Rear lounge or fixed bed (1 Viewer)

Jan 5, 2020
141
143
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15 yrs
I’m sure this has probably been asked countless number of times but I can’t find anything on the forum. We are looking at a two berth around 6. 5 m length home. Mostly for use in the UK but possibly two weeks in Europe. We don’t want an overcab one.

Just wondered what people’s views were on rear lounge v fixed French bed?

We have had a Vw camper for 15 years so are used to lack of space and making the bed up!
 
Jan 11, 2010
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Well that`s our 13th year & still loving it.
Rear lounge, best views and a large comfy space to sprawl with the over cab bed ready made up and very comfy.
A fixed bed in the limited space a motorhome offers is just a waste of space to us just a rather large coat hanger in the day time.
 
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M-J

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Jan 15, 2019
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Bessacarr E562
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Fixed bed a must for us, wouldn’t want to make it every night out of a Tetris of cushions and don’t want to climb any ladders to get in to over cab or drop down. Island bed likely to be on our wish list next time.

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Jul 5, 2013
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Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
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Since 2013
Not quite right - Hymer Duomobil has a garage and rear lounge, I accept this is unusual but there might be others too. It was certainly a clincher for us, a garage is so useful for all the reasons you say ??

View attachment 357734View attachment 357735
Looked at that before. The garage is big, but you can't get a scooter in it because the handlebars are too tall to go under the seat bases. And the taller bit at the back behind the seat is not wide enough for those same handlebars.
 
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May 29, 2016
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A decent rear lounge is a must for us - we like to have space to stretch out with our feet up to watch TV, play games or just read. I find the tiny front lounges are fine for dining but not for relaxing: they're too upright and even the ones with slightly longer sofas aren't great because the sofas tend to be quite shallow so you can't lounge on them properly.

The downside of course is having to make the bed up - but most rear lounges covert with fairly big cushions so they're pretty quick easy to do.....even quicker and comfier if you use a mattress topper. We use stuff sacks to store the pillows and duvet during the day so it takes up less space, but the bedding and topper do take up one of the under-seat lockers entirely.

The perfect motorhome for is one of the A classes with a UK-style rear lounge and a drop down bed at the front. You don't get much of a garage on most of them, but that's a compromise we're willing to make.

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MillieMoocher

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Jul 18, 2015
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Autosleeper Kingham
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40 years under canvas: Motorhome 2016 To 2020
Looked at that before. The garage is big, but you can't get a scooter in it because the handlebars are too tall to go under the seat bases. And the taller bit at the back behind the seat is not wide enough for those same handlebars.

TBH I doubt there is enough payload either - without upgrading to the max 4 and a bit tonnes, which involves some changes to the van.

We up plated to the “free” 3860 weight and in full touring trim (including full water and fuel) have only about 100 kg left. And SWMBO and I weigh around 65kg.
 
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Nov 22, 2018
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The downside of course is having to make the bed up - but most rear lounges covert with fairly big cushions so they're pretty quick easy to do.....even quicker and comfier if you use a mattress topper. We use stuff sacks to store the pillows and duvet during the day so it takes up less space, but the bedding and topper do take up one of the under-seat lockers entirely.

The perfect motorhome for is one of the A classes with a UK-style rear lounge and a drop down bed at the front. You don't get much of a garage on most of them, but that's a compromise we're willing to make.

Having arrived at the age of creaking and groaning as we get up of a morning, we spent a mint on some triple layer orthopaedic sleep4dayz, hypercomfort type memory foam mattress on both beds. Obv, you can't easily have a decent mattress if you are making the bed up every night.

We figure that you go on holiday to relax. Waking up ache-free and eight hours later, is a must. In days of yore, when we used to tug, we made the backrest/seat bench bed jigsaw every night. And we woke, cursing the sodding thing. Took an hour of coffee to stop the awful whining noise.

So for us, fixed beds and custom made memory foam mattresses. It costs, but it is soooooo worth it.

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138go

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Feb 26, 2016
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We have a fixed bed because making up a bed every night is a pain. We also have a proper mattress, we tried sleeping on sofa cushions but they just aren't comfy. One thing we've learned is, we need a comfortable bed.

To get round the question of a lounge, we turn the cab chairs around and put our feet up to watch TV. When we're abroad we sit outside. In the UK, we have an awning for extra space.
 
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Jul 5, 2013
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Tunbridge Wells, Tunbridge Wells, UK
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TBH I doubt there is enough payload either - without upgrading to the max 4 and a bit tonnes, which involves some changes to the van.

We up plated to the “free” 3860 weight and in full touring trim (including full water and fuel) have only about 100 kg left. And SWMBO and I weigh around 65kg.
When I was looking back in 2015 the Duomobile was only available on the Alko Maxi chassis at 4.5t At that time it had a payload of about 900kg, without the addition of any extras. It looks like yours is the shorter version that came out later. I think was even less room in the garage. I actually liked the layout, but the lack of space for a scooter was fatal for us.

