Like lots of people this year we decided to holiday in the UK rather than risk losing money paying for holidays abroad that might get cancelled. We’d also spent a number of months toying with the idea of buying a motorhome or camper van so decided we’d rent one first to see if we enjoyed the idea.
We had a particular model of motorhome we’d been looking at, a Bailey Autograph 79-2F and decided we’d try and find one to hire. Using search engines we discovered Camptoo, a motorhome holiday search site and searched for the model of motorhome we wanted to try.
Of course you can book via Camptoo by entering the dates you would like to holiday and choosing from a vast number of motorhomes and camper vans too.
We very quickly found Nobby online, a 2021 Bailey Alliance 76-4F motorhome, a model very similar to the 79-2F we are keen on so decided to check out availability. Nobby is one of three very new motorhomes owned by brothers Neil and Paul and they quickly confirmed that Nobby was available to hire via Camptoo on our chosen dates. Woohoo!
Booking via Camptoo was very straightforward and communications from Paul/Neil were excellent. Camptoo gave us the option of paying for the holiday in stages too, with full payment required few days before our holiday, which was all very easy to manage online.
We also took advantage of the comprehensive insurance package on offer. Although this added to the cost of the motorhome per night, approximately £10.00 extra, it gave us all complete peace of mind. After all this was our first trip in a motorhome almost 8 metres in length.
Booking via Camptoo could not have been easier. Everything was very clear and easy to understand and the payment processing was very easy.
We have written a separate review of the Bailey Alliance 76-4F motorhome. In the meantime we can report Nobby, owned by Neil and Paul, was a brilliant motorhome for our maiden motorhome holiday.
On the first day of our holiday, when we collected Nobby from owner Neil, he gave us a thorough walk round and explanation of how things work. He also showed us where important things were located including gas, water and electrical connections. In spite of being newbies I was confident we could operate everything within the motorhome upon setting off.
The Bailey Alliance 76-4F is a very comfortable motorhome with a fixed bed, lounge, kitchen and full width shower room across the rear. Neil/Paul have kitted out Nobby with everything you need to have a great holiday. Even in the torrential downpours we experienced whilst we were away, Nobby kept us dry, safe and warm.
In our communications in advance of collecting our motorhome Neil/Paul told us we just needed to bring ourselves, our clothes and towels, everything else was provided – and it was!
When our holiday was over, we had to return Nobby to its owners, after a great trip to the Lake District but we felt very attached to Nobby and were reluctant to hand back the keys.
We’d had a great time exploring the UK in our motorhome.
Since originally writing this article we understand Camptoo have gone out of business. There are plenty of other companies offering this service.
We absolutely adored our time in the motorhome and would definitely rent one again to find the perfect layout for our needs. It's incredibly important to try before you buy. We did face a bit of a learning curve when it came to managing the fresh water, grey waste, and toilet cassette, but we quickly got the hang of it during our week-long adventure.
In some of the towns around the Lake District, we did find the size of the motorhome a bit challenging. This is definitely something to consider when purchasing one.
After all if you buy without trying you have a long-time to rue your mistake.