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Have got a dealer special based on the corona 556 with fixed bunks at the back.

Great while the kids are younger, but they soon grow out of them in their teens.

We have a Bailey fixed triple bunk and we have managed to sleep two adults and two kids in the back.

Normally there is only 3 of us (wife & I with a 7 year old) so having the extra space to 'close' little one off at night is so much better than when we had a side dinette with just the curtain.  As the bunks on our's are 6' long, I can't think of a better family layout.  Granted the washroom is small, but you have to remember you spend longer in the lounge than on the loo!!!  Not building bunks from a side dinettes really makes caravanning much more enjoyable.

I agree with you Jo, you do need somewhere to get changed / dried and the end bedroom allows that.

Hi

We have the Adria 542UK 2008 with the bunks going lengthways at the back of van. They are big and comfy. The Kids beds are left up all day (made), and still a small single at the back where the rear dinette is if need be. Setup is absolutley brill. Have looked at other van since getting ours with the beds across the back and deem this to be the best solution for space and comfort. The back section can be closed off fully at night via a folding screen door. The kids love it as well as it is there space in the van. As for the triple bunks, My daughter declared that if you wanted to sleep on the floor (lower 3rd bunk) then why not just put a camp matress down and sleeping bag use that and save money on the third bunk. Also the 542 Uk gives as far as we have seen the largest amount of headroom on each bunk with each having a large separate window and night light.

Would not change ours for the world.

Whit bank hols - Wirral CC.

The adria altea range do a triple bunk layout with a side dinette aswell and quite a large washroom at the back, Ok the kids don't have there own room but they still have the side dinette table to play on and you don't lose as much bathroom space,

It depends what you use the van for really, we go to CL's and no facility sites so need a bigger bathroom,

We are seriously considering the adria when we change

We had a five berth van and i was the same making the beds everynight so we have got a 5 berth twin axle with fixed bunks and i love it, alot easy and the kids go and  read on the beds are play with they toys, i am glad we made the move.

We got so fed up with bed making that when on site we used to leave our bunks up in our 5 berth, but that reduced living space.

So fixed berths was high on our list when we eventually found the Geist 565 we were thrilled it has the option of a sixth berth but we were happy with the 5. We chose the Geist as the beds were bigger than on most useful as kids get bigger and it has an unusual layout, which we love.

J

We had Lunar quasar fb with the fixed bunks at the side and large end bathroom. Was great until we did winter caravanning and found that we were all cramped at one end come the early evening looking at all that space taken up by fixed bunks and big bathroom!! Also had to walk past bunks to get in and out of van and to go to the loo disturbing the kids all the time. Watch the width and length of the bunks as our daughter grew so fast she was touching at both ends!

Changed to Eldiss Superstorm FANTASTIC ! Kids have own room at end can leave beds up if we want and pull blind across or if not stuff bedding under one bed and they have there own room with tv playstation etc. Bathroom is ok shower actually bigger than in FB and so is the loo! can have nap in afternoon as can put windows blinds down and pull blind across so not disturbed.

The new one is so flexible we can even make the back into massive double if we go away without kids so like having fixed bed!

Another vote for the Bailey triple bunks here.  Weve only got two kids, but found that the triple bunk allows alot of space for storage.  The end bedroom is fabulous with the kids, and when they wake up in the morning, they occupy themselves and we don't get squashed by kids leaping on us (which is lovely).

I'd echo the comments about the smaller washroom, however, we always tend to use the facilities on site, so overall, no great loss.

I'm very very pleased that we changed from our previous van (ranger 550/6), which although had the fixed bunks, it didn't allow the kids any other space.

Good luck with whatever you choose.