Types of canal boat for holidays If you are planning a canal boat holiday in the UK, your search will uncover a range of different boats. Take a look at our top tips for choosing the best canal boat for your group. Your holiday is a big investment and the Read more…
Are canal boats the next big thing in unusual places to stay in the UK? That big milestone birthday is looming and the hunt begins for a quirky place to stay in the UK. Or perhaps one of you remembers the date of your anniversary. Those sorts of events trigger Read more…
The refurbishment of narrowboats and widebeams is an increasingly important part of our business at Boutique Narrowboats. We offer an interior design service for private clients which pulls together the skills of the whole team – engineering, joinery, electrics, plumbing and of course the design itself. The images below help Read more…
Layouts for canal boats can be controversial. Narrowboat purists like to see room layouts which mirror most closely the old working narrowboats of the industrial revolution. And other traditionalists prefer canal boat layouts which hark back to the early holiday boats of the mid-twentieth century. But what arrangement makes most Read more…
This testimonial for a Boutique Narrowboat build has brought genuine tears to our eyes. We’ve worked so hard on creating the perfect boat for our clients. We couldn’t be happier at the result, and most importantly, we are absolutely delighted that that Jane, Richard and Rufus are happy too! You Read more…
This week we waved off the latest Boutique Narrowboat built for private clients. Swallow is 53 foot of loveliness, every inch of it designed with our clients in mind. Here’s what was involved. First design meeting Our clients asked to meet with us a couple of years ago, after seeing Read more…
The best canal boat holidays for beginners start with a gentle introduction. It can be daunting to consider driving a long barge or narrowboat, so it is a good idea to do a little light homework before you arrive, followed by some practical training. Training for canal boat beginners If Read more…
Narrowboat interior trends are no different from any other design hot lists. Our shopping choices are heavily influenced by what’s in fashion on the catwalk as well as in interiors. Fashions may come and go, but as a boat interior designer, I also have to take the marine environment into Read more…
We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded silver in a national award for UK short breaks. The British Travel Awards are given to all kinds of companies in the hospitality industry every year. They are voted for by the public, which makes our own award even more Read more…
Many boat owners and builders consider narrowboat dinettes to be essential part of the interior design. Most hire boats have one (or two) in order to maximise the number of berths. Before, say, 2020, boatbuilders also automatically installed dinettes into their fit outs for private customers. But over the last Read more…