When looking at caravans, it immediately strikes you how many different layouts there are. When browsing for my first caravan, I was shocked by how many layouts there were in 5 berth caravans alone.
In my experience, 5 berth caravans aren’t as common as 4 and 6 berth tourers, so there isn’t a comprehensive guide containing all the 5 berth layouts. That’s why I decided to create a blog post containing them all. Using this blog post as a guide, you’ll be able to choose the best layout for your requirements. Here are some of the common layouts you will find in 5 berth caravans:
- Double at front, single opposite kitchen, bunks at rear
- Double at front, bunks at rear, adjacent single
- Double at front/two singles at front, single opposite kitchen, double at rear
I’ll take a closer look at some of these layouts, as well as give some example caravans using these layouts.
5 Berth Caravan Layouts
As part of researching this blog post, I came across 3 different layouts for 5 berth caravans. One layout was more common than any other: double at front, bunks at rear with opposite single. Let’s take a look at this layout first.
Double at front, bunks at rear, adjacent single
While researching this blog post, I came across this layout more than any other. Before talking about this layout in more detail, let’s take a look at the floor plan for the Bailey Phoenix 650:
This layout is found in a lot of 5 berth caravans. This layout is brilliant for several reasons:
- Makes the most of the space available: The Phoenix 650, and other 5 berth caravans with this layout, are often surprisingly small in terms of width and length. The layout makes the most of the space available, fitting 5 berths comfortably into a relatively small body.
- Fixed bunks: This layout has two fixed bunks at the rear of the caravan, opposite an additional dining/living area. Having the two fixed bunks makes everything less of a hassle. Nobody wants the hassle of messing around with bunk beds before trying to get the kids to sleep!
- Additional dining/seating area: Most smaller touring caravans have one seating and dining area. Caravans such as the Phoenix 650 and Adria Adora Sava have an additional dining/seating area towards the rear of the caravan, as well as the main seating area at the front.
In my opinion, this is the ideal layout for a 5 berth family caravan. It gives your children their own area to enjoy, while the adults also have their own area. Having two dining areas is also extremely beneficial, as it can be difficult cramming up to 5 people around one table!
Now, let’s have a look at a few caravans that have this layout.
Bailey Phoenix 650
The Phoenix 650 is a 5 berth, single axle caravan designed and manufactured by Bailey. Not only is the unit aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also a great size. Every inch of the body is used effectively to maximise space.
The Phoenix 650 is only 7.369m long and 2.212m wide. The unit’s MTPLM is only 1394kg, yet it’s one of the best 5 berth family caravans in my opinion! From the great layout to the fantastic facilities, this caravan is the ideal option for most.
The Phoenix 650 starts at around £19,499 brand new, so it’s a nice entry point for a family looking to purchase their first caravan.
Coachman VIP 570
The Coachman VIP 570 is a 5 berth, single axle caravan. As well as a large seating area at the front of the caravan, there is a comfortable dinette at the rear of the caravan. The dinette, which can become a single bed, is opposite two fixed bunks.
The VIP 570 is extremely family-friendly due to this design. Unfortunately, it seems Coachman no longer produces this particular VIP 570 with exactly the same layout.
The VIP 570 with this layout is currently available for around £24,000. You can still purchase them almost brand new, despite Coachman no longer producing new models.
Adria Adora Sava
The Adria Adora Sava is a 5 berth, twin-axle caravan aimed at families. The Adora Sava is a well-thought-out caravan that is ideal for families thanks to its fixed bunk beds. As I’ve said before, no one wants to be messing around at bedtime getting the kids’ beds ready. You can avoid all that with a fixed bunk model such as this.
The Adora Sava is a large caravan. It’s over 8 foot wide! This could be quite off-putting for people looking to purchase their first caravan. However, the caravan is twin-axle which makes towing easier than you might think.
The Adora Sava starts at £25,495. It’s a gorgeous option but could present a bit of a learning curve if this is your first caravan.
