Virtues of Steel Frames

I am looking to buy my first road bike in the next couple of months and am going through all the research etc. and have fallen in love with so many amazing bikes. I have been commuting to work on a bike for over a year on a Dahon Vitesse folding bike and now want something with a bit more speed to cut the time down. I am also planning to go on a cycling trip to Scotland later in the year including the Arran Circular. Anyway, one of the bikes I really like the look of are the Genesis range of steel bikes, particularly the Volare 10, Volare 20 and the equivalent Equilibrium models.
I was hoping for some feedback on what they are like and whether the “20” models are worth the extra £200-£300.
Many thanks