As the boutique boatel (boat-hotel) Bert’s Barges opens on London’s Regent’s Canal, it’s time to consider other places to stay on the water. Here we pick 10 around the UK and Europe that’ll float your boat
Lyris is about as