Features of Bailey motorhomes for holidays with grandkids

The beauty of a Bailey motorhome is that much of this is already thought through. We’ve designed each one so that you don’t have to use workarounds or make compromises to your comfort. Instead, you can simply choose the layout that suits how your family likes to travel, which means those small challenges that come with holidaying together suddenly become not so challenging after all.

Below, we’ll share the top concerns that grandparents like yourself typically have when holidaying with grandkids, and explain how the features of our 4+ berth Bailey motorhomes are designed to meet your needs with clever details that help to make your time away together that bit more fun.

Consideration 1: Will everyone have a safe travel seat?

This is an important concern and rightly so as with children in the vehicle you want safe and comfortable travel seats.

All 4 berth Bailey motorhomes come with either dedicated travel seats including 3-point seatbelts and up to three ISOFIX fittings, or convertible Aguti travel seats with ISOFIX and dedicated travel seat cushions.

The Augti seats allow you to have comfortable sofa seating available in lounge mode when the travel seats are folded away under the sofa. In travel mode the Aguti seats fold back up ready for use including seatbelts, dedicated travel seat cushions and ISOFIX.

ISOFIX is a built in mounting system for child seats that removes the need to thread seatbelts through the seat every time. You simply click the seat in place and it locks securely.

When you are parked you can just lift the seat out and pop it back in when you return.

Consideration 2: Can we avoid making beds every night?

After a full day of exploring, the last thing you want to think about is making up beds. It’s much nicer to simply press a button or climb straight in. Here are the sleep setups that make bedtime easy:

Adamo 75-4DL: This one keeps bedtime simple. There are two lounges front and back with dropdown beds above, which means you could designate one for children and one for adults. At bedtime the grandkids can share the dropdown bed at the back which also has a curtain that can be drawn across, leaving the front lounge and dropdown bed plus the rest of the van to the grandparents.

Autograph 79-4T: This model allows you to have two single beds at the back of the motorhome in their own dedicated bedroom. This means the grandchildren can have the bedroom at the back and you can make up a double bed in the lounge and have the rest of the van to yourself after bedtime once the bedroom door is closed.

The great thing about this layout is that it gives you so much flexibility as you have the two single beds at the back, you can make up a double bed at the front, and you can also make the two singles into a double (see the night time 360 on the Autograph 79-4T page to see how this works).

Alora 69-4I: This Bailey model gives you a proper rear island bed that stays made up all week. Up front, the flexible lounge gives you a great space to designate as the grandkids’ bedroom. If they wake a little early, it means they can stay up the front of the van without interrupting you.

Consideration 3: Where do we put bikes, scooters, buggies and wet beach things?

Grandkids come with a lot of stuff like clothes, toys, outdoor gear and maybe even bikes & scooters. So, your question naturally becomes: where can we put it all? Bailey’s family-friendly answer is the rear garage on most of our models.

In every Autograph, Alora, and most Adamo models, you’ll find a spacious rear garage designed with families in mind.

Each garage is large enough for bikes, scooters, a buggy, or even a pop-up goal. All feature double access doors, 230v socket so you can charge e-bikes or plug in a cool box while you’re hooked up, and even heating vents. The heating turns the garage into a handy drying space for damp coats, muddy boots or wet beach gear. It’s a simple way to keep your living area clean and tidy, without traipsing the mud through.

Garages are great for travelling with grandchildren, because you can create an easy system with them.

When you first arrive on site, teach the kids to put any muddy or wet clothing or toys in the garage before they come into the vehicle.

This helps you to keep your upholstery free from as much of the outdoors as possible.

Consideration 4: Will there be enough space to cook?

Bailey’s motorhomes are designed so you’ve got room to prep and cook proper meals without shuffling things around every five minutes. So, across the Alora, Adamo and Autograph ranges, you’ll find full kitchens.

Every model comes with a Thetford combination oven, grill and dual-fuel hob, so you can cook just as you would at home. Microwaves are also included in the Autograph range.

