# Most comfortable motorhome



## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

My wife finds our Rapido not very comfortable due to the dinette layout.
She has just asked me what is deemed to be the most comfortable motorhome, what does the panel think ?
Chris


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

Anything without a dinette. We changed to our Frankia because it gave us loads more lounging area with an L shaped lounge.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

ditto - dinettes are not compatible with comfortable "lounging" :roll: 
Our Pilote 240 has an L-shaped sofa and a seprate smaller bench seat, the L shape give a nice stretch out lounging sofa for my long legs, the other one is fine, but we also use the passnger seat swivelled round. (bear in mond that it's na Isri seat which is well moulded (if a little firm :roll: ). 
Dinettes are fine for dining, but you don't sit eating all the time :lol: :lol:


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## Jented (Jan 12, 2010)

Hi.
We have an Autosleeper Broadway EK TB LP,beds 6' 4ins and really comfy,lounge 6'4ins,plus both front seats swivel so you could seat eight people comfortably.TV on wall,shower room is the swing wall type,it suits us. It drives nice Peugeot 2.2,(Its never going to catch the Renault Master we had,sigh.) ,and up to now appears to be bolted together rather well,only time will tell.Up until now,i have resisted the urge to look at our reflection passing shop windows,is it me?,when i look at it in the yard,it says"Old fart",surely not,not me!
Ted.


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

bognormike said:


> ditto - dinettes are not compatible with comfortable "lounging" :roll:
> Our Pilote 240 has an L-shaped sofa and a seprate smaller bench seat, the L shape give a nice stretch out lounging sofa for my long legs, the other one is fine, but we also use the passnger seat swivelled round. (bear in mond that it's na Isri seat which is well moulded (if a little firm :roll: ).
> Dinettes are fine for dining, but you don't sit eating all the time :lol: :lol:


Our ISRI seats both rotate, and Frankia have provided extra base cushions which make the bases level with the bench seats in the dining area, so we can both put our feet up and still have room for the kids to relax.


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## KeiththeBigUn (Oct 3, 2007)

I agree although we have just changed to a Rapido (no dinette) from our Rimor (with dinette) as my other half found the dinette to uncomfortable to lounge around in. 

We now have a L shape lounge with two swivelling front seats. Much more comfortable on the back if not the wallet and the amount of cash it took to change! 

Keith


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

I am obviously biased, Hymer B544. It has a long settee on one side plus another L shaped one opposite so you have a choice of settees plus the Aguti captains chairs.

Had a B584 before with the fixed table and seat behind it but found it a lot less 'loungable'.

Interesting that Hymer dropped it from their range a couple of years ago and have reinstated it in the 2011 model range describing it as the 'popular' layout.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Oo, this thread gives me an opportunity to gripe about my bugbear!

I've been thumbing through the latest edition of What Motorhome (I think), looking at the latest 2011 models. Not that I'm looking to buy a new one...just a bit canny that in a couple of years when I'm buying 2nd hand, those rolling off the production line now will be on the forecourt.

We currently have a rear lounge motorhome : ultimate lounging, but slight inconvenience of no fixed bed. We've concluded that in the next van we'll be looking for separate beds...singles will do, but we're used to a superking bed at home and even with a 5ft bed, we can't get a decent night's sleep on warm nights. So singles, or two of what motorhome designers laughably call doubles. And no need to make the beds of an evening please. I'm happy enough with one of the new generations of drop down beds, but don't want to be scrambling into an overcab.

Looking around, the two beds that don't require making up is no issue, but finding that combination with decent lounging is difficult. By decent lounging I mean at the least two settees that you can lie on.

My shortlist barely extends beyond 1 - the Autocruise Augusta is the obvious choice. Autotrails nearly get there with their twin bed models, but having walked around the latest ones they seem to have been designed by midgets : I stood in the shower at last year's NEC show and my head scraped on the ceiling...in other words the shower head was at shoulder height. I'm only 6 feet tall, hardly a giant.

From what I can see, though, none of the current crop of drop down bed coachbuilts fit the bill. The reason seems to be an obsession with providing the same number of seatbelts as nominal berths. So two "doubles" means two seatbelts needed at the back, which compromises the lounge design to fit them in. At best, you get one settee combined with a dinette perhaps with narrow seat alongside.

Maybe it's me that has weird needs : we don't have kids let alone grandkids. However the vast vast majority of motorhomes I ever see on sites have two occupants, regardless of the number of berths. For example my experience is more overcab spaces are used for storage than as sleeping areas. Either I'm atypical or the manufacturers don't understand their market.

Paul


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Flop*

Hello,

From a lounging point of view, we are spoiled.

