Published on September 29, 2024 | Modified on October 8, 2024
AutoCamp Asheville Airstream Bambi
Originally posted February 14, 2024.
We shared news quite a while ago that the AutoCamp Asheville location, once it opens, will have the first of all the AutoCamp locations to offer Airstream Bambi model. Now, we’ve got lots of details to share about the AutoCamp Asheville Airstream Bambi.
Updated September 2024
Hurricane Helene has caused extensive damage to AutoCamp Asheville. It will not open until sometime in 2025.
zenhotels.com has added photos of the Bambi to Google Reviews. Interestingly, they are/were only visible on the mobile version of Google, but we grabbed the images:
The first photo appears to be the Bambi 20 Foot model, which is the info that we shared – and floorplan – below. However, now we have 2 interior photos that are clearly not stock photos from Airstream. How or why zenhotels.com had these photos is unknown to us. Even Hilton does not have these photos.
Second photo: note the bed. No way is this queen sized, as it simply will not fit. Airstream does not offer a queen sized bed in the 20 ft Bambi.
Third photo: you can see the small booth style seating is almost right up against the bed.
Fourth photo: Very pretty! ***BUT*** there is the booth again – NOT against the bed! So…which floor plan is accurate? Sadly, at this point, we don’t know if or when we will find out.
PLEASE find the donation links for the people of Asheville in this article.
AutoCamp Asheville Airstream Bambi Details
The Asheville Airstream will NOT be customized, as the 31′ Airstream that has become the signature of AutoCamp, but will it have a cooktop and oven for indoor cooking?
As we covered earlier, there are 4 different lengths of Bambi: 16, 19, 20, and 22 feet. AutoCamp Asheville Bambi will be the 20′ model. Here is the layout:
This is 11′ shorter than the typical AutoCamp Airstream, and that is very significant.
Also significant is the fact that there is a booth dinette in this model. There is no place to sit at a table in the 31′ AutoCamp. They have futons for sofas and a tiny table that is more of an “end table” in the big Airstreams.
It will be nice to have an actual table to sit at, especially on cold or bad weather days.
Will there be a cooktop and oven? We’re told the AutoCamp Asheville Bambi will be, “a typical Airstream model,” according to our source. However, given that the 31′ Airstream does not have an oven or cooktop, we specifically asked if there will be a cooktop and oven in the Bambi. There was uncertainty. This could go either way. While the 31′ Airstream doesn’t have a cooktop or oven, a typical Bambi certainly does. The X Suites do have cooktops. So, we’re particularly interested to see how this goes. They open in 3 months, so the answer won’t be too far off.
The bedroom is much tighter than the 31′ AutoCamp Airstream. One person will be pushed up against a wall. AutoCamp will be recommending that the Bambi is for 2 people, but it will be possible to convert the table to another sleeping area for a 3rd person. Really, it would be awfully tight to have more than 2 in a 20′ camper.
There will be 10 Bambi’s at Asheville in total. The Asheville Bambi’s will be exclusive to this AutoCamp location. 6 will standalone and 4 that are a part of the BaseCamp Suites – campers plus tents to accommodate families. This is interesting because, initially, there were not going to be any tents at the Asheville location.
Inaccurate Description of the AutoCamp Asheville Airstream Bambi On the AutoCamp Website
The Bambi on the website is a poor representation of an actual Bambi. The photos are of the 31′ Airstream. The bedroom in the first photo is a walk-around bed, not up against the front wall, like the Bambi. The second photo has far more windows (and length) than the Bambi. The Bambi will not have a walk in very large shower like the 31′ model.
Likewise, the web page for the Bambi Basecamp Suite again shows the wrong photos. Like the 2nd picture, above, this is showing the 31′ Airstream. Just look at all those windows.
This is the large bedroom from the 31′ Airstream. No one is sleeping against a wall.
No dinette with table and bench seats. That’s the 31′ living space.
And again, this is the huge bathroom at the front end of the 31′ Airstream.
Even when you go to book the Basecamp Bambi Suite, it’s showing the 31′ Airstream:
6 people in 2 beds? As we mentioned, you can convert the dinette to accommodate 1 more in the Bambi. There is likely a futon in the tent which can accommodate at least 1 – 2 more in addition to the beds. However, this description of 6 people in 2 beds is confusing.
Bed Size
AutoCamp is a adversiting that the Bambi has a Queen sized bed:
However, Airstream says the bed is 48″ x 74″.
According to this chart, that puts the bed 6″ narrower than a full sized bed.
Asheville Bambi Conclusion
We’re deeply concerned that AutoCamp’s description of the Bambi is very inaccurate in both written and visual descriptions, and those booking it are going to be sorely disappointed. We’ve shared these concerns with AutoCamp. Obviously, we’re fans, but we also call it like we see it, and what we’re seeing is cause for significant concern.
Personally, we likely won’t book the Bambi due to the bed size. No fault of AutoCamp, but even a Queen is small for us, so we will likely be booking an X Suite when we visit in fall 2024. We’re big fans of the X Suite, especially for colder or inclement weather, but we’ll certainly be getting into a Bambi to check it out in person.