All Bailey motorhome 4 and 6 berth / travel seat motorhomes have a tower fridge with freezer compartment which is ideal for storing a week’s worth of food for the family plus snacks, ice cream and other treats. To save time when travelling you could also batch-cook some meals and take them with you to heat up later as there’s plenty of space to store these.

Every Bailey kitchen has plenty of storage space with cupboards, deep drawers, overhead lockers and cutlery storage provided across the ranges.

Sometimes you might want to stop for lunch or a break while you’re travelling from place to place. All Bailey motorhomes come with solar panels and leisure batteries, meaning you don’t need to be connected to a hook-up in order to access electricity.

All Bailey motorhomes have at least four 230v sockets and four USB points, meaning that you have plenty of places to charge devices on a break and plug in appliances like toasters or air fryers.

Even if you are not planning a completely off-grid holiday, having the ability to stop and feed hungry children on the road makes the journey go much more smoothly.

Consideration 5: Will the washroom cope with all of us?

Mornings can get busy when everyone’s getting ready at once, so a well-designed washroom makes a real difference. Bailey’s layouts include separate shower cubicles with proper doors, and a lot more features alongside them.

End washroom models like the Adamo 69-4 are great for families as it gives you a large washroom with a proper shower cubicle, and in this case, access into the garage at the rear of the motorhome so you can remove any wet outdoor gear and pass it through to the heated garage to dry.

There’s a separate shower cubicle with a bi-fold partition door, a washbasin and storage for everyone’s toiletries, and a Thetford 12v electric flush toilet.

This layout allows you to keep all the wet weather gear and damp swimming items contained between the washroom and the garage, meaning that the rest of the motorhome can stay dry and clean and all your wet kit can be hung up and dried out in the heated garage.

A walk-through central washroom like in the Adamo 75-4I means that the motorhome naturally splits into two areas with a bedroom at the back and a lounge/kitchen/second bedroom at the front. This means that everyone gets privacy at night plus access to the washroom from their respective area of the motorhome.

The main door on these washrooms is also cleverly designed so that you can shut the main door to the whole bathroom from the lounge end, giving you a large ensuite style washroom off the bedroom with plenty of room to move around and get dressed. There is also a sliding door on the bedroom side so you can close off the bedroom to the bathroom. If it’s just the toilet in use, the the main door can be swung the other way to close off the toilet only and leave a walkway past the shower into the bedroom. This means that the bedroom is never cut off when someone wants to use the toilet only.

Side washrooms like the one in the Autograph 81-5 are smaller than the central or end washrooms but they do allow for more living space in the rest of the vehicle. You still get a spacious shower cubicle and all the space for your toiletries but the layout keeps both the front and rear lounges feeling more open and the whole motorhome has a more open plan feel to it. It’s a smart design that gives you a proper washroom without compromising the living space so it’s ideal for those with larger families who are happier with a smaller washroom if they get more living space in return.

Consideration 6: Will we be able to keep the motorhome warm for everyone?

We all know that the British weather has its own personality. That’s why Bailey motorhomes are built and tested for proper all-season touring.

Find out more about how we keep you warm below:

1. Bailey motorhomes either have Truma blown air heating or Alde radiator heating. The blown air system heats the air and circulates it around the motorhome while the radiator system works more like radiators at home where fluid is pumped through pipes to heat the space. Both the systems also provide hot water.

2. Both these systems are easy to use with a digital control panel. All Bailey motorhomes have a digital control panel where you can control the heating system and water heating from inside the motorhome meaning that you have complete control over the temperature of your environment.

3. Bailey motorhomes are built for low temperatures. All our motorhomes have passed the Grade III Heating & Insulation test which ensures you can keep the motorhome warm and comfortable in temperatures of down to -15 degrees c. You can find out more about our Cold Chamber Testing here

Consideration 7: Will it be easy to drive?

Bailey motorhomes have been designed to be comfortable and enjoyable to drive. Whether you choose a Ford based Adamo or Alora, or a Peugeot based Autograph, both offer smooth handling, good visibility and plenty of driver aids to keep things simple.

