Toilet hire guide
Luxury Toilet Trailer vs Portaloo: Which Should You Hire?
Hire a luxury toilet trailer when guests are dressed up, the event runs into the evening and appearance matters, such as a wedding or corporate event. Hire portaloos when you need plenty of toilets for less, there’s no power or level ground, or it’s a big public event. Many events use both.
Updated 10 October 2026. Prices checked October 2026.
- Both on one bookingTrailers, portaloos and extras
- Delivery includedOn trailers and event toilets
- 50 to 250+ guestsFive trailer sizes
- Fast quotesOnline in minutes, or call us
Which is better, a luxury toilet trailer or a portaloo?
Neither is better for every event. A trailer gives guests a proper bathroom. Portaloos give you more toilets for the money and go where a trailer can’t. Here’s how to choose.
Choose a luxury trailer
When the toilets are part of the day
Weddings, corporate hospitality, VIP areas and garden parties where guests are dressed up and the event runs into the evening. You need level ground, vehicle access and power nearby.
Luxury toilet trailer hireChoose portaloos
When you need numbers or flexibility
Festivals, fêtes, sports days and big public events, tight budgets, or sites with no power, soft ground or narrow access. At £140 each delivered, they’re the cheapest way to cover a crowd.
Event toilet hireUse both
When the event has more than one crowd
A trailer for the wedding party or VIP area, with portaloos and urinals for general admission. Add an accessible toilet whenever guests can’t manage steps, because trailers have steps up to the doors.
Quote for a mixLuxury toilet trailer vs portaloo, side by side
The main differences, at a glance. Prices are Toilet Hire Near Me’s current rates.
| Feature | Luxury toilet trailer | Portaloo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Varies by location across southern England. A 1+1 can be as little as £550 for the week, and standard rates run from £780 to £1,050 delivered | £140 each, with delivery, setup, servicing and collection |
| Inside | Flushing toilets, hand basins with running water, lighting, mirrors and vanity units | A single cubicle with a toilet over a holding tank, plus hand sanitiser |
| Layout | Separate ladies’ and gents’ sides, with urinals on the gents’ side | One cubicle per unit, for anyone to use |
| Guests served | About 50 to 250 guests per trailer, depending on size | About one per 50 guests, or one per 35 to 40 with a bar or a long event |
| Power | Needs a power supply nearby for lights and flushing | None needed |
| Water | Mains or tank fed, depending on your site | None needed |
| Space and access | Level, firm ground and a clear route in for the towing vehicle | A small patch of level ground, often where a trailer can’t go |
| Step-free access | No, there are steps up to the doors | Accessible units are ground level with grab rails |
| Best for | Weddings, corporate events, VIP areas, garden parties | Festivals, fêtes, sports days, public events, tight budgets |
Swipe the table sideways to see both columns.
How much more does a luxury toilet trailer cost?
Less than most people expect, and the gap closes as guest numbers grow. A trailer covers a whole guest list in one unit, while portaloos are priced per cubicle, so the more guests you have, the more portaloos you need.
At 250 guests, a 4+2 luxury trailer at £1,050 costs just £70 more than the seven portaloos the same evening would need. At 50 guests, a 1+1 at our standard rate costs £500 more than two portaloos, but where a 1+1 is as little as £550 for the week, the gap drops to £270.
Trailer prices vary by location across southern England, so these figures use our standard rates, which include delivery, setup and collection. Add an accessible toilet to either option at £135 plus delivery. For standard unit prices, see our portaloo hire costs.
| Guests | Luxury trailer | Portaloos | Trailer costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 1+1, £780 | 2, £280 | £500 more |
| 100 | 2+1, £850 | 3, £420 | £430 more |
| 150 | 3+1, £875 | 4, £560 | £315 more |
| 220 | 3+2, £950 | 6, £840 | £110 more |
| 250 | 4+2, £1,050 | 7, £980 | £70 more |
Standard rates for an evening event with a bar. Trailer prices vary by location, and a 1+1 can be as little as £550 for the week. With a free bar, a reception may need the next trailer size up.
Trailer or portaloos? Find out in 30 seconds
Answer a few questions and we’ll suggest the better fit, with guide prices for both. We check every suggestion when we quote.