Double at front, single opposite kitchen, bunks at rear
This seems to be another popular layout for 5 berth caravans. To give you an example of this type of layout, here is the Coachman Acadia 630 2020 floor plan:
As you can see above, the Coachman Acadia 630 has a double bed at the front of the caravan, a single opposite the kitchen, and double bunks located in front of the bathroom.
This is a popular layout, but you will see variances. For example, the Coachman Acadia 580. In the Acadia 580, the single is directly opposite the kitchen whereas the bunks are even further back. In the Acadia 580, the bunks are actually next to the bathroom rather than in front of it. However, the general layout is the same.
This layout is similar to the previous one, with the additional dining area moving opposite the kitchen rather than being opposite the bunk beds. It’s hard to say which of the two layouts is the best, because it’s so open to opinion. If you want the children to have their own private area close to where they sleep, the previous layout is the best. However, some would argue it’s smarter to have the additional dining area directly opposite the kitchen rather than towards the back of the caravan.
This layout has a number of benefits, most of which also apply to the previous layout:
- Makes use of the space: While you might imagine that 5 berth caravans are massive, they aren’t. Layouts like this really make the most of the space that is available. The Acadia 580, for example, is only 7.340m long and 2.260m wide. Furthermore, it has an MTPLM of 1594kg. It’s a relatively small and light caravan, yet the space available is used efficiently.
- Additional dining area: One dining area won’t always suffice in a 5 berth caravan. If you have 5 people staying in the caravan, fitting them all around the one dining area will be difficult and uncomfortable. Caravans using this layout have an additional dining area, meaning that everyone can eat in comfort.
- You can leave beds made up permanently: Depending on the number of people using your caravan, you can leave beds made up permanently as required. In my opinion, a small 5 berth caravan with this layout can be the perfect option for a couple or a small family looking for a spacious caravan.
Let’s take a quick look at a few caravans using this layout.
Coachman Acadia 630
The Acadia 630 is a 5-berth family caravan manufactured by Coachman. The Acadia 630 feels like a premium caravan, with a gorgeous wooden interior and features such as the panoramic roof.
Coachman caravans tend to be high quality and a good choice; this model is no different. You can currently find the Acadia 630 for around £24,945. Models with prior owners are available for a little less. Expect to spend at least £25,000 for a model manufactured in the last 3 or 4 years.
Coachman Acadia 580
The Acadia 580 is another 5-berth family caravan manufactured by Coachman. The Acadia 580 is actually very similar to the Acadia 630; the layouts are slightly different, but this is primarily because the Acadia 580 is a smaller caravan.
Coachman caravans are usually very high quality, so you can’t go wrong with any of the Acadia range. I believe Coachman have used the space available really well with the 580. It’s one of the best options if you want a small, lightweight caravan that is still ideal for families. The Acadia 580 currently starts at £23,950 brand new.
Lunar Delta FB
The Lunar Delta FB is an older caravan, first manufactured in around 2012. This is a twin-axle 5 berth unit with a similar layout to the other caravans mentioned in this section.
Because you can only pick up a Delta FB second-hand, you can find one for a great price. Depending on condition, a Delta FB will cost you around £10,000 – £15,000.
Double at front/two singles at front, single opposite kitchen, double at rear
Some caravans are perhaps more tailored at adults, rather than young families. For example, caravans with full size beds rather than bunk beds. In my opinion, this 5 berth caravan layout is aimed at families with older children or a group of friends going on holiday.
This is one of the rarer 5 berth layouts; you don’t tend to come across many caravans with this layout.
Here’s an example of a caravan with this type of layout:
I think this is one of the best 5 berth caravan layouts, but it doesn’t seem widely used. Caravans using this layout are usually much larger than the caravans using the other layouts I’ve mentioned in this blog post. For example, the Acadia 860 is 8 foot wide and nearly 26 foot long.
There aren’t many caravans using this layout, but some notable examples are:
- Coachman Acadia 860
- Hobby 660 VIP
The other layouts are definitely more popular, perhaps because they are aimed at younger families, many of which look to purchase a caravan for cheap and exciting family holidays.