This is the standard UK licence for those who passed their test on or after 1st January 1997 and allows you to drive a motorhome up to 3500kg.

The following Bailey motorhomes are driveable on this licence:

• All models in the Alora range
• All standard models in the Adamo range (not the XL models)
• The Autograph 72-2

This licence is needed to drive a motorhome between 3500kg and 7500kg.

If your licence was issued before 1st January 1997 then you likely have this entitlement automatically but check your licence to be sure.

If you passed your test after 1st January 1997 you’ll need to take a test to get your CI licence.

Once you reach 70 and have to start renewing your driving licence regularly, you need to take some extra steps to keep your C1 entitlement. You can find our more about this on the www.gov.uk website or from your GP who will need to complete a form to say you are medically fit to drive these larger vehicles.

Bailey motorhomes that are over 3500kg are:

• Adamo XL-I (4250kg)
• Adamo XL-T (4250kg)
• Adamo XL-DL (4250kg)
• Autograph 79-4I (4500kg)
• Autograph 79-4T (4500kg)
• Autograph 81-5 (4500kg)

Built on the Ford Transit cab and chassis, the Adamo feels confident and smooth to drive.

You get modern driver aids like cruise control, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers and a rearview parking sensor, plus an 8-speed automatic gearbox that takes the effort out of stop-start traffic. The driving position is high and clear, and the cab is comfortable for long journeys.

The Autograph range is built on a Peugeot cab and chassis with 16″ alloy wheels. The fully specified cab in this range comes with automatic air conditioning, electric windows, automatic headlights and heating wing mirrors.

There is also a reversing camera onboard along with a leather steering wheel and gear selector for convenience and comfort.

The Alora brings a slightly different balance; it’s still Ford-based build quality but with a slimline body. That makes it nimbler and lighter to handle while keeping all the comfort. It’s a great choice if you want something easy to manoeuvre around town or along scenic backroads but still capable enough for extended touring.

Top 5 features that make life easier

These little features might get overlooked compared to things like full-width washrooms or drop-down beds, but they’re just as important for making daily living easy for you when holidaying with grandkids.

• Electric pedestal table: The genius of this table in the Adamo 69-4, 75-4I and 75-4T is that it can be swung into a variety of positions as it is attached to the floor on a pedestal base. It can be used folded in half as a coffee table or folded right out for family meals. When bedtime comes, it also forms part of the base of the double bed.

• Worktop Extension: Many Bailey motorhomes have a flap at the end of the kitchen that folds up when you want to use it and back down when you’ve finished. It means that you have more space when cooking but have that extra space returned to the living area once you’ve finished.

• SONOS portable speaker: Many other motorhomes have the speaker system built in. With the SONOS system in the Autograph range, you can connect it via Bluetooth to your devices and move it around the vehicle (even outside!). This means that anyone who wants to listen can do so without disturbing those who prefer quiet time.

• Pre-wiring for WiFi: All Bailey motorhomes are pre-wired for WiFi. Add a mobile router from PRIMA Leisure and you’ve got your own internet connection wherever you go. It’s really handy for streaming or homwork and means you don’t have to rely on the signal from the campsite WiFi.

• Drop-in carpets: The carpets in your motorhome are loose-fit drop in carpets which means they can easily lift straight out. If you are planning a trip with the grandkids to the beach or a muddy countryside visit then you can choose to leave them at home or just remove the carpets in high traffic areas.

Which Bailey fits which grandparent-with-grandkids trip?

Ready to plan your next trip

If you’ve been thinking about holidaying with the grandkids, a Bailey motorhome takes care of all the details that make it easy.

Now that you’ve seen which layouts suit different types of trips, the best next step is to see them in person.

• Explore the full Bailey motorhome range here to compare layouts & prices
• Find your nearest retailer here to book a visit and try our vehicles in person
• Get travel ideas and guides on our blog here to discover places worth visiting with the grandkids this season

Whichever model you choose, you’ll have everything you need for easy family adventures.