How many people (or pets)

Some of this is obvious, some of it less obvious.

Clearly you need to work out how many people will require a bed and then make sure you enough sleeping space.

One option is to buy a motorhome that has the number of beds you need. They’ll all have a double bed or two singles but if you need more than that you’ll have to go bigger and, potentially, pricier. It’s definitely worth having a look around one of the bigger dealers to get an idea of just how many variations there are on sleeping arrangements.

An alternative is to invest in an awning – essentially a tent that attaches to, and becomes an extension of, the motorhomes living space. This can then accommodate additional people. A lot of families have the parents sleeping in the motorhome and the kids in the tent.

Another option is to have a small tent for the kids – sometimes called a ‘pup tent’ - though usually not designed for dogs (though there are exceptions (see image). This is pitched alongside the motorhome, rather than being attached to it, and a major attraction is that these are much cheaper than an awning. However, some camp sites will charge a bit extra for a pup tent.

Seat belts

It’s important to bear in mind that anyone travelling in the back will need a seat belt so make sure whatever you pick has the required number of seat belts. Most, if not all, of the motorhomes I’ve looked at have at least two seat belts in the back in addition to the two or three in the front.

Pets

When I say ‘pets’ I really mean dogs, as most people are unlikely to take cats away with them, let alone more exotic pets – though a budgie wouldn’t be any problem.

You may find you acquire local
'pets' on site

The thing about dogs is they also need somewhere to sleep, typically taking up some of the floor space. If you have several dogs, or just one big dog, that could mean a lot of floor space.

I’ve seen motorhomes that are extremely well equipped with storage cupboards etc. on either side – but just leaving a narrow corridor of open floor space down the middle. If you’ve got a great big dog basket in the middle of that it gets a bit tricky to walk from one end to another.

So if that’s a consideration for you, look for conversions that leave a reasonable amount of floor space.