A luxury trailer is worth it when
- Guests are dressed up and the event runs into the evening
- It’s a wedding, corporate event or VIP area where appearance matters
- You’d rather have one smart block than a row of cubicles
- There are 150 or more guests, where the price gap narrows
- There’s level ground, vehicle access and power nearby
Portaloos are the better choice when
- It’s a big public event where volume matters most
- Budget comes first, especially under 100 guests
- There’s no power and no way of bringing it to a trailer
- Access is a narrow gate, a steep track or soft ground
- Toilets need spreading across a big site, such as a race route
What a toilet trailer needs on site
Most problems with trailers happen on the day and could have been spotted beforehand. These are the things we check before booking one.
Measure your gate before you book. One customer in Slough wanted a trailer in the back garden for a party, but the side gate was just too narrow, so it went in the front garden instead. If access is tight, portaloos or a smaller trailer may be the better fit.
Our guide to where to place portable toilets covers positioning in more detail.
- Power. A supply nearby for the lighting and flushing. Tell us where the nearest socket or generator is.
- Level, firm ground. A trailer has to sit level, and grass needs to be firm enough to take it.
- Vehicle access. A clear route from the road for the towing vehicle, including gates, bends and low branches.
- Water. Mains or tank fed, agreed with you before booking.
- Position. Close enough to be handy, away from the dining area, with a lit path after dark.
- Portaloos need far less. No power, no water, and only a small patch of level ground.
Luxury toilet trailer sizes and prices
The numbers describe the layout: ladies’ cubicles first, then the gents’ side. A 3+1, for example, has three ladies’ cubicles and one gents’ cubicle with urinals.
Trailer prices vary by location across southern England. The prices below are our standard rates with delivery, setup and collection included, and in some areas a 1+1 can be as little as £550 for the week. Kent has some of our best rates, especially around Maidstone.
As a rough guide, one trailer replaces two to seven portaloos, depending on size. See the full range on our luxury toilet trailer hire page, or look at the popular 3+1 luxury trailer.
- 1+1£550 to £780 · up to about 50 guestsSmall weddings, garden parties, private dinners
- 2+1£850 · up to about 100 guestsMost marquee weddings and family celebrations
- 3+1£875 · up to about 150 guestsLarger weddings and corporate hospitality
- 3+2£950 · up to about 220 guestsBig receptions with a busy evening bar
- 4+2£1,050 · 250 guests and upLarge events, often paired with extra units
What customers say about both
Trailers for weddings and garden parties, portaloos and urinals for events. Here’s what people say after booking through us.
“…Delivery and take down was super smooth with no issues, giving us notification of arrival times prior and the trailers were clean and fully working order. What more can a customer ask for.”
“I can honestly say this was an amazing find. The customer service was excellent from delivery on time, squeaky clean, soft loo roll provided and hand gel also connected to the wall. Collection on time and swift. The price was the best I found, the owner communicative. I can very highly recommend”
“The toilets and urinal unit provided were clean, delivered and collected as agreed. Service was smooth and hassle free”
“Lenny came to deliver the toilet trailer for our garden party. We wanted it in the back garden, Lenny tried his utmost best but, unfortunately the width of our gate was marginally small and he wasn’t able to get the trailer through. But Lenny never gave up and continued to find different ways, from using his car or manually trying to push the trailer into the garden. Eventually I asked him to put it in the front garden, to which he kindly placed it. Throughout Lenny stayed calm, polite and respectful. If we have an event again we will definitely use Toilet hire near me.”
Other options worth knowing about
Sometimes the right answer isn’t just a trailer or a portaloo.
Accessible toilets
£135 plus delivery
Ground-level entry, a wider door, grab rails and room to turn. Add one beside a trailer, since trailers have steps.
Disabled toilet hireUrinal units
From £150
Multi-bay units that take the pressure off the cubicles once the bar opens. Good value at bigger events.
Event toilet hireRapidLoo flat-pack toilets
Quoted per job
Flat-pack toilets for very large events, where far more units fit on each delivery lorry.
RapidLoo toilet hireBuilding sites
£36 per week
For building work, neither: a site toilet serviced weekly, or a welfare unit from £200 a week.
Site toilet hirePlanning something big? Read our festival toilet hire guide, or our wedding toilet hire FAQ for weddings.
