Outdoors

Ultramodern glamper obliterates line between modular home and caravan

Ultramodern glamper obliterates line between modular home and caravan
Adria Astella caravan
Adria Astella caravan
View 51 Images
Out of the three floor plans, the 754 DP is the most distinct, offering a central kitchen, connected dry bathroom and front lounge
1/51
Out of the three floor plans, the 754 DP is the most distinct, offering a central kitchen, connected dry bathroom and front lounge
The Astella 754 DP's fridge is on the other side of a shelving unit
2/51
The Astella 754 DP's fridge is on the other side of a shelving unit
Defining features of the 704 HP include the dual entries, expanded L-shaped kitchen and transverse rear bed
3/51
Defining features of the 704 HP include the dual entries, expanded L-shaped kitchen and transverse rear bed
Adria 704 HP daytime layout
4/51
Adria 704 HP daytime layout
Adria Astella 754 DP night layout
5/51
Adria Astella 754 DP night layout
Adria Astella 754 DP day layout
6/51
Adria Astella 754 DP day layout
The largest Astella, the 904 HP, can sleep up to six at night
7/51
The largest Astella, the 904 HP, can sleep up to six at night
The 904 HP includes a dining room and dual-sofa central lounge
8/51
The 904 HP includes a dining room and dual-sofa central lounge
Adria
9/51
Adria
Adria tests the Astella in its climactic chamber
10/51
Adria tests the Astella in its climactic chamber
Adria launches a new style of caravan with the Astella line
11/51
Adria launches a new style of caravan with the Astella line
The double sofa bed and dual bunks of the Adria Astella 904 HP
12/51
Adria
The 904 HP includes a bookshelf at the front end of the sofa
13/51
The 904 HP includes a bookshelf at the front end of the sofa
Adria seats four or six at the Astella 904 HP dining table
14/51
Adria seats four or six at the Astella 904 HP dining table
Adria seats four or six at the Astella 904 HP dining table
15/51
Adria seats four or six at the Astella 904 HP dining table
Adria Astella lighting
16/51
Adria Astella lighting
Adria Astella 904 HP
17/51
Adria Astella 904 HP
A look through the bedroom French doors of the Astella 704 HP
18/51
A look through the bedroom French doors of the Astella 704 HP
A peek at the Astella 704 HP living room, kitchen and shower room
19/51
A peek at the Astella 704 HP living room, kitchen and shower room
With so much kitchen space to work with, we're surprised Adria went with a compact dual-burner stove for the Astella 704 HP
20/51
With so much kitchen space to work with, we're surprised Adria went with a compact dual-burner stove for the Astella 704 HP
The L-shaped kitchen of the Astella 704 HP
21/51
The L-shaped kitchen of the Astella 704 HP
Adria Astella 704 HP
22/51
Adria Astella 704 HP
Adria Astella 754 DP bedroom
23/51
Adria Astella 754 DP bedroom
Adria Astella 754 DP front lounge
24/51
Adria Astella 754 DP front lounge
Unlike the 704 HP and 904 HP, the 754 DP has a connected, single-side dry bath
25/51
Unlike the 704 HP and 904 HP, the 754 DP has a connected, single-side dry bath
Adria Astella 754 DP toilet and sink area
26/51
Adria Astella 754 DP toilet and sink area
Fold-out counter over the 754 DP toilet
27/51
Fold-out counter over the 754 DP toilet
Adria Astella 754 DP central kitchen
28/51
Adria Astella 754 DP central kitchen
The Astella 754 DP's cutting board rotates around for versatility, something we tested at the Caravan Salon
29/51
The Astella 754 DP's cutting board rotates around for versatility, something we tested at the Caravan Salon
Adria Astella 754 DP
30/51
Adria Astella 754 DP
Feels like home ...
31/51
Feels like home ...
Adria designed the Astella with a mix of caravanning and permanent living in mind
32/51
Adria designed the Astella with a mix of caravanning and permanent living in mind
Panoramic windows and wide-open doors connect the Astella interior with the outdoors
33/51
Panoramic windows and wide-open doors connect the Astella interior with the outdoors
The Astella was certainly attracting the crowds when we arrived at the Caravan Salon
34/51
The Astella was certainly attracting the crowds when we arrived at the Caravan Salon
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
35/51
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
An Adria modular home on show at the 2019 Caravan Salon
36/51
An Adria modular home on show at the 2019 Caravan Salon
Inside the Adria modular home, it becomes clear from where the Astella's furnishings took inspiration
37/51
Inside the Adria modular home, it becomes clear from where the Astella's furnishings took inspiration
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
38/51
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
Adria is showing the 754 DP floor plan at the Caravan Salon
39/51
Adria is showing the 754 DP floor plan at the Caravan Salon
Inside the Adria Astella 754 DP at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
40/51
Inside the Adria Astella 754 DP at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
Inside the Adria Astella 754 DP at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
41/51
Inside the Adria Astella 754 DP at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
From Adria's photos, we weren't sure if the 754 DP cutting board was attached or loose, so we tried it, and it's secured to the kitchen with a rotating joint, allowing for easy repositioning
42/51
From Adria's photos, we weren't sure if the 754 DP cutting board was attached or loose, so we tried it, and it's secured to the kitchen with a rotating joint, allowing for easy repositioning
The Astella wine glass cabinets are a nice touch, but we'd be a better worried about fine glassware during the drive
43/51
The Astella wine glass cabinets are a nice touch, but we'd be a better worried about fine glassware during the drive
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
44/51
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
45/51
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
46/51
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
Adria gives the bathroom some warming shades to prevent the cold white look very common in RVs
47/51
Adria gives the bathroom some warming shades to prevent the cold white look very common in RVs
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
48/51
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
Adria will offer the outdoor orb lights and comfy outdoor chairs as options
49/51
Adria will offer the outdoor orb lights and comfy outdoor chairs as options
Adria reveals the Astella caravan
50/51
Adria reveals the Astella caravan
Adria Astella caravan
51/51
Adria Astella caravan
View gallery - 51 images

