Benimar only slightly refreshed its Mileo range for the 2024 season, but as the brand, sold exclusively through the Marquis Leisure network, remains one of the most popular on UK roads, I decided to revisit the island-bed Benimar Mileo 294, heading to Marquis’s Preston branch.

The best motorhomes not only have a stylish interior but also a smart exterior, and that’s certainly the case here. The striking looks of this motorhome make are still there, with the mostly black cab and black decals trailing down the side, which I thought contrasted with a bright stripe.

The ‘van has a rear island bed arrangement with a central washroom and kitchen – take a look at our motorhome layouts guide to find out more about the different setups out there.

The lounge

This is a standard Ducato cab, with central drinks holders and handbrake to the right of the driver’s seat. This leaves the aisle clear for anyone wanting to walk back and down one step into the front lounge, where a forward-facing bench holds two travel seats.

The standard Fiat Ducato cab
Cab is standard Fiat Ducato, with central drinks holders

The cushions on both seats and the side settee look a bit slab-like, but I found the seats to be comfortable, in a smart black, white and blue colour combination.

The chunky table has a swing-out extension, so it can be reached from any of the seats. With USBs and a 12V socket close to the swivelled driver’s seat, I thought this table could easily double up as a desk for a digital nomad.

The TV sockets and bracket are by the door, a useful position for placing the best motorhome TV as anyone could see it in the cab seats.

The front lounge with cab seats swivelled round
Eye-catching colour scheme enhances the pleasing sense of space in the front lounge

The kitchen in the Benimar Mileo 294

That entrance has the fridge on one side, right next to the door, and the side of the settee on the other, which I felt made the gangway feel a bit narrow.

But that aside, the daylight flooding through the skylight, LEDs under the drop-down bed and well-placed lights in the cab make this a bright place.

I was pleased to see plenty of workspace in the L-shaped kitchen, even without the fold-out extension by the sink. But the step up to the washroom behind it makes the floor area limited. The area is well lit, however, from the window and by lights in the extractor fan above the three-burner dual-fuel hob, which is itself above a separate oven and grill.

The sink and worktop with the extension flap
Worktop can be increased by pulling out the extension flap

There is a towel rail on the far side of the sink, although it’s partly obscured if you use the extension flap. On the other side of the aisle is a 145-litre fridge, with a microwave above.

The washroom in the Benimar Mileo 294

The washroom is very flexible, with a sliding door shutting it off from the front, and two more doors either side of the island bed behind. But because a tambour door can slide across to shut off the basin area, too, someone could use that while someone else showers.

The shower itself has rather flimsy doors in my opinion, but there is good headroom, as well as a rooflight and a shelf.

The toilet and salad-bowl-style basin to the right are raised, and there is a large lit mirror and tooth mug. Between the two doors to the bedroom is a huge, virtually floor to ceiling, mirror.

Sleeping in the Benimar Mileo 294

Of course, an important feature in the best 4 berth motorhomes will be the sleeping arrangements. In the case of the Benimar Mileo 294, the island bed butts up against the other side of the central pillar, offering a length of 1.90m or 6ft 2in. That pillar includes sockets for a second TV. The spotlights at the bed head also include USBs, and there are speakers here, too.

Island bed with overhead lockers
Comfortable island bed has its own spotlights and access to sockets and USBs

The drop-down bed up front comes with an adjustable ladder. With the bed in its upper position, I found the worktop below to still just about be usable.

The bed has its own spotlights, and anyone sleeping here can easily make use of the 12V sockets and USB ports near the driver’s seat.

The drop-down bed
Drop-down bed is easily reached by using the adjustable ladder

Storage in the Benimar Mileo 294

I’m confident you won’t be short of storage space in this ’van. It comes with a big garage, large enough for bikes, especially if you hike up the island bed using the lever provided. The garage is accessible from inside, through doors under the large mirror in the washroom.

The rear bedroom provides shelves, lockers and cubbyholes, while even the front lounge, with its drop-down bed, manages a couple of overhead lockers and a useful boot locker.

The overhead lockers
Three deep overhead lockers offer plenty of storage in the bedroom

The kitchen has drawers down the side and an overhead locker, partially taken up with ducting. There’s another locker (with a roof vent) above the microwave, but the cupboard underneath the oven is disappointingly shallow.

The same applies for the shelves behind the mirror in the washroom. But there is another, equally shallow, cupboard above the handbasin.

Alternatives to consider

Coming on a Ford Transit, the Bailey Alora 69-4S is a comfortable ‘van with a clever layout and, when we saw it, we thought it would be a great option for couples to consider. Another option to think about is the Pilote Atlas A656D a Ford Trail Transit-based option which offers four berths and is ideal for the more adventurous of ‘van owners.

Benimar Mileo 294 specifications

  • Price: From £79,995
  • Sleeps: 4
  • Belts: 4
  • Base vehicle: Fiat Ducato
  • Engine: 140bhp turbodiesel
  • Length/width/height: 7.35/2.30/2.89m (24’1”/7’5”/9’5”)
  • MTPLM: 3650kg
  • MiRO: 3124kg
  • Payload: 526kg
  • Water (fresh/waste): 120/105 litres
  • Leisure battery: 100Ah
  • Gas: 2 x 6kg

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