What is a hotel narrowboat holiday?
A cruise on a skippered hotelboat holiday is an ideal way to relax... by doing as little, or as much as you like! It is ideal if you want a packaged all inclusive holiday where all the hard work is done for you. Our hotelboats, Snipe & Taurus, have their own skipper and crew onboard who know the rivers & canals, their culture, heritage and environment, intimately. They also know how to keep you comfortable, happy and well fed on great home cooked local fare! All hotel boats pride themselves on their food, both quality and quantity. We are skilled in catering for a range of dietary needs but do need warning in advance of your requirements. And if you're still hungry, the frequent canal side pubs offer meals, snacks and a nice cold pint!
You may be floating at a leisurely pace through the hidden countryside or sampling the local beers at a canalside pub. You may choose to practice a favourite hobby like photography, painting or bird-watching, to help out with locks and swing-bridges, to keep fit by walking towpaths and country lanes or even jogging alongside the boat - or just relax with a favourite book! All the steering and lock work is done by the crew who are pleased to let you help if you wish. The routes are specially picked for their interest and accessibility. You can of course walk the towpath whenever you like rather than ride on the boat.
A hotelboat holiday is great for couples, singles, stressed executives & minions, seniors, groups; just about anyone who wants to relax and be pampered in pleasant surroundings. It's a perfect antidote to busy jobs and today's frantic pace of life. Your company on a hotelboat holiday may be pleasant like-minded fellow passengers, or you could have the hotelboat and crew to yourself, or shared with your friends and family. It’s ideal if you don’t want to be physically active, or if you are travelling alone, or if you just like to be looked after on holidays! It’s not a holiday for family groups as we cannot accept small children, unless you charter a whole hotelboat (or half of the pair) which can be ideal for a larger group.
Our traditional hotelboats work as a 'pair', offering compact but cosy cabins for up to 9 guests per week, with a mix of single, twin and double accommodation. Larger rooms have en-suite facilities, others have shared showers and toilets. All have hot and cold running water and flush toilets. They are fully centrally heated, have mains power, and offer a covered seating area at the bows where guests can watch the world slip by and avoid any occasional shower of rain.
A Bit About Corinne & Neil, And How Canal Voyagers Came To Be…
Hello! We are extremely proud to introduce ourselves as the new owner-operators of hotel narrowboats Snipe & Taurus. Our aim is to provide guests with the same excellent service and hospitality that has become associated with the pair over the years.
The purchase of Snipe & Taurus from previous owners Derek & Emma Fearnley was the easiest decision of our lives. On a day trip to a camping & caravan exhibition, we noticed a small display of narrowboats squeezed in alongside the caravans and trailer-tents. Fascinated, we investigated further - and once we discovered Neil (at 6’6”) could stand up on them, we became even more enamoured with the idea of living (and working) afloat.
One day, whilst trawling through the classifieds looking for the perfect boat (a thoroughly enjoyable pass time I might add!), we stumbled across an advert for Taurus and were immediately taken with her. Upon reading a little further, we noted that she used to be part of a hotel boat pair! Intrigued, we scoured the Internet and were thrilled when we found a second advert for Snipe… from that moment we knew we these were the boats for us, and that we wanted to continue to operate them as a hotel pair.
This was the beginning of Canal Voyagers Ltd – a new adventure for every guest and an exciting new lifestyle for us!
Since taking ownership, we have worked hard alongside the previous owners to broaden our experience and become proficient with working a ‘traditional’ pair. We also both hold the MCA Boatmaster Licence.