Slovenian RV maker Adria ups the camping game with one of the swankiest camping trailers the world has ever seen. Eriba's Touring 820 took European caravan design to the next level earlier this year, and the Adria Astella straight knocks it out of the ballpark. Consolidating the expertise of its prefab home and RV divisions, Adria designed the Astella to travel from campsite to campsite or plant roots and serve as a more permanent nature cabin. Either way, it's a cushy living pod that brings modern comforts to the wild spaces that lack them.

We've spent some time covering Adria's camper vans, but the company also has a full line of more permanent shelters, from stylish mobile homes (like the one pictured below), to safari-style glamping tents, to water-top floating homes. With the all-new Astella introduced at this year's Dusseldorf Caravan Salon, it drops the walls between those businesses, offering a mobile living pod that looks like a prefabricated holiday home but rolls like a camping trailer. Buyers can choose whether to use it as a caravan or plop it down more permanently on a slice of scenic land.

An Adria modular home on show at the 2019 Caravan Salon
An Adria modular home on show at the 2019 Caravan Salon

"Rather than start with a good benchmark product like a regular caravan, we started with a deep dive into the holiday experience we wanted to deliver," explains Erna Povh, Astella project leader. "The result is a really innovative and unique home. Some would view it as a caravan, albeit a luxurious one. Others see it in the same light as a mobile home, a static caravan if you like. Whatever you decide to call it, think of it as your own luxurious holiday home, set down where you most like to spend your time but moveable at the end of the holiday season or when you want to change the location."

"Homey caravan" or "rolling holiday home," buyers will be getting an effortlessly sleek, stylish piece of nomadic living. Boxy without being boring, the Astella features a stretched rectangular body with smooth corners and bright edge lighting on its face. The most exciting detail of the build from a caravan perspective is the panoramic French doors that open wide to bring the outdoors inside, a very big step up from the average opaque RV side door. One Astella floor plan even has a separate set of French doors leading into the bedroom.

Structure-wise, the Astella's glossy shell is built from a sandwich of composite wood inside and polyester outside, split by foam insulation. The floor is reinforced with a hardwood frame, the double-glazed windows built from a special ruggedized acrylic.

