Our 2016 mini-break on a canal boat could have gone horribly wrong. The interior was like something from a plywood time warp, all brown varnish and stale carpet. The toilet smelled, the shower curtain was mouldy and the mattress woefully-skinny. English holiday narrowboats are not known for their contemporary styling, Read more
A hire boats review published this week has declared that the Boutique Narrowboats are incredibly different to most hire-boats when it comes to their interiors. Respected industry magazine, Waterways World, has devoted six pages to its review of our hire boats. The journalist, Mark Langley, visited us to test out Read more
[sswp-slide sswpid=2855] A narrowboat could be the perfect Valentine’s Day present – it leaves you with a radiant glow long after the adventure is over, and there are swans and pubs. Read on to find out the five best bits about holidaying on a narrowboat… 1. A barge is Read more
We are lucky enough to have four day boats for hire at Union Wharf marina, which is brilliant news for those wanting to try things out before committing to a holiday narrowboat. These are bona fide narrowboats, identical in almost all ways to a long canal boat. You will need Read more
Increasing popularity of UK boating holidays UK boating holidays on the canals and rivers of the UK are gaining in popularity. Since the 1950s and 60s, the inland waterways network of England, Scotland and Wales has offered a variety of boat holiday options. But the difference between the hire boats Read more
Canal boat holidays in the UK are popular with many diverse groups of people. We’ve been operating hire narrowboats for a number of years now, and we have learned how to match each set of guests with their perfect UK holiday. The ideal canal boat holiday for a couple’s anniversary Read more
How lovely that our canal boat holidays have been featured in a prestigious National Geographic magazine! The Traveller – The Luxury Collection 2022-23 features Boutique Narrowboats amongst their beautiful pages. The magazine groups together a number of luxury UK based holiday providers. Our small fleet of canal boats is recommended Read more
Canal boat weekends can be super relaxing, but if you are an inexperienced boater, it pays to be well prepared. It might seem a bit nerdy to watch videos or read up on winding holes, but I promise it will make your holiday so much better for all the effort. Read more
Press release Leicestershire canal business beats restrictions A Leicestershire waterways business is offering a new way to experience a narrowboat mini-break, following the announcement of winter canal restrictions. Boutique Narrowboats runs its unique holiday hire business from Union Wharf in Market Harborough, but has been forced to rethink its business Read more
There are so many wonderful reasons to enjoy the canals in winter, that we are totally amazed to have the waterways to ourselves at this time of year. I love the peace and tranquillity so much, that it really is one of England’s best kept secrets. Here are a few Read more