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It looks like we're probably looking to buy a caravan over around 15 years old but I can't seem to find the layout that I'd like on an old caravan, so would welcome your thoughts or help, please,

There's going to be me and Mr WR, plus our almost 5 year old and another baby on the way. So I figure I'd like it to have the double bit at the front for us, then either a double dinette, L shaped bit or bunk beds at the other end, with some sort of separator (curtain or slider) so that the 5 year old (and hopefully the baby!) can sleep whilst we stay up. That should also give us space to fit a travel cot in too.

However, the really important factor is that I'd like as big a bathroom as possible, definitely with a separate shower not just a wet room, and with room to get small children dry in there (or inevitably for the 5 year old to demand to use the loo whilst I'm in the shower!).  But...I only seem to see that sort of space with an end bathroom, which is not the layout that I want

So I'm looking for suggestions - would your caravan fit the bill, please?

look at this site for ideas and layouts.........and prices.why i said 500/5 the end bedroom can be shut off completely when they are in bed.this gives lots of privacy for all after dark and using the toilet without disturbing the children.do not know of a van with a shower and the toilet out of sight.

www.caravanfinder.co.uk

Thanks both - Murano, yes, that's exactly the compromise that I suspect we'll have to make.  Ultimately, if I can't have it both ways, I guess I'd rather have the beds separate at the back so will have to trade off with a smaller bathroom but was hoping it might just be possible.

Michael - thanks for the caravanfinder link, I'd been looking on there last night.  It's not that I want the shower and toilet out of sight at all, I'd just like them both to be simultaneously useable without the occupant of the loo getting a free shower or there being nowhere dry to stand. It's pretty hard to tell that from the layout images on caravanfinder so I thought I'd ask to see if anyone else had achieved it :-)

What about the classic 4 berth layout of a double up front, side dinette which convers into bunks and a full width rear bathroom? We have two children, and at bed time set up the side bunks and pull the curtain across and either stay up in the front lounge or out in the awning sipping wine.  When we come to convert the front lounge into a double for us, they are fast asleep!

We have a Bailey Beachcomber 5 berth.

It has double bed front and rear and bunk over rear, dividing curtain. The bathroom is an all in one - TBH I think you will be hard pushed to find one at the age you are after with a separate shower/washroom.  Mine is 1995.

Best of luck with your search

We have a Bailey Beachcomber 5 berth.

It has double bed front and rear and bunk over rear, dividing curtain. The bathroom is an all in one - TBH I think you will be hard pushed to find one at the age you are after with a separate shower/washroom.  Mine is 1995.

Best of luck with your search

Quote: Originally posted by huw warrington on 04/5/2011

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What about the classic 4 berth layout of a double up front, side dinette which convers into bunks and a full width rear bathroom? We have two children, and at bed time set up the side bunks and pull the curtain across and either stay up in the front lounge or out in the awning sipping wine.  When we come to convert the front lounge into a double for us, they are fast asleep!

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Thanks Huw - yes, I suspect until we actually start using the van we're not going to know which of the two is more important .. .and every time I think I've made a decision one way or the other, I change it back again ;-) 

Thank you too, Velvet Kitten - yep, it's not proving straightforward!

Hi our 1994 Elddis Gulfstream is a 2 berth with end kitchen, the bathroom has seperate shower with folding door in the same room as the toilet, I think the Elddis range has a 4 berth with same style, of a similiar age, maybe the Wisp!!

Good luck with your search.

I agree with the older vans you'll struggle to find one with twin dinette layout & seperate shower - they're all 'wet rooms' as far as I know.

When you make your decision you'll need to decide which is more important - sleeping arrangements or bathroom arrangements.  For us the sleeping arrangements would definately be more important - we spend more time sleeping than we do in the loo/shower & we tend to use site facilities anyway.  Our loo is really only used at night.

With small children you'd probably find it difficult to shower them even with a bigger bathroom as the shower cublicles are only small so you'd have to leave the door open & shower them from outside the cubicle.  If your little one is anything like ours for sploshing around & wriggling your bathroom could well end up soaked!  It's much easier to use the bigger showers most sites have where you can go in together. 

I agree with Vanessa, and I think you're going to have to choose between sleeping arrangements and full bathroom.

Personally, with child(ren!) that age I would opt for sleeping arrangements and using the bathroom/wetroom just as a loo with handbasin.  I did caravan for a short time when my son was 2 years old (before my ex hubby moved onto pastures new  lol). Came back to caravanning with my now partner three years ago, son is now 14 and our requirements are now different of course.

Anyway, with little ones, sleep is more important I think.  If you dont want the side dinette/end bathroom option - and I can see this isnt ideal as kids will be in the middle of the van and more likely to be disturbed - then the end bedroom is the answer.  We had an early 90s Elddis Shamal (XL I think) back then and  it had the two long seats at the front, and a single dinette across the back with a fold down bunk above.  This worked for us.  I used to either take son in the site shower with me or stand him in a large bowl of warm water and wash him down in the van or awning.  This would work better  now with those large folding garden trug things as theyre deeper, didnt have them back then.

I used to make a big thing of it being his space, he had his special kids sleeping bag (it had little teddies all over it - awww bless!)  kept under one seat, and a box of toys/books/crayons etc under the other seat.  He used to love it and settled really well every night.  Trick is to wear them out during the day!

I hope you find what you're looking for. I think when you're caravanning with kids, there is always a compromise to be made. How many of us have looked at vans and said "when its just the two of us, we're going to have .........")

Thanks again all.

I wonder what proportion of caravanners do actually use their own shower?  That, to me, was going to be one of the big benefits of a caravan over a tent, being able to have a shower before I have to be civilised to anyone   - though after a bit of reading round I've realised that it sounds like a four minute shower is going to be about the maximum and I'm not sure if that's long enough for me to achieve civility!!

And there's another question that I've not thought about - I bet all caravans don't hold the same amount of hot water, do they ...?

AnnieMac - funnily enough, it's an early 90s Shamal that I'm currently looking at on either gumtree or preloved that prompted this thread!