Have a rear lounge, twin front sofa/part pullman and the best seats I find are as Jezport mentioned, the Isri swivel chairs. Great for driving and lounging.

We will downsize in the future, so will find it hard to beat.

TM


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## val33 (Jun 29, 2008)

Well we are clearly in the minority! Our Arto has an L shaped sofa at the front but we have never used it as we find the swivel front seats are far more comfortable for lounging on. 

The sofa was such a waste of space that I have converted it into a half dinette that is very comfortable for the two of us and find that we use it all the time. Its so useful to have a table to sit at. It gets used for food prep, route planning, using the laptop and many other things. It also means that we still have a small sofa available and it can be easily converted back to the L shape in a couple of minutes.

Val


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Certainly anything that doesn't have a Euro-lounge/dinette. Go for the typical british layout of sofas, then you can spread out and lounge. Personally I have a thing about using the same seats for lounging as you have been using for driving, but that opinion could change with the right seats.
Gerry


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## Markt500 (Mar 23, 2010)

Codfinger said:


> My wife finds our Rapido not very comfortable due to the dinette layout.
> She has just asked me what is deemed to be the most comfortable motorhome, what does the panel think ?
> Chris


Me thinks get saving, the boss has a change on her mind!


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## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

Markt500 said:


> Codfinger said:
> 
> 
> > My wife finds our Rapido not very comfortable due to the dinette layout.
> ...


Yup your right there, will be having a good look around at the Shepton show.
I find our Isri captains chairs fine but swmbo has short pins and has to use the foot stool I made to rest her feet on (not for just when we are on the move) Tv is only really visible from the swivel chairs.
The 983 Rapido is perfect in every other respect.
Our ideal m/h would be a Hymer 820s, Cathago or maybe a Concorde Charisma, only thing is they are just too bloomin big to get tucked away on our drive ( dont want to leave our m/h stored somewhere else).
So we need something:- 
Comfy
well insulated
Sub 7mtr
With a garage and plenty of capacity to store "stuff" i.e scooter, fishing gear etc etc
Any ideas peeps?
Or do we need to alter our drive again?
Dare I say it swmbo mentioned the C....... word well thats just not going to happen :lol:


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## jenniedream (Jul 19, 2009)

Our Hobby is bliss. I love not having to make beds up and I can lounge on the bed with a book whilst the dinette is as good as a lounge with the table dropped to coffee table height. OH can watch telly or do endless sodokus and we don't fall over each other!! . He is having a hip replacement next month and can watch telly from bed whilst I read in other end. Dog flops out in kitchen area!


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## havingfun (Oct 31, 2007)

*most comfortable motorhome*

hi

mine is,we have a hobby 750,with large settee,fixed table and captains chair,plus the driver and passenger seat swivel,so we can choose which position we want to be in. the settee has had the upgrade to a proper comfy one,we can still use it as a very small single,but it dosent make up into a double bed anymore,but dont want visitors,ran a hotel all my life,now am quite antisocial,my idea of hell is to have anybody else sleeping in the van.

with having the fixed bed at the back,if one of you feels a bit off,they can go to bed and shut the door,and the other can kip for the odd night on the settee.

mags,

p.s. llove people during the day,or evening,my home is your home,etc,its just the thought of being polite when i first wake up......


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Rosbotham said:


> My shortlist barely extends beyond 1 - the Autocruise Augusta is the obvious choice.


I like the Augusta layout too. The rear bathroom and twin singles is what I prefer. I like the styling too. However, I don't really like the sofas either side and the camping table in the middle. I like the fixed table in our Chausson. The twirly Ducato seats are comfy for lounging in, with feet up on the other seat or one of the sofas.

I lounge with my back upright and supported, which is how I am now at home (feet on the coffee table). It works for us.

I think I'm going to have to make my own motorhome  :wink:

Gerald


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Our TV position is at the top of the tech-tower, so the two captains' chairs, when swivelled, provide the perfect armchair positions for us. :wink: Yes, the Fiat has two armrests per seat! :roll: 


During the rainy days, when Sudoko calls, the euro-lounge is perfect! :roll: 8)


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## mags52 (May 9, 2010)

Ours has the largest dinette we saw our of all the hundreds we looked at. It can seat 4 adults comfortably and you don't have the feeling that the table is under your chin as is often the case in half dinettes with swivel front seats.
We're both short ish so we just swing round and put our feet up, resting our backs against the upholstered sides of the dinette.
We wanted the additional seat belts for grandkids and the occasional trip with friends.
The layout works for us. For serious lounging it's the fixed bed zzzz
Mags :lol:


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## howellsroad (Nov 15, 2008)

At just over 6 m and only just 7 feet wide our Lunar Telstar is small enough to get you into most towns. Using the 3/4 bed option of extending just one of the lounge seats still leaves front to rear passage at night and making up the bed is a doddle. The bench seats also give great lounging room during the day and the whole arrangement still gives ample kitchen area and working surface.

