This blog is a review of my time in the Beta 2 Berth campervan from Spaceship rentals! I rented one of these campervans for my short time travelling through Tasmania. This review will include what the lay out is like, the company and service and pick/drop off experience.
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The Company and Service
Spaceship Rentals are a budget campervan service which operates in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia. They offer a range of basic yet efficient campervans to suit solo, couples and families. Their campervans although not fancy, offer everything you need for a road trip, with simple comforts and design.
All of their campervan rentals include:
- Unlimited Kilometres
- Sleeping and cooking gear
- Australian campervan come with a fridge/freezer.
- Rear awning
- One-way trips at no extra cost
- No extra fee for younger drivers (must be 18 years old)
- After hours pick up and drop off as a free service
- Included standard insurance.
Picking up the Campervan
The Spaceship campervan rental deport in Hobart offers a no contact pickup/drop off service. This meant I was able to pick up my campervan at any time, whenever my flight arrived. Which was extremely handy meaning I didn’t need to rush. The whole pick-up process was smooth and easy. Prior to arrival you are given instructions on how to pick up the van, as well as codes for the lock box.
Once you’ve entered the code into the lockbox, you pick up your key and find your van – that’s it! You then need to check your van and the forms that will be inside the van. To make sure all the wear and tear has been recorded (I also recommend taking photos). You then sign the rental agreement and drop it off in the letter box out front. The whole pick-up service was very smooth.
The only negative feedback I have from my experience was trying to find the place to begin with. It’s hidden at the back of an alley way and took asking another business to find out exactly where it was.
Dropping off the Campervan
As there was only one rental deport in Hobart, I dropped the campervan off at the same place I picked it up. The drop off process, like pickup was easy and is contactless. The campervan has to be cleaned inside and out prior to drop off and have a full fuel tank. There is a carwash close to the deport which is very handy.
Once you’ve parked the campervan, you drop off the keys in the letter box and are on your way. You will then receive a message letting you know if your cleaning was satisfactory and if you owe anything from your bond.
The Pricing
Spaceship campervans are considered a budget rental company, and have some of the cheaper day rates out there. You are looking at paying anywhere between $75 AUD to $90 AUD per day, depending on what campervan you choose. Spaceship campervans are also known from having heaps of great deals!
All up I spent $2197 AUD for a Beta 2 Campervan for 13 days. This is also surprisingly cheaper than a rental car.
Please note: prices are subject to change at any time without any notice. Prices vary during seasons, and don’t include extras or insurance.
Beta 2- Campervan Review
I went with the BETA 2 premium Campervan for my travels through Tasmania. This particular design does not have a backseat which allows for a lot more room to move around and set up the sleeping arrangements. Its only suitable for 2 people and was very spacious just for me.
The Kitchen
All your cooking and cleaning gear is included in the price of the rental, which was very handy! This campervan came with a fridge, this was only a 15-20L but was enough for one person. It came with two stoves, a full water jug, pots, pans, plates, bowls, and all cutleries.
The kitchen also included dish soap, sponges, and tea towels.
The kitchen is in the back of the campervan, and you will need to lift the back to access it. This does mean you cannot lay on the bed while cooking, which never was a problem for myself, but might be for others. There is a wooden panel which can be placed on the two metal legs that fold out at the back of the vehicle, making a table suitable for cooking.
My only down fall with this set up, is how loud the box shuts – you have to use a bit of control in the early mornings to try not and wake other campers up.
Sleeping Arrangements
The best part about this campervan was that I didn’t need to ever do much to set up the bed. Half the bed is always set up in this set up, all you need to do for night-time is pull out the two metal poles which are located at the front of the bed (towards the front of the vehicle) and lay the wooden plank down/place the extra mattress on top.
The bed was very spacious and would have plenty of room for two people. I do unfortunately have some negative feedback about this set up. The wooden plank that you use to set up the end of the bed, is the same one of the table for the camp kitchen. This means you must haul it from the front of the vehicle to the back when needed. It can be a bit of a hassle.
My second negative point is that the plank doesn’t fit perfectly on the metal poles. I would wake up in the middle of the night with the plank sliding, and sometimes even fallen. It did become a bit annoying towards the end of the trip, having to wake up and constantly fix it. This could of very well just been a small fault in the vehicle I had or It could be a minor design flaw.
The campervan does come with all your sheets, pillows and blankets – which is very handy! The curtains also give great coverage and block out heaps of light.
Storage
When I say there is a lot of space in this campervan for luggage, I mean there is a lot of space! I had two pieces of luggage with me and had absolutely no problem storing them. There is a very large lock box located at the front of the vehicle, under the bed set up. This can easily store two suitcases and can be locked for extra security. You also do have a lot of floor space where you can put other items or another bag.
Power Supply
This campervan had a smart battery system, so I was able to charge a few devices inside the campervan. It comes with 2 USB ports, which are found on the left side of the storage box. This power supply is limited and does mean you have to turn off the fridge at night-time, in order to keep the power system running.
It was enough power to keep my phone charged overnight and a few other devices but wouldn’t be great for long term or rural travel.
Driving
This campervan was automatic transmission, so it was very easy to drive. The seats were comfortable and very spacious, even with a passenger. There is a JBL unit, so you can connect your phone and play your own music – which is always a plus.
My Experience
I enjoyed driving this campervan from Spaceship rentals for the 13 days I was in Hobart, and found it very easy to get around in. The sleeping arrangement was spacious – although needs some small improvements and the kitchen had everything I needed.
If you are in the market for a cheap campervan that isn’t overcrowded and has all the basic necessities, I would highly recommend looking into Spaceship rentals. Although, I wouldn’t recommend this campervan for more than two weeks of travel, purely due to the lack of power supply.
Thank you for reading!
