Rear lounge - disadvantages? (1 Viewer)

[Touchwood]

I'm preparing a list of preferences for my planned purchase of a motorhome, and at the moment a contender for the list is that the sitting area should be at the rear of the cabin - this seems to me to create a much better and more comfortable interior than a centre lounge with galley/shower etc. at the rear.

In fact, it seems so preferable that I can't help wondering why anyone would elect a different layout - each to his own of course, but are there any advantages/disadvantages that I may be missing?

 

[MHVirgins]

dc6947

Our van is 6 berth and there's only the two of us, so we just keep the rear lounge down as a bed the dinette table area is never used as a bed unless we have family away with us. Hubby can sleep up top above the cabin, and with the cushions left down as a bed for most of the time we're away this is perfect as making the bed each night is a pain in the butt.
I had a bad back the first time we went away, but I think it all depends which way the raised bits of the cushions are arranged.
We're still trying to work out the cushion arrangement for the large bed area over the front cabin though.......oh:
With regards to the "rubbish Scottish weather", I think the majority of the UK had the same, apart from the real dry sunny spell in April which was great. Anyway, beautiful sunny day in Scotland at the mo, where we are.
We had a small caravan before getting the Autoquest 180, and the bed had to be made up in the morning before we could use the table for breakfast......not ideal. So at least now, I can get hubby to bring me my coffee in bed, whilst he sits at the table in the dinette area in the morning having his cornflakes!:thumb:
Sorted!

 

[dc6947]

sorry, didn't mean to sound offensive, we did have a few days of great sunshine while we were in Scotland and you are right about the weather being a UK wide thing, it's been abysmal here in Worcestershire since i got home. I just miss a proper summer, i don't remember summer holidays being like this 'when i was a kid' (all of 15 years ago, lol).

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[MHVirgins]

dc6947

Hi there!
No offence taken! It's funny how we all remember summers being so much better when we were young.......and you're a lot younger than me!
We had a monsoon here yesterday, but glorious today, however, tomorrow's forecast is pretty grim! Hope things improve, have a great weekend!:thumb:

 

[dc6947]

come to think of it i do remember camping in wales when i was about 10, and it raining so much that the nearby stream turned into a raging river and we woke up to all our camping gear floating away... so it can't all have been that great, i'm sure it was a nightmare for my mom and dad, fond memory for me though .

 

[motorhomer]

As is obvious, everyone's preferences are different! And every layout has its advantages and disadvantages.

We wanted 4 belted seats, and a fixed bed - both for comfort and no work in making up. We stay in our van for weeks at a time, and its important to us to have the option of going to bed and getting up at different times whilst still having a lounge area.

We also wanted a garage to house chairs, folding bikes etc.

So we have an island bed, which also means no climbing over the other half during the night!

For us a rear lounge does not work.

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[Terry]

Hi after reading the first few posts I got errr fed up so thought I would just give my opinion without reading what everyone else says/thinks When we converted our van we had already had rear u shape and mid beds in different vans so had a good idea what we wanted :thumb:We opted for kitchen and loo in the back and 2 single beds up front that convert into a 5 ft double or 6 ft 6 ins square bed.This also allowed for the driver and passenger seats to become part of the lounging area or dining area :thumbfor visitors)Since the table is now relegated into the garage at home we find ourselves eating off trays lounging around in comfort rather than sat bolt upright at a dining area that is pretty much useless (other than when it was made into a bed) to us Each to there own As yet we have not tired of this set up and if and when we convert another it will have the more or less same layout :thumb:
terry

 

[staging lady]

WE originally had an Abbey lancaster 5 berth with a bed (and over bunk )which could be left made up when the kids weren't with us.
Our first van had a rear lounge and a drop down bed. This was good in some ways but making it up every night when the girls were with us was a pain. The bedding - sheets,duvets pillows-took up space in the bench lockers. The cushions were ok but the corner cushions took up space as they needed to be removed to make a full size bed.
Our new to us van has a fixed bed. This is ideal for us as we have taken away a family member who is ill and needs to rest during the day. We have a drop down bed over the lounge dinette where there are 2 seat belts and swivel seats.
So if anyone needs to rest, or hubby reads his Kindle or the Economist, he can choose swivel seat or fixed bed.
The best thing for us is that we can leave the matress topper on the bed without having to struggle to put it in a locker.
I guess you have to decide
-where you want to use it UK rainy Sunday or hot day in Italy?
- in which seasons you want to use it- bulky warm clothiing or swimmers?
- who will be with you and need seat belts family or sole use?

The most important thing is to look at layouts on line + plus ebay, go to shows and dealers and try the beds etc for size and take your time. Best of luck.:thumb: This is the fun part doing the research and there are lots of people here to advise you.
Lucille

 

[Scout]

we love our U shaped rear lounge. There is more space to walk around in a non fixed bed Motorhome, which is good for the UK where the weathers not always great. Also the lounge allows us both to lay full length (like laying on a sofa at home) and watch tv , nice and relaxing. I dont see the attractions of captains chairs, drive then turn the seat 180 degrees and it in your drivers seat all evening too , , not for me. But.... as mentioned, we're all different and thats what makes the world go round

I would echo the above post, weve had our scout 3 summers & two winters love it, it suits us, if I was buying now I would buy the araphaho same layout just a few feet longer and not much more expensive at his time