Working on italex_holden wrote
on July 30th, 2010 at 01:28 pm

Caravan thoughts part 1: Pros and cons of owning a caravan

I've been doing a lot of thinking about my crazy plan to build a compact caravan. Over the next day or two I want to post some of my thoughts. Here's part 1: Pros and cons of having a caravan. These are relative to my two usual forms of holiday accommodation: youth hostels and camping in a small tent.

Pros
  • Campsites are usually cheaper per-night than hostels, particularly for two people.
  • Always get a private room at no extra cost - no sharing a dorm with snorers and people who arrive/leave at unsociable times.
  • Guaranteed to get a comfortable bed (hostel beds vary a lot).
  • Don't need to share the kitchen with other guests.
  • Don't need to share the lounge (sometimes with a TV) with other guests.
  • Don't need to unpack and move a lot of stuff from the car into the accommodation on arrival and back again (plus the hassle of re-stowing the luggage) when you leave.
  • Have your own personal space to relax in without feeling self-conscious and worrying about breaking rules or getting things dirty etc.
  • You know where everything is [apart from shower blocks and other campsite facilities], so less feeling of dislocation when you arrive tired after a long day's driving and sightseeing.
  • Campsites are more common than hostels, so probably less difficulty finding one near where you want to stay.
  • Possible to camp in a layby or service station etc. at a push (eg. if you can't get to the intended destination for some reason).
  • More comfortable to sleep in than a tent.
  • Quicker and less hassle to put up and take down than a tent.
  • Less unpleasant in wet weather than a tent.
  • Plenty of storage space in the caravan, so the car doesn't need to be packed to the roof with food, clothes, sleeping bags and airbeds, etc.
Cons
  • High initial cost.
  • Makes driving between accommodation a bit more difficult.
  • Somewhat increased fuel consumption.
  • Ferry fares more expensive.
  • Some (very steep/narrow) roads are impractical to tow a caravan on.
  • Need to drive a bit slower, particularly on hilly terrain.
  • Need somewhere to store it between holidays.
  • Some ongoing maintenance will be required (not much).
  • Limited and cramped cooking facilities.
  • Because it won't be a full size caravan, there won't be room for a toilet or shower so would need to use the camp site facilities.
  • Might not have room for a heater, and if so could be too cold to use in winter.
  • Might not have a proper fridge.
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