Having been invited across to Swindon for the Bailey of Bristol 4th generation Unicorn launch we are heading on a mixture of motorway and countryside roads. I silently curse myself as the sky gets greyer and greyer the nearer we get. 

Always a lover of looking inside different Caravans,  I’m excited by today. I’m more of a caravan dealer crawl rather than a pub crawl girl these days. I’ve dressed for the occasion, frock and a pair of heels, with a posh pair of flip flops stuffed inside my already full handbag. It’s been a while since  I wore heels and as I teeter across the car park trying to find my new centre of gravity I wonder if I made the right footwear choice. 

Entering into the beautiful, Cotswold stone hotel we are pointed in the direction of the rooms hosting the launch. Passing the ladies and gents, it must be our age, as we decide to pay a visit, you never know when your next chance will be!

Into the launch meeting area and familiar faces of other bloggers meet us. The reason we are here today, caravans, brand new caravans stand just beyond the window as the wind tries its best to bring the rain in. 

Pleasantries done, formal introduction to the day, a presentation of how those beasts outside evolved and we are freed from the confines of this hotel into the distinctly cooler air and out towards the caravans. 

8 out of the 10 new caravans in this new range stand proudly before us. Two of the ten designs are still to be confirmed. On gravel,  high heels gratefully abandoned behind a plant pot, I ease my feet into my flip flops. Comfort at last. The caravans are being scrutinised by others also here from the launch, Bailey UK owners club, a caravan cooking celeb, journalists, bloggers and vloggers, a few others and a plethora of Bailey staff. I want the caravans to myself, I want the chance to feel the fabrics, squish the cushions, lift the seats, open the drawers and contemplate the bathrooms. 

With a choice of two designs the upholstery is quite light and airy. The standard design is the Brompton with the Finsbury as an option. Destined to be shrouded with throws by families and dog owners alike, to preserve the beauty of the fabric, a fabric that needs to be seen. 

The bulkhead has been removed which means that the seats are up to 5% longer (model specific) and more suited to day lounging or for the option of using as single beds. Personally I like a window ledge and wasn’t comfortable sitting so close to the window and the curtains. We did manage to sit 6 adults relatively comfortably in the Cabrera,  so would be great for entertaining. The seating areas in all of the ‘vans felt spacious and comfortable. 

Surprisingly so, the two berth Seville. Which was very reminiscent of our Orion 400-2. Small and compact on the outside and very Tardis like on the inside. With a side bathroom and an end kitchen this is an interior quite different to other caravans. This would’ve been my choice of purchase on the day, it’s only downside, having to make the bed up. 

The kitchens in the other caravans are more or less standard. A couple of modifications are evident in this new range of Unicorn. They have added a drop down hob cover creating extra workspace throughout the range. This I did like. The hob fits slightly left of the end of the worktop. Meaning you can use pans on all four burners. An extendable worktop creates even more worktop area. With three extremely spacious and soft touch drawers beneath the sink, storage has been well thought out in the kitchen area. 

With a variety of bedroom layouts and beds there is something to suit everyone. The beds are typically longer than previous models, suited to the taller person. No more feet hanging off the end. From families to make your own bed up. A couple of them even had a lovely window at the foot of the bed, perfect for that secluded site with a perfect view. 

Bathrooms, I loved all the bathrooms. It felt like storage had been really well thought out with shelving and cupboards. With fully lined single piece showers throughout the range. The end bathrooms lacked windows but I did like the extra long back lit mirror that sat behind the boutique style sinks. Baskets for toiletries in the spacious showers, also an added bonus that mine doesn’t have. No more scrabbling on the floor for shampoo. In the centre bathrooms the shower sits above a wheel creating a ledge within the shower. Perfect for the ladies for popping your foot on whilst shaving your legs. 

Other points to notice that are worth noting are the solar panel that comes as standard. Directional spotlights with USB sockets and pockets on the walls, perfect for storing and charging phones and tablets. New design space saving gas locker where the bottles stand side by side. Dual finish Italian design  overhead locker doors. Branded kitchen splash backs. Ceiling mounted pull down clothes rail in the shower. New design entrance door mat. Branded DAB radio, CD, MP3 with USB and Bluetooth capability. And so the list goes on including technicalities for the gents out there which can all be found on the Bailey of Bristol website HERE

To summarise, if I didn’t have to sleep, it’s the two berth Seville that ticked all my boxes. I found very few things I didn’t like about it, other than the bed. And, as a caravanning guru, Mr. David Bird, said, “Look for the negatives, if you can live with them, you’ve found your caravan.” If only I didn’t need my sleep…