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Romotow Is a Futuristic Travel Trailer With a Hidden ‘Party Deck’

There’s not much in the travel trailer industry that surprises us anymore. From luxurious, Manhattan-studio-style towables to ultra-compact hitch model trailers to Dutch campers with panoramic roofs for stargazing, we’ve seen it all — almost. New-Zealand-based W2 Architecture is hoping to up the ante with Romotow, the world’s first travel trailer with a retractable “party deck.”

Romotow

The exterior is immediately recognizable as something different. With a sleek, sharply curved tail, panoramic, ski-goggle-style windscreen and large circular windows framing the bedroom, this is clearly no ordinary travel trailer. Inside, passengers will find all the trappings of a typical luxury RV spread throughout a 30-foot by 8.5-foot living area. The spacious dining area, modern kitchen, and cozy bedroom are all outfitted with upmarket materials like leather trim, teak surfaces, and high-end kitchen and bath fixtures.

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What sets Romotow apart is hidden behind a simple electric button. Once depressed, the interior living space rotates 90 degrees within the exterior shell to reveal a large outdoor deck. It’s a clever trick that we’re surprised no one thought of before. Synthetic teak, the same material found in high-end yacht construction, lines the deck, and a fold-down electric barbecue completes the “party” setup. An optional enclosure kit including screens and an awning can transform the outdoor space into a breezy guest bedroom to sleep an additional four passengers. The entire travel trailer can function off-grid thanks to a 1KW solar panels that charge a 400Ah battery. Diesel cooking and heating round out the entire package.

It’s one thing, of course, to sketch a revolutionary travel trailer idea on paper. It’s another matter entirely to realize it. The outer shell is a first-of-its-kind design and one that requires extraordinary engineering to ensure that it’s both functional and towable. For the latter, W2 is utilizing a lightweight (and presumably very expensive) composite for the body which rests on a carbon composite frame with one-quarter the weight of traditional steel. The inner-workings behind such a design are complicated, which is why the concept had been just that — a concept — since 2012. After years of planning, a working version is now being built in Christchurch, New Zealand. Their team of boat builders is scheduled to release the first road-ready model by early 2019.

W2 Architecture has been hush about the finer details, but the company announced pricing will start at $350,000. This is clearly an upscale travel trailer for a discerning brand of traveler for whom money is not an object. Follow along with the concept’s progress on the official Romotow Facebook page.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
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