Bailey Phoenix

I was very lucky to be invited to the launch of the new line of caravans from Bailey. They where founded in 1948 and is the longest established uk independent manufacture. This year 2018 is their 70th anniversary! Happy anniversary Bailey!

Phoenix

So if you have followed me for a while you will know I love retro, from dresses, cars and caravans. Here I was looking around a brand new caravan. I have never been a fan of white boxes, old vans, have so much colour and clever ideas. Having said that, I was wowed by the new Phoenix vans. They had really thought out the layouts, offering a lot of different set ups. Keeping the vans in neutral tasteful colours, means they are really easy to personalise. 

Sitting down in the 650 (above) I really fell for the large front window. Walking into the vans, gave me such a relaxed light feeling and others joked that I wouldn't need to scrub and paint down a chassis! I do think though it would be easy to put your stamp on these vans, also very easy to live with the calming colours they come in. 

You can pay extra for dressing pack, which includes the throw pillows and blanket above.

The range: 

Starting with the two berth Phoenix 420 

There are four different layouts with 4 berths, Phoenix 440, 640, 642 and 644.

Phoenix 440

Phoenix 640

Phoenix 642

Phoenix 644

They have one layout for their five berth.

Phoenix 650

Also a six berth with this layout. 

Phoenix 760

If you need help on picking which one is the perfect layout for you, they do have a way of comparing on their website. Click here for a link to their site.

So which one would I pick!?


Phoenix 650

I think I would go for the 650, I love the bunk beds. I would leave them up in the day so each child had a place to chill if they wanted. That would also mean I would only have one bed to make up each night. Making good use of outdoor dinning if I wanted to leave up the bed ;) Am not sure how I would get on with a rear bathroom but my children are good sleepers so I don't think it would be a problem walking passed them in the night. I like that I would close a partition to where the children where sleeping if I was up later, cooking etc. They have really thought out layout, keeping the vans clear looking yet inviting. 

They do stand out from the rest of the modern white boxes, with the huge front window and clean lines of the outside design. 

I like that they have opted for a side storage locker and kept the front clear. 

I must say there was a lot that I liked. Simple, ready to go, easy to use, well thought out. I was also surprised how much they had fitted into this prize bracket. These vans didn't feel like entry level caravans, they didn't feel basic. Just ready to go and easy to add too. 

The price range is £16,699 - £19,999. 

If you look at the price of a new car, and think about what you are getting for the money I was really impressed. Is it out of my range, yes, but I still think its not a huge amount of money when you look at the cost of just one holiday! 

I just looked up the cost of a weeks holiday for a family of four, one week (let that sink in, just one week.) In August is between £2605-4447 for just one week! 


Ok so when you take your new van away you have a few other costs, insurance (this is not a legal requirement but I highly recommend it!) Possibly storage costs, petrol and site fees. Having said that, once you have your van, you can go away as many nights as you want, every weekend! Just for a few weeks, heck you can do like I have and have her on the drive and just sit and have a coffee brake in her when its been a stressful day! You can stay on sites from five pounds a night, up too about 30-40. Join a club and go on rallies, building life long friendships for you and your children. You can go away on your own, with your partner or your whole family, getting extra sleeping room in the awning. A caravan is freedom! From just staying in a site up the road or traveling the world, once you have your van you can holiday your way! 

Even with my huge love of vintage van, I can still see so much I love in these new Phoenix caravans. Well done Bailey you have impressed me, will these vans make me think of a modern van....maybe...I think I need to stay in one to compare. I do have room on the drive for another ;) 

Thank you so much to Bailey for inviting me to have a look around the new range. 

Click here to check out their website.

If your looking for your first van, I highly recommend having a look around this well thought out range.