If you’re thinking about booking accommodation in London, a luxury hotel, a Victorian B&B or a capsule hostel may be some of the first places that come to mind. But a new hotel on a boat will let travellers spend their night in a spot often overlooked by tourists – the city’s canals.
The Boathouse London is opening up as an addition to the city’s boutique hotel offerings. It’s permanently moored in London’s first floating park near Little Venice, the mansion-lined and boat-filled area between Regent’s Canal and Grand Union Canal.
The hotel is described as “an industrial style barge turned contemporary bolthole” that will interest those who are looking for something a bit different during their next stay. London’s canals are filled with boats, many that are home to the city’s most mobile residents. The new hotel is a 60-foot wide-beam barge that is made in the traditional design of a canal boat, but has all the amenities of a luxury hotel. The hotel is launched in partnership with the home design brand Made.com, which has influenced its Scandinavian-style design.
But you won’t have to spend your whole time in the hold – the boat also boasts a large deck where guests can eat outdoors. If you want to get out and explore, the hotel provides bikes to explore the area or you can hit the water in a rowboat. Guests can also hire their own boat driver to navigate the canals to enlisting the talents of a chef for an onboard dinner.
The company is now hoping to launch boats at different locations across Central London, including Angel, Primrose Hill and Notting Hill, as well as planning an expansion in other canal- and river-lined cities like Berlin, Amsterdam and Copenhagen. Find out more here.