Adria launches a new style of caravan with the Astella line
Adria launches a new style of caravan with the Astella line

Inside, Adria promotes a sense of space and openness without eliminating discrete rooms. Regardless of floor plan, the rear is occupied by a private bedroom, a cozy space to retire, away from the main living area.

The 9-m (29.5-foot) 704 HT floor plan is positioned as a luxurious couple's retreat but has the ability to sleep four people thanks to the convertible sofa. The rear bedroom features a transverse spring bed, along with storage cabinets and nightstands. The 704 dry bathroom directly in front of the bedroom is split into a port toilet room and starboard shower and features a design inspired by boutique hotels.

A peek at the Astella 704 HP living room, kitchen and shower room
A peek at the Astella 704 HP living room, kitchen and shower room

Moving forward, the main living area is an open combination of homestyle living room and expanded kitchen. Gone is the traditional dinette, replaced by an L-shaped couch sitting across from a media center with glassware curio and available TV.

The large, L-shaped kitchen is pushed to the front of the caravan, on the other side of the French doors. It includes the usual dual-burner stove and sink on the main Corian countertop. The smaller counter to the left features a full cutting board worktop above an oven. A standing height fridge/freezer stands next to the smaller counter, before the kitchen gives way to the living room.

The L-shaped kitchen of the Astella 704 HP
The L-shaped kitchen of the Astella 704 HP

The loss of a dining area might be a dealbreaker for some, but the open, TV-room design seems a tradeoff we'd be willing to make. You could always eat outside or on a folding table next to the couch.

Those who simply can't live without a dining room can move up to the flagship 10.9-m (35.8-foot) 904 HP configuration, which splits the central living area and front kitchen with a bar-height dining table with stools. This floor plan loses a little of the openness of the 704 due to the addition of the dining area, dual-side sofa layout and bookshelf, but it gains space, sleeping up to six people with a combination of the rear bedroom, convertible sofas and upper bunk bed. The kitchen loses the size and L shape of the 704 HP's, and the enlarged rear bedroom has a longitudinal bed in place of a transverse.

Adria Astella 904 HP
Adria Astella 904 HP

The 9.5-m (31-foot) 754 DP is a 2-/4-sleeper layout that flip-flops kitchen and living area, housing a front-corner sofa layout and central kitchen block. It includes a longitudinal bed and panoramic window in the rear bedroom, and its dry bathroom is in a single room on the port side, rather than a split layout.

Adria Astella 754 DP bedroom
Adria Astella 754 DP bedroom

Much like the aforementioned Eriba Touring 820, the Astella is a smart home on wheels, or at least it can be. It has a Wi-Fi hotspot and optional Adria MACH (Mobile Artificial-intelligence Communication Hardware) mobile app to keep full cabin control at your fingertips. The app remotely controls and monitors lighting, onboard climate, fridge setting, battery, water and gas. It also offers trailer manuals, leveling information, and points of interest (POI) navigation.

Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon
Adria premieres the Astella caravan at the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon

According to the price sheet we picked up at the Caravan Salon, the 2020 Astella 704 HP starts at €54,499, the 754 DP at €53,499 and the 904 HP at €59,999. The show model that you can see more of in the gallery is a 754 DP optioned modestly up to €55,276.

Source: Adria

View gallery - 51 images
5 comments
5 comments
roddy6667
The term "modular" home refers to a home that is manufactured offsite that meets all the requirements of a site built home. A "manufactured" home is of lesser quality, usually built on two I-beams. They are usually referred to as mobile homes or trailers. I have often heard the owners of trailers referring to their manufactured home as a "modular". They are trying to avoid the stigma of the term "trailer".
When you are inside a modular home, it is hard to tell that it was built offsite, even when in the basement. They are actually stronger than a site built home, because they must be transported long distances without cracking the sheetrock or windows.
Worzel
Looks very nice, and so does the camper.
John Faragher
no mention of the towing weights, which in Europe are most important
Wolf0579
If you need tis kind of surroundings while outdoors... just do mother nature a favor and STAY HOME>
ljaques
The Astella is absolutely gorgeous. That should turn some mobile home and trailer manufacturers on their heads. LOL Pricy, but could be done nearly as nice for half that price.