Bailey Versus Bailey: Caravan or Motorhome?
Having toured several different countries by caravan with my family, I consider myself a caravanner at heart, but I’ll try to make this as unbiased as possible, especially as the Adamo XL-DL made European travel so easy.
In an ideal world, my leisure vehicle fantasy garage would include a caravan, campervan, and a motorhome, but these are my findings when comparing the Bailey Phoenix GT75 762 caravan with the Bailey Adamo XL-DL motorhome.
Phoenix GT75 762
Featuring six berths, fixed bunk beds, a side dinette, and an end washroom, this touring caravan is ideal for families seeking a lightweight yet spacious option for their adventures.
Adamo XL-DL
With its 8m design, XL double lounge, generous kitchen and storage, and an MTPLM of 4250kg, the Adamo XL-DL is the ideal motorhome for extended touring. Two dropdown beds offer a smart, space-saving sleeping solution, freeing up living space during the day for cooking and relaxing.
The Caravan: Unhitch, Pitch & Explore
Caravans are great if you prefer separation between the drive and the stay. As they allow you to unhitch when you arrive at the campsite, this leaves you with a car to nip out for supplies, explore the area, or take spontaneous day trips.
Motorhomes are often cited as the easier option when enjoying a dot-to-dot, multi-destination holiday. However, we enjoyed a 25-night trip to Croatia with the Phoenix caravan, where the longest stop was just 3 nights. To make it work, careful packing and teamwork were key.
Pros:
- Independent Day Travel. Pitch the caravan, take the car. Great for exploring city centres, etc.
- Need milk? With the caravan pitched at the campsite, trips to the supermarket are simpler and don’t require the packing of holiday essentials.
- Cost-effective. A caravan is often more affordable than a motorhome, especially if you already own a suitable tow car.
Considerations:
- Towing. Manoeuvring skills may take longer to learn. That said, courses from The Caravan & Motorhome Club and The Camping & Caravanning Club allow members to master this in no time.
- Slower Speeds. Lower speed limits may apply to a car and caravan, although sub-3500kg outfits in France have surprisingly high motorway speed limits.
- Set up time. If you have a ‘dot-to-dot’ multi-site trip planned, the set-up time can be a factor.
Bailey Adamo XL-DL Motorhome: Drive, Park, Relax
If you have little towing experience, a motorhome is an easier transition from a car to a leisure vehicle. Even if the motorhome is larger, such as the Adamo XL-DL, it’s arguably the easier of the two to drive.
A motorhome-owning friend likens his site arrival procedure to ‘handbrake on, drink in hand’. Because I’m more used to levelling a caravan, levelling a motorhome took me longer, so this bridged the gap on uneven pitches. Overall, the motorhome does take the win when arriving on site.
Pros:
- Two tanks. With onboard fresh and wastewater tanks, enjoying a lunch stop is easier. That said, we tend to carry a 5-litre water container in the caravan.
- Ideal for touring. Motorhomes are particularly appealing for road trips with multiple stops, such as scenic coastal routes, European tours, or the NC500.
- Continental Aires. A low-cost alternative to campsites, with each offering a different view. These sites are a significant advantage for motorhome ownership.
Considerations:
- Limited mobility. Want to pop to the shop? You’ll need to take the motorhome, unless you bring bikes or take the bus.
- City centres. Want to explore narrower, city centre roads? This may require more planning.
- Cost: Upfront prices can be higher, and servicing a motorhome is usually more expensive than a caravan.
Which one is right for you?
It depends on how you like to travel. If you prefer to set up camp for a week or two and explore the surrounding area at your leisure, a caravan may suit you better. You’ll enjoy the freedom to roam once you’re pitched, and the caravan will be ready when you return.
On the other hand, if your holiday is about the journey itself and includes Aires, road-trip routes, and multiple destinations, a motorhome could be the perfect match. A motorhome is arguably the easier of the two to manoeuvre.
Both caravans and motorhomes offer a fantastic way to embrace the great outdoors, enjoy spontaneous travel, and take life at your own pace. Whichever you choose, the real magic lies in the moments you create along the way – sunsets viewed from a cliff-top pitch, breakfast by the beach, or the satisfaction of waking up somewhere new.
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