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Oct 26, 2014
732
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Adria Coral Supreme 680st
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since 2001
Rear lounge, best views and a large comfy space to sprawl with the over cab bed ready made up and very comfy.
A fixed bed in the limited space a motorhome offers is just a waste of space to us just a rather large coat hanger in the day time.
Unfortunately you have to buy an English van to achieve this, or very little amount of European ones

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Graham of Madrid

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Oct 22, 2018
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European vans from what I've seen don't have rear lounges or ovens for that matter. Here is Spain we don't want to sit in the back of a hot cramped van with the kind of furnishing suited best to cooler climates.

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sallypat

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Oct 3, 2019
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A decent rear lounge is a must for us - we like to have space to stretch out with our feet up to watch TV, play games or just read. I find the tiny front lounges are fine for dining but not for relaxing: they're too upright and even the ones with slightly longer sofas aren't great because the sofas tend to be quite shallow so you can't lounge on them properly.

The downside of course is having to make the bed up - but most rear lounges covert with fairly big cushions so they're pretty quick easy to do.....even quicker and comfier if you use a mattress topper. We use stuff sacks to store the pillows and duvet during the day so it takes up less space, but the bedding and topper do take up one of the under-seat lockers entirely.

The perfect motorhome for is one of the A classes with a UK-style rear lounge and a drop down bed at the front. You don't get much of a garage on most of them, but that's a compromise we're willing to make.
[/
 
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Oct 22, 2019
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Chausson 640 welcome
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Since October 2019
We’ve a chausson 640 . Massive drop down bed , big garage , full size shower , separate loo . 6.99 metres . Only gripe is the table - would prefer to have a non fixed model

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Sapper520

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Jan 22, 2020
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Having spent a year looking for the right van for us, we chose a 6m conversion with fixed bed and 4 travel seats. Compact yes, but plenty of room for two people who are used to touring on motorcycles.........that really makes you think about how much you can pack. :giggle:
 
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May 29, 2016
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QUOTE]
Thanks for your comment, this sounds perfect for us, what motorhome do you have? Sally
We currently have a Bailey 625 - fabulous lounge which makes up into a huge and very comfy bed. But we're changing to a Rapido 9094 with a good rear lounge (not quite as good a lounge as the Bailey but still one of the best we've seen in an a-class) and a drop down bed at the front.
 
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Gagneur

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Jan 20, 2020
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We’ve tried PVC beds, drop down over the lounge (Bessacarr 424) and currently fixed island with an occasional drop down for the grandkids. We found the most comfortable is the current island with easy access to both sides, but still like PVCs for their ease of driving and parking.
We had one instance where the electric drop down on the Bessacarr wouldn’t go up after prolonged off grid camping. Fixed bed usually gives a useful garage/wine cellar...

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KeefieWeefie

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Dec 20, 2019
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Fixed beds don’t only give the advantage of not having to make beds every night, but also have proper mattresses to sleep on. Not a mix of different lumpy/gappy cushions
I use a memory foam topper on each bed rather than sleep on lumpy cushions. Only takes 2 minutes each night and morning and the rest of the day I have more living space than the rest! It's just a matter of choice. ?
 
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KeefieWeefie

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Dec 20, 2019
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We currently have a Bailey 625 - fabulous lounge which makes up into a huge and very comfy bed. But we're changing to a Rapido 9094 with a good rear lounge (not quite as good a lounge as the Bailey but still one of the best we've seen in an a-class) and a drop down bed at the front.
That sounds perfect to me! My buddy had a Rapido. Very good quality! Now he has a Cathago!
 
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Oct 9, 2019
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I use a memory foam topper on each bed rather than sleep on lumpy cushions. Only takes 2 minutes each night and morning and the rest of the day I have more living space than the rest! It's just a matter of choice. ?
The Duvalay sleeping bags we use have a built in memory foam mat which acts as a topper to the cushions. ???????? Sooo comfortable

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Top Hat

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Apr 6, 2018
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Fixed bed is a must and the older we get the more of a must it becomes, another thing is we have different body clocks, if we had to make up a bed there would be a disagreement every night at what time it should be done.
We have a PVC so for a choice of where to relax I put a tv in the sitting and fixed bed area.
 

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KeefieWeefie

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Dec 20, 2019
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The Duvalay sleeping bags we use have a built in memory foam mat which acts as a topper to the cushions. ???????? Sooo comfortable
Nice, I will recommend then to my other half. Personally I can't sleep in a bag because I toss and turn all night plus I get too hot! Even with a duvet I keep having to throw it off to cool down, even in winter!?
 
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Oct 9, 2019
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Nice, I will recommend then to my other half. Personally I can't sleep in a bag because I toss and turn all night plus I get too hot! Even with a duvet I keep having to throw it off to cool down, even in winter!?
Check them out at Go Outdoors if you want to get a idea of thickness of quilt and mat. You can replace the quilt which feels like a 7.5 tog. They are not like a traditional sleeping bag you are not zipped in.

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KeefieWeefie

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That's exactly how I like it too. My friend has a Cathago with a fixed rear bed, it takes up so much room that his lounge is pokey and uncomfortable to relax in. He also has nowhere for the TV other that near the roof. I find it uncomfortable to look up all the time. Rear lounge every time for me, but hey he likes his layout!
 
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