and the opening skylight).