To date have not seen anything which makes us want to update. So, may not be the popular Fiat drive train but at up to 35 mpg takes a bit of beating.


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## relay (May 9, 2005)

val33 said:


> Well we are clearly in the minority! ... Its so useful to have a table to sit at. It gets used for food prep, route planning, using the laptop and many other things.
> 
> Val


I'm in the minority with you . For us the great thing about the Van M was the big table that was permanently in situ. Ern could read the paper and I could work on the computer - surrounded by cups of tea, biscuits tin etc etc (tidiness doesn't rule where I'm concerned  ). The fixed table was a factor in my choice of the new van (in fact it has two tables - tho the one in the back isn't fixed). I guess I'm just not much of a "lounger" 

-H


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## Brock (Jun 14, 2005)

Like Javea, I have a Hymer 544 with a bench seat and full size L shaped seat opposite - I need two passenger travelling seats.

We don't find the cab seats very comfortable but the bench seats are wonderful. Anyone who snuggles into the squishy back cushions tends to fall asleep. Well I assume it's the cushions and not because I am yawningly boring!

The downside is the big fixed table. We haven't bothered changing this but for the lounge to be perfect, we would need to visit Hambiltons. 

Kitchen is tight but easily usable. Bathroom is excellent. The beds give me a blissful night's sleep every time.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Rosbotham said:


> Either I'm atypical or the manufacturers don't understand their market.
> Paul


I do wonder about this. We have a Bessacarr E530 the layout of which suits us down to the ground. It has 2 long bench seats which we use as 3 ft wide single beds. No effort to pull out the seat base 6 inches or so and drop the back cushion down the back. I then spread a mattress topper ( already in a sheet cover) over each and a duvet on top. One minute, no effort, extremely comfortable, plenty of space to walk between the beds.

We have 2 swivelling cab seats which position themselves neatly so you can either sit on them with legs up on the bench seats or sit on one and legs up on the other. With the Bessacarr provided end cushions etc in place lounging is comfortable whichever way you sit on the bench seats

We recommend this layout to all and sundry and it is much admired when we have visitors.

So what have Swift done in the new ranges ? Dropped this layout !
As far as I can see it was available for our year (new 2007) only.

To answer the OPs question: here is a very comfortable van to lounge in but you can't buy one.

G


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## ianhibs (May 1, 2005)

javea said:


> I am obviously biased, Hymer B544. It has a long settee on one side plus another L shaped one opposite so you have a choice of settees plus the Aguti captains chairs.
> 
> Had a B584 before with the fixed table and seat behind it but found it a lot less 'loungable'.
> 
> Interesting that Hymer dropped it from their range a couple of years ago and have reinstated it in the 2011 model range describing it as the 'popular' layout.


Agreed but with a Hambilton table conversion our B584 now offers superb lounging.

In general though, fixed beds mean smaller lounges so it's then a choice between more length or lounging on the bed.

Ian


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Comfort = Yank

Loddy


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## ianhibs (May 1, 2005)

loddy said:


> Comfort = Yank
> 
> Loddy


Can't argue with that

But unfortunately; stayput = yank

Ian


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> I do wonder about this. We have a Bessacarr E530 the layout of which suits us down to the ground. It has 2 long bench seats which we use as 3 ft wide single beds. No effort to pull out the seat base 6 inches or so and drop the back cushion down the back. I then spread a mattress topper ( already in a sheet cover) over each and a duvet on top. One minute, no effort, extremely comfortable, plenty of space to walk between the beds.


That's a similar effort to us making up the singles in our current van (albeit it's a bit longer as the back cushion needs to be chucked in the overcab overnight, which takes a bit of juggling as that's where the bedding's coming from). However, Mrs R is keen on an arrangement where she can go straight off to bed while I finish my last beer, hence the search for fixed beds in next one.

Your post about Swift dropping the arrangement does tally with the dogma of berths=seatbelts with the manufacturers currently though. I can see that some people need that, but there are others (possibly more...empty nesters etc) who aren't bothered about carrying passengers and have lounging arrangements compromised by the need to fit seatbelts that'll never be used.

Paul


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

ianhibs said:


> loddy said:
> 
> 
> > Comfort = Yank
> ...


Just came back from 5 month jolly in which we traveled nearly 9,000 miles in the yank and about the same in the toad, so I don't STAYPUT 

Loddy


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