Have patio, will travel
Adding a slide-out containing a club-style, black leather lounge and a tri-fold table to Royal Flair’s Piazza has created extra undercover space in this innovative van.
Royal Flair has been around for 41 years and introduced the Piazza range in 2012 with a fold-down front veranda, or “sky-deck”, that dropped down over the A-frame.
The deck gave the Piazza an additional 9sqm undercover entertainment area and with a TV/DVD player, lighting and speakers, it is just like being at home and entertaining on the alfresco area patio.
The deck only takes a minute to set up. Simply undo the catches on either side of the van and let it rise on the gas struts, then lower the floor, swing out the safety rails and lock them together.
The spring-assisted floor requires minimal effort to lower.
The addition of the slide-out makes it even more impressive, especially as you can still use the kitchen when the slide-out is in.
Just slide it out and take it easy. The club-style dinette will easily seat four adults around the tri-fold table.
The kitchen opposite has plenty of storage, with three lockers above the bench, one above the 184-litre three-way Thetford fridge/freezer and microwave, in which you’ll find all of the van’s controls, and plenty of cupboards and drawers, including a large pot drawer and slide-out pantry.
The stove has a lid to maximise bench space and there is a full-sized sink.
On the other side of the entry door is a second bench that lifts up to reveal the washing machine.
The shower and toilet cubicles, both with 12-volt fan hatches, are on opposite sides at the front of the van and create a convenient walk through to the sky-deck.
On one side is the fully moulded fibreglass shower cubicle. It has a big mirror, overhead cupboards for storage and hanging space for the towels on the back wall. The cassette toilet has a small wash basin.
The Piazza is fitted with an air-conditioner, LED lights, a pressure hatch and a DVD player/stereo system and a reversing camera.
A Camec triple-locker security door opens on to the Piazza’s kitchen and dinette.
The rear bedroom has a queen-size bed, overhead lockers, wardrobes with 85cm of hanging space, big windows and a wall-mounted TV.
There’s more storage under the bed though it’s partially taken up by the 14-litre gas-electric hot-water service and the housing for a rear tunnel boot that’s accessed from the outside.
Outside are plenty of extras including an entertainment hatch for the second TV, a picnic table, awning and a rear hatch for the barbecue. The gas bottles are on the opposite side.
The Piazza sits on a G&S Supagal chassis comprised of a 10cm A-frame, 10cm main member and punched-hole cross members. The whole plot rides on tandem-axle with leaf-spring suspension and 15in alloy wheels.
The use of aluminium and honeycomb flooring have reduced the weight of the van.
Other features include drop-down stabilising legs — with one on the mesh A-frame replacing the jockey wheel when the sky-deck is folded down.
Underneath, the dual water tanks are protected with galvanised metal sheeting.
Nothing has been left to chance and all the features you would expect to find in this high-class van have been included.
The Piazza is available in six different floor plans, two of them with the slide-out.
Royal Flair Piazza
Price $129,990
Frame Aluminium
Warranty One year
Suitable for On road
Ball weight 141kg
Tare 3155kg
ATM 3500kg
Dealer Caravans WA, 1834 Albany Highway, Maddington, caravanswa. net.au
