By request, today we’re reviewing the 2022 Grand Design Reflection 341RDS fifth wheel. This is one a few of you inquired about. It is part of a trend that I’m seeing with more and more unusual and flexible dining options.
While lots of fifth wheels come in the same basic layout, I’m also really intrigued when I see someone do something different. This has to be one of the more unusual and better fifth wheel floor plans, to my estimation, especially given that it’s not tremendously long.
Dining options
What really sets this floor plan apart, to me, is the dining space. Essentially there’s a bar-height counter below which the dining table is mounted on a rail. The dining table can be pushed in such that it’s a table for two facing one another, or can be pulled out to seat four.
Like many Grand Design Reflection models, this one comes with two free-standing dining chairs and then an ottoman-type of seat. The ottoman is not attached so it can be left in place for dining or used in the living room, which we’ll get to in a moment. But do know that the two-person ottoman can also be used for storage.
Back to the dining table. That table’s being on a rail means it can be pushed up against the wall. Then, with that bar-height counter, now you have one of the better desks I’ve seen in any RV. It’s really impressive how one little thing can make such a huge difference—but it does.
I’m seeing fewer traditional dining tables such as in the Wildwood X-Lite 28VBXL that we looked at the other day but, even more so, in the Coachmen Northern Spirit 2659BH.
The table slides on a rail, and it can slide up against the window. There’s a bench that can also serve as a storage trunk. The table also extends. This could also be a work camping desk station. I love seeing innovations like this—which makes the whole trailer so much more usable in multiple situations.
Entertaining in the Reflection
That unusual dining table arrangement can also fit right into a bigger picture of this trailer being well-suited for entertaining.
The living room is at the rear and features a tri-fold sofa on either side of the rig, and then theater seats facing the rear wall. On the rear wall itself is a 50” smart TV along with an electric fireplace.
Combined with that unique dining arrangement, you can use that to set up a buffet station. Then you can have up to six campers sitting around catching up on all the things they read about this week right here at RV Travel. This lower deck seating arrangement reminds me of the front living room fifth wheels, except it’s all the way at the back of the fifth wheel instead.
What’s eating you?
On the subject of buffets, the kitchen is really well-suited to getting things ready for your fellow campers to come have a great meal. Food stays chilled courtesy of a 16-cubic-foot side-by-side refrigerator. It is one of the larger 12-volt DC compressor fridges I’ve seen.
I really prefer the 12-volt compressor fridges, as they are safer to operate when towing. I know a ton of you are going to argue that you’ve been towing your gas-electric fridges since Nixon was in office. But I’ve been driving well past the speed limit since I got my license. The fact that it hasn’t caught up with me yet is just luck. Sort of like towing with an open flame in the fridge.
The oven in this trailer is truly residential in size. Plus, there’s a very high-quality three-burner stovetop with a larger center burner. The microwave, too, is truly residential in size. A pantry is part of the storage picture. But drawers surround that large oven and there are more at the kitchen sink, which is on the wall against the front of the rig.
Upstairs isn’t anything unusual—just a well-designed upper bedroom and bathroom. The closet in the nose of the trailer has a provision for a washer on one side, dryer on the other.
Boondocking and Travel Access in the Reflection
One of the many advantages of a fifth wheel in the boondocking arena is the sheer size of the holding tanks. In this case you have 74 gallons of fresh water, 87 of gray and 47 of black. This could keep me off the grid easily for a week.
I was really surprised to see that you can fully access the fridge with the slide room in. That’s another feather in the cap of this unusual dining area. Since you can also access the upper deck, this means that this is almost completely travel-accessible—which is almost unheard of in a fifth wheel.
In Summary
While it’s certainly quite spacious, this rig is also not that huge. So it might be a really good choice for those who like to camp off the grid.
Grand Design does include a single 165-watt solar panel on the roof with roof-mounted plugs to accommodate additional panels if one chooses to. For anyone who wishes to spend more time off the grid and power that 12-volt fridge, for example, I would think more panels would be a good idea.
More details on the Grand Design Reflection
Grand Design is now including Goodyear Endurance tires and filling them with nitrogen—a plus. The suspension on here is also a CRE 3000 system. Perhaps they’re reading these reviews?
Actually, I know that they are.
Of course, there are plenty of options including a second AC unit, king-sized bed, dual-pane windows and a few others.
Overall, this is now one of my favorite combinations of interior functionality and overall size in a fifth wheel. While it seems everybody’s making the same floor plans, this one truly is different and that, right there, is a Grand Design.
I would love to read your comments and suggestions over on our new forums, where you can weigh in and start or join a discussion about all things RV. Here’s a link to my RV Reviews Forum.
Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a lifelong RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. You can find his writing here and at StressLessCamping where he also has a podcast about the RV life with his wife.
These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.
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My problem with that floor PLN is accessing the cabinets on the table side. You either have to move chairs, ottoman or table to get into them. I can see everyone sitting at dinner and you have to get something out of one of the drawers or cabinets……personally I don’t like the floor plan.
I like creativity of new ideas such as the dinette. That said, I like the floor plan of my 37 footer MUCH better, with a very large kitchen island and a 40 percent larger bathroom with double sinks.
36’11” is a big 5er no matter how you look at it. Yes, they can be larger, but towing and parking 37′ requires SKILL even for this one (and a 350/3500 to give you payload flexibility).
Tony, I agree on the design of the buffet/bar/table/desk design. Someone certainly had their thinking cap on when they came up with that very versatile item! A real innovation. Also a very functional overall floorplan while on the road or in camp. Great review.
At the Harrisburg Rv show. It seemed like some of the prices on Grand Design travel trailers were high. This travel trailer has two of the troublesome Swinick slides. The one Grand Design travel trailer I liked they discontinued. While the have the 5th wheel version 260RD you can’t get to the bathroom/bedroom. Plus it had the Troublesome Swinick slide. Price was 70,951.00.
I walked through several Grand Design units at a recent RV show and was shocked by the poor quality and shoddy workmanship. Buyer Beware !!!
My wife and I spent a day walking through the offerings of a number of different manufacturers and thought that about all of them, except the Airstreams which seem to continue to be quality.
For twice the price and half the room.
A pretty impressive trailer – for an equally impressive price!