If you have not noticed the surge in motorhomes and campervans on UK roads over the past few years, you have not been paying attention. Sales of new motorhomes hit record highs in 2020 and 2021, and the second-hand market has stayed busy ever since. A generation of travellers who might once have holidayed abroad are now touring the UK in their own home on wheels. For campsite owners, this is a genuine opportunity. Motorhome guests tend to travel more out of season, stay for longer, and return to sites they genuinely like. But they also have specific requirements that differ from tent campers or caravan tourers. Get those things right and you will find them among your most reliable, repeat-booking guests.

What motorhome guests actually need

Motorhome travellers are generally well-equipped. They carry their own cooking, sleeping and bathroom facilities. What they need from your site falls into a few clear categories.

The most important is a firm, level pitch. Grass pitches that work perfectly well for tents and lighter caravans can be unusable for a three-tonne motorhome, especially after rain. A motorhome stuck in soft ground is a significant problem for both the guest and you. If you want to attract motorhomers seriously, hardstanding pitches are not optional. At least a portion of your pitches should offer a solid, all-weather surface.

Electric hookup is the second essential. Very few motorhomers travel without needing EHU at some point. Modern motorhomes run heating, fridges and battery chargers on 230V when connected. A standard 16-amp supply is expected by most guests. If you only offer 10-amp hookup, say so clearly in your listing.

Fresh water access and grey waste disposal are the third requirement. Motorhomes carry their own water tanks and grey waste tanks, but guests need to fill one and empty the other during their stay. If those facilities are not on site, many motorhomers will simply move on to somewhere that has them.

Installing a motorhome service point

A motorhome service point combines the three waste and water essentials in one unit: a fresh water fill tap (drinking-water standard), a grey waste drain, and a chemical toilet waste disposal point (often called an Elsan point). Some units also include a rinse hose for emptying cassette toilets cleanly.

These units are available from a number of UK suppliers. Costs vary depending on whether you connect to mains water and drainage or use a tank-based system. A permanent, plumbed service point typically costs between £1,500 and £5,000 installed, depending on site layout and how much groundwork is required. Tank-based systems with a pump are a lower-cost alternative for smaller sites where running a drain is not practical.

Once installed, you can choose whether to include service point use in the pitch price or charge separately. Most sites include it for simplicity. Some larger sites with high throughput charge a small additional fee, typically £1 to £2 per use, to cover water costs. Either approach works. Just make it clear in your listing and confirm it in the booking confirmation so guests arrive with the right expectations.

Pitch sizing and access for motorhomes

Pitch size matters more for motorhomes than for almost any other unit type. A standard caravan pitch might be 7 metres by 8 metres. A large A-class motorhome can be 8 to 9 metres long, and with a drive-away awning attached, the footprint grows considerably.

As a starting point, pitches intended for motorhomes should be at least 7 metres wide and 10 to 12 metres deep. If you are unsure whether your pitches can accommodate the vehicles your guests are bringing, ask a few motorhome owners to try a pitch and see how they fare. You will quickly learn where the limits are.

Access roads and site entrance points matter equally. A low-hanging tree branch or a sharp turn at the entrance can cause real problems for a vehicle over 2.5 metres tall. Walk your site with fresh eyes and note anything that a 7-metre vehicle would struggle with. If there are genuine restrictions, flag them clearly in your listing before guests book. A note saying "maximum vehicle length 7 metres, maximum height 2.8 metres" is far better than a guest arriving with something larger and discovering the problem on site.

You can set pitch-level details, including vehicle restrictions and pitch dimensions, in your parks and pitches settings so that the right information travels through to guests at the point of booking.

Booking information that helps motorhome guests decide

Motorhomers do their research before booking. They are rarely spontaneous campers. They want to know, before they confirm, whether your site actually works for their vehicle and their needs. The clearer your listing is, the fewer phone calls you will receive.

The information that motorhome guests look for includes:

That last point is worth highlighting. Motorhome sat-navs are often set to avoid low bridges and weight restrictions, which can route guests on unusual roads. Providing accurate GPS coordinates and a note about the best approach route in your booking confirmation removes a lot of arrival-day confusion.

Pre-arrival communication makes a real difference

Motorhome guests respond well to a clear, detailed pre-arrival message. Sending an automated email two or three days before they arrive, covering directions, GPS coordinates, check-in instructions and pitch-specific notes, sets the tone for a smooth arrival.

A good pre-arrival message for motorhome guests covers:

This kind of message takes ten minutes to write once and can be sent automatically before every motorhome arrival. CampSuite’s guest communications let you set up automated pre-arrival emails that go out on a schedule without any manual effort, so guests always get the right information at the right time.

Where motorhome travellers find campsites

If you want motorhome guests to find your site, being visible in the right places matters. Motorhomers are active users of several platforms that general tent campers rarely use.

On whichever platforms you use, make sure your listings clearly state that you welcome motorhomes, what your pitch surface options are, and that a motorhome service point is available. A photograph of a motorhome on one of your hardstanding pitches is worth more than a paragraph of text for convincing a motorhome owner that your site can accommodate them.

If you are running a CL site, you may already have good visibility with Caravan and Motorhome Club members. Highlighting your hardstanding options and service point in your club listing will help you attract the motorhome guests within that audience specifically.

Managing motorhome bookings efficiently

Once you are actively welcoming motorhome guests, keeping your pitch allocation and arrivals organised becomes more important. Motorhomes often arrive in the late afternoon after a long day on the road. A clear system for knowing who is arriving, which pitch they are on, and whether their EHU and service point needs are in order makes arrivals run smoothly for everyone.

Using a booking system that shows pitch-level detail, vehicle notes and EHU connection status alongside each booking removes the guesswork at check-in. When a motorhome arrives and the owner asks whether they are on a hardstanding pitch with 16-amp hookup, you want to be able to confirm that in seconds rather than reaching for a spreadsheet.

CampSuite lets you add vehicle length, pitch preferences and arrival notes against each booking. Combined with automated pre-arrival messages, you can give every motorhome guest a smooth, professional experience without it taking up more of your time than a standard booking.

If you are still managing this on paper or spreadsheet, it is worth trying something built for the job. Start a free CampSuite trial and see how much easier it is to keep motorhome pitches organised and guests informed from one simple place.

A growing market worth catering for

Motorhome guests are a growing segment of the UK camping market and, once you have the right setup in place, a rewarding one to serve. They tend to stay longer than one or two nights, respect the site, travel in the shoulder months when you might otherwise be quiet, and come back when they find somewhere they like.

The upfront investment in hardstanding pitches and a service point pays back over time through better occupancy, a wider booking season and genuine repeat business. You do not need to be a large park to do this well. Many CL and CS sites welcome motorhomers specifically and build a loyal following because they get the basics right consistently.