Luxury trailer vs portaloo FAQs
What is the difference between a luxury toilet trailer and a portaloo?
A luxury toilet trailer is a towable toilet block with flushing toilets, hand basins with running water, lighting, mirrors and separate ladies’ and gents’ sides. A portaloo is a single self-contained cubicle with a holding tank, so it needs no power or water. Trailers feel like a proper bathroom; portaloos are cheaper and go almost anywhere.
How much does a luxury toilet trailer cost compared with a portaloo?
Trailer prices vary by location across southern England. At Toilet Hire Near Me, standard rates run from £780 for a 1+1 to £1,050 for a 4+2, with delivery, setup and collection included, and in some areas a 1+1 can be as little as £550 for the week. A portaloo costs £140, delivered. For 100 guests at an evening event, that’s £850 for a 2+1 trailer or about £420 for three portaloos.
Why do luxury toilet trailer prices vary by location?
We arrange trailers through local suppliers across southern England, so the price depends on how far the trailer travels and which suppliers have one free on your dates. In some areas a 1+1 can be as little as £550 for the week, so it’s always worth asking for a quote.
Is a luxury toilet trailer worth it for a wedding?
For most weddings, yes. Guests are dressed up, the day runs into the evening and many will touch up make-up, so flushing toilets, running water, lighting and mirrors make a real difference. If budget is tight and there are fewer than 80 guests, two or three portaloos with an accessible unit will do the job for less.
How many guests does a luxury toilet trailer serve?
As a guide, a 1+1 suits up to about 50 guests, a 2+1 up to 100, a 3+1 up to 150, a 3+2 up to 220 and a 4+2 for 250 and up. An evening reception with a free bar may need the next size up.
How many portaloos do I need for 100 guests?
For an event of up to four hours without a bar, two portaloos. For a longer event or one with a bar, three. Add at least one accessible toilet for a public event or any guest who can’t manage steps.
Does a luxury toilet trailer need electricity and water?
It needs a power supply nearby for the lights and flushing. Water is mains or tank fed depending on your site, and we agree both with you before booking. Portaloos need neither.
Will a toilet trailer fit in my garden?
Sometimes. A trailer needs level, firm ground and a clear route in for the towing vehicle, so measure your gate and check for steps, tight bends and low branches. If access is tight, a front garden, drive or portaloos may work better.
Are luxury toilet trailers wheelchair accessible?
No. Standard trailers have steps up to the doors. We add a separate accessible toilet on the same booking, at £135 plus delivery, placed on firm, level ground near the trailer.
Can I hire a luxury trailer and portaloos together?
Yes. A common setup is a trailer for the wedding party or VIP area, with portaloos, urinals and an accessible unit for everyone else. It’s all on one booking with one point of contact.
Which is more pleasant to use, a trailer or a portaloo?
Both arrive clean and stocked. Over a long evening, most guests find a trailer more pleasant because it has flushing toilets, running water, lighting and space to move. At longer events, portaloos are serviced to keep them clean.
What do 1+1, 2+1 and 3+2 mean on a toilet trailer?
The numbers describe the layout. The first is the number of ladies’ cubicles and the second is the number of gents’ cubicles, with urinals on the gents’ side. A 3+2 has three ladies’ cubicles and two gents’ cubicles.
What should I hire for a festival or big public event?
Mostly portaloos, with urinal units once there’s a bar and accessible toilets for people who need them. Add a luxury trailer for a VIP or hospitality area. For very large sites, RapidLoo flat-pack toilets can cut the number of deliveries.
How far ahead should I book?
Book trailers as early as you can, and months ahead for summer Saturdays between May and September, because they’re the first units to go. Portaloos are easier to find at short notice, but early booking still gives you the best choice.
Where does Toilet Hire Near Me supply trailers and portaloos?
Across the south of England and South Wales, through local suppliers who deliver, set up and collect. We arrange both trailers and portaloos on one booking, so you have one point of contact.
Still not sure? Ask us
Tell us your date, location, guest numbers and what the site is like, and we’ll recommend a trailer, portaloos or a mix, with the total price.
Written by the Toilet Hire Near Me team. We’re a toilet hire broker arranging portaloos, luxury toilet trailers and site welfare across the south of England and South Wales through local suppliers. Prices on this page are our current rates and were last checked in October 2026.