We've just moved to a caravan. A lot of it was due to a horrific experience trying to get a tent down and everything packed away with 3 grumpy under 5s in the pouring rain. We're in the process of doing up our caravan (she's 20 years old and needs it) but we're hoping to get away all year round.
We tented for ten years prior to buying a caravan four years ago for all the same reasons already mentioned and we have never looked back we have everything that we need its like home from home but with peace, quiet and views.
I was one of those who said I'd not be seen dead towing a van, but after years of family tenting (Khyam Rigidome XXL), then Cabanon Atlantis DL TT, the appeal of vanning was won by set-up time & ease, weather and flexibility.
Took ages to get tents ready from their respective storage plus simply couldn't rely on the weather to get tent/TT dry given the typical British experience (had the Khyam in the mother of storms in Coniston some years ago and that was the nail-in-the-coffin for me).
Cuppa in 5 mins, quick set-up, decent night sleep ... the list goes on...
we were canvas campers for a number of years, up until last year when the gaffer decided we are getting too old for tenting, so a tin tent was aquired for the princely sum of 400 quid, now wonder how we ever coped in a tent,
have to say a tin tent has proven to be one of her better ideas
------------- no tin tent outings booked as yet ,just another cruise in Sept' booked so far