DRV's 2023 Orlando Is a "Mobile Suite" Built for the Finest Living: Shows Off a Flex Room

I'll be honest, I've been covering campers, travel trailers, and fifth wheels for nearly three years now, and the name DRV Suites is new to me. Funny, they've been under my nose the whole time, being manufactured under the Thor Industries umbrella. Nonetheless, if we consider that this crew popped up in 2003 and was quickly assimilated, you can bet they're doing something right.

Their game? Nothing more than massive travel trailers that not only showcase the finer things in life but help you do so from just about anywhere in the world or where there's a road. Heck, the two styles available from this manufacturer are even dubbed Mobile Suites and Full House. That alone should give you an idea of what we're up against.

Well, the newest addition to this family is none other than the Orlando, a model that's available for the first time. Hm, could we call it a flagship? You can be the judge of that by the end of this article. Before we go on, however, allow me to point out the sort of ballpark figure you need to own one of these. Starting price? No less than $231,718 (€220,000 at current exchange rates) for the most basic unit. Yet, 'basic' means something else entirely in a $232K rolling "suite."

Now, for me to try and go through every little feature this habitat offers would be sheer madness. But to give you a quick rundown, it features water pipes built out of copper, solar prep, heated tanks, a 40,000 BTU furnace, 100 gallons (378 liters) of fresh water, and an electrical system that makes the one in my home look simple. That's without optional features like an Onan generator, more batteries, more TVs, and a slew of other tricks and gimmicks.

Back to the lifestyle you can lead with such a behemoth, let's continue our journey from where we started, waking up Sunday morning and viewing the world around you. Take in that moment, listen to the birds and bees and other folks scurrying around outside. Maybe you've ditched the camper park, and all you hear is that rushing brook nearby and wind in the treetops.

With the smell of coffee now filling the air, half-asleep humanoids start to appear like zombies aimed at one thing, and one thing only, that black and brewing juice. With the classic good morning, maybe a hug here and there, people take to the seats scattered throughout the home and wait for their coffee or tea.

This is where things are a tad different than what we may be used to in a travel trailer. Looking at the floorplan, it's as though there's no dinette in the unit. So then, where are you to enjoy your meal? Don't worry; there are plenty of seating options, like the entertainment lounge and couch next to it, but at the front of the Orlando, there's a separate space equipped with two single beds sitting on slide-outs and a desk in the middle. You could enjoy a meal here or simply use the table to work while on the road.

I understand that it may be a bit weird for a travel trailer to be lacking a dinette, so I sat down and really had a think about it all. What could I come up with? The following two scenarios: either DRV wants to help you get out of the proverbial home, and so it is somewhat pushing you to dine under a clear sky with laughing humans at the table, or this unit is built more like a rolling office, with sleeping abilities in case weather locks you down for the night while traveling from worksite to worksite. That's one hell of a career if you ask me.

Now, it really doesn't matter who you are or how much money you make, one thing's for sure: as you stroll your way from that front office, through the living room and kitchen, to finally arrive at your king-size bed and residential bathroom, you may very well get the feeling that you're simply at home, and frankly, that's worth every dang penny that a mobile habitat of this magnitude can cost. Not a darned thing is missing. Washer/dryer combo, ceiling fans, stovetop and oven, wall-mounted TVs, and even that workspace are all here; I don't have a workspace in my home.

Has the weather cleared up, or you've grown tired of the brook and trees? Hitch this bad boy up to your vehicle, and off you go to the next spot. Just remember to restock on water and food as you pass through town. Ah, the beauty of mobile living out of, well, a mobile home.