Cosy Canal Boat in Little Venice for Family & Friends

This was such a wonderful and unique way to spend a few nights in London - both the narrowboat itself and the location. Staying on the water is a world apart from any hotel experience, The rustic charms and quirks of narrowboat living and the sense of community with other boat dwellers made it special. Everything was spotlessly clean and communication throughout was great. There’s also a great pub just across the footbridge! Highly recommended for a couple in search of something beyond the conventional. It’s basic (it’s a boat after all) and it’s authentic. If you want all the frills of fancy hotels this is probably not for you. But for anyone in search of the cosy, the fun, the intimate and the offbeat it hits the spot. Loads of character. We loved it. And somehow, being on the water, we slept like the proverbial logs!

The boat has charm. The location, Little Venice, is nice, with good access to central London via the underground. Facilities are much more basic than is clear on the vrbo site. Owner requests that used toilet paper goes in a bin not the Porta Potti toilet, hot water for a very brief (1 min) shower requires the boat’s engine to run for 40mins, almost all the electricity comes from a battery pack which is limited. Clearer Instructions on how stuff worked arrived day two. Owner responsive via vrbo message. WiFi router provided day two but drains battery pack. Fridge doesn’t really work. A lot of effort went into managing to live there rather than getting on with our holiday.

Manager was very obliging and helped us settle in. It was a great experience! We loved it!

It is a canal boat on a canal in the center of London. The description is accurate, and you certainly can't beat the location, or the accomodation if you are looking for something really quite different. The boats are parked side-by-side, close together and walking up and down the canal is fun and you can get to all parts of London very easily. The accomodation is small and very basic, and not for everyone, but as they say it does what it says on the tin.

We stayed here for a special occasion and it didn't disappoint. The boat is very well positioned, with great access to a cafe and restuarant, and easily located. The host was very accommodating, easy to communicate with and the check in/check out process very straight forward.The beds are comfortable, plenty of linen and the shower surprisingly good for a canal boat.We were offered the opportunity to have a private tour down the canal too, for an extra cost, and this was a lively way to end our stay.Thank you!

The boat did not have electricity and it was pretty chilly at night. The internet connection was not available. towels need upgrading limited hot water very close quarters, not really suitable for more than 2 people the location isgood as it is very close to paddington station and cafes and bars and a small convenience store. We could not use the cabin lights because we were told it would drain the battery. There were small chargeable lights, but no means to charge them. The exterior of the boat and the entrance to the boat could be more welcoming. We got lost looking for the boat and tried to phone the owner but the number had been disconnected. When we found an internet connection we received a call from the owner. He was responding to messages we had sent and he very kindly rescued us.

This seemed like such a fun idea, and we were incredibly excited about staying in such a unique place. The area is very compact, but that wasn't the issue. We started having concerns when we got the instructions for the boat a few days before our stay. It was much more limited than expected, and the ability to use basic equipment was not possible (hair dryers, etc.). We were there during an cold snap, but the guide we received said there was heat. Once we were there, we discovered that the only AC power came from a free standing battery pack (which was at 25% even without us using it). We initially tried using the heat, and it helped. However, the host stopped by and told us that equipment was only for hot water production, and not for heating the space. The only functional heat for the actual space was a very small fireplace, which was on the opposite end of the boat from the sleeping area. All of that to say, we absolutely froze. We could see our breath while we were trying to sleep and left for a hotel the next morning. I do think this could be a fun and unique rental, but the advance disclosures should be more specific, and should be provided before your funds are swept so you could choose to opt out. In the spring, or early fall, our experience would have probably been better, but it is my opinion that this rental should really not be offered once winter starts. The host was engaged and responsive, but we found it impossible to complete our stay.

Great fun to be in the middle of London and yet be off grid. LV is a delightful suburb too.

All very pleasant and well functioning, especially the communication with the host. A great experience of “camping in central London”. Hot bath functioned perfectly, but keep in mind that the rest of tje toilet facilities are also on camping level ?

I stayed with my wife and two children (9 and 12) and we had a great time. Thomas, the host, was super responsive the first day when we had a question, and showed up in a few hours to show us how things worked by himself. Thank you! The boat is pretty much exactly as shown on the pictures - in good repair and very comfortable given the space. My wife and kids thought it was a great adventure to find the boat and figure out how it all worked. We didn't try to cook on board but there were many good restaurants near by within a few minutes walk. This was a great way to experience a canal boat without worrying about actually having to pilot one.