Small caravans: is this the smallest yet?

Caravans 13-04-2020 | 09:50 HOUR

Looking at small caravans to buy? The range of small caravans for sale has grown in recent years. 

• They are easier to tow. 
• You need a smaller towcar. 
• And they are better for your budget. 

That’s why they are more popular each year. Small caravans are accessible to more people than traditional caravans.

One manufacturer has a small caravan which is light and compact. But, first, some background details…

Small caravans – popular with younger people

Small caravans are popular with people aged between 24 and 44 years old. And, there’s a reason they are so popular with younger people. 

Anyone who passed their test on or after 1st January 1997 can only tow a vehicle and trailer with a ‘maximum authorised mass’ of 3,500 kg. That law narrows what you can tow, dramatically.

Traditional caravans often weigh more than 1,000 kg. Most caravans weigh much more than this weight. Combined with the weight of their car, a caravan can seem out of reach. And not only due to the cost. 

The tiny caravan from Hitch Hotel

The choice of small caravans with a shower and toilet is good, right now. But, sometimes, you may need something even simpler. Here’s one small caravan that’s available in the USA which is an interesting concept.

The Hitch Hotel is small, telescopic and lightweight. At just under 180 cm long when in tow, it’s compact too. Unhitched, the Hitch Hotel is just under 100 cm long (you fold up the tow ball mechanism).  That means it’s easy to store on your drive or in your garage. 

Weighing 204 kg, the Hitch Hotel is light too. Plus, it has a payload of 249 kg. That means you can store plenty of camping equipment in it when you’re towing. 

The Hitch Hotel has three sections to it. You pull them out to create a living space wide and long enough for two. You could possibly sleep three people in it. You can sit up in the Hitch Hotel, but not stand up. 

When you pitch it, you pull the sections out. Folding legs with small wheels on them drop down at both ends to stabilise the unit. The wheels on the legs make it easy to manoeuvre on flat ground.

What you lack in small caravans…

The Hitch Hotel is a basic caravan. With no shower, toilet or kitchen, you will have to cook outside. And, wash in the shower block on campsites. For some people, that is fine. The unit is more of a camping pod than it is a caravan.

At $5,699 (~£4,554), the Hitch Hotel is within the price range of many more people. Its price might make it more attractive to people who want to get into caravanning. 

Of all the small caravans on the market, this is probably the smallest. It will not appeal to families who need more berths.

But, the Hitch Hotel will be popular for active couples who don’t want to sleep in a tent anymore. It will keep you warm and comfortable at night and give you shade during the day. 
Find out more here: hitchhotel.com