Motorhome layout

The Stanton and Nuevo are very compact but if you want single beds then it’s feet on the driving seats. We like the Bourton and may go for that next time but be aware that the under bed locker space is reduced due to the supplementary water tank and the fresh water and waste capacity is much lower than the Broadway. Against that you have the highly regarded Mercedes base plus auto box.

Not sure what the OP wants exactly but most continental “garage” motorhomes have a table and seating behind the cab. Isn’t this a dinette?

Yes, that's what I was trying to point out and it's available in a lot of vans. But the more you hope to find the bigger the van will get, either that or you're sleeping very high up in the back with very little head room.

Jane

When moving to a motorhome from a caravan (we did it five years ago) you may need to think outside the box a bit. A caravan is made up of just accommodation but a motorhome, as has been pointed out also has the cab area which takes up a fair bit of the overall length. A lot of the continental designs are quite clever in the use of space but if you have a decent garage it will mean that beds are quite high up. The same is true of drop down beds. If you are happy with this you will get more choice. However anyone with mobility issues, or concerned about getting out in the dark, might find these more difficult to handle and prefer low level beds. Is a dinette really essential? If you have a design with two long paralell bunks there is plenty of room for a table between.

David

Seem to remember seeing a M’home @ Davan M’home & C’vans  with front dinette & 2 singles to rear above garage.  Pilote low profile I think.  Good luck with your search.

there are some MHs (mainly long German overcab family vans) that have double dinettes in the front, to seat four (or more) for opposed dining...

this layout usually closes off the cab area.....in a large van as I described, this loss of space can be absorbed, but for the majority of vans, having a totally separate dinette (when one can be easily made from almost any front or rear lounged van) will add unnecessary length.  

WRT the 'high bed' issue that often gets raised, longitudinal singles (or an island bed) placed over a garage will (almost certainly) have two easy steps placed either between the beds (singles) or to each side of the bed if an island.

access is no more difficult than just walking up two easy stair treads..it's easy as there is room for the steps, either central or to the side.....

however, where it can get a bit more tricky is when the bed is transverse, and the access steps have to be infront of the bed where space may be more compromised.

we have this latter layout (after raised singles in the previous van) and the former was certainly not difficult at all, whereas this layout requires slightly more 'agility' but OH and I don't have an issue.....and we are able to sit up in bed to read or for morning cuppa.

the previous van (twin single) had rising bed heads which swung you up and away from any rear mounted lockers, so again, not an issue.

good luck.

The Roller Team 746 and 747, both have a rear u-shaped lounge with a dinette at the front and a bathroom opposite the kitchen.  Bathroom is a bit on the small side and the motorhomes are quite long at 7.4 metres.  Swift and Elddis also do similar layouts but then that brings in an all new ball game do you buy British 

The motorhome section of Out & About's website showsshow most common layouts.

To meet your needs you are looking at one vey long motorhome. You may have to compromise. 

https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/buyers-guide/motorhomes/

Yes, the Bourton wins for us as the Stanton is just too small and we need the extra space for long trips.  Thanks so much for your advice.

Thanks for all your comments. We have found Autotrail Apache 700 has the sort of layout that gives us everything we want. We need as you all suggest, to go and have a look and actually see in the flesh how big a 7.38m motorhome. Maybe the dinette will have to go...or not. Hmmmm a dilemma and lots still to look at to make the right decision. When you are spending £35k it needs to be right! 

Good luck, Bosha.

Personally, I’d find 7.38m too cumbersome unless you are going to have secondary transport of some sort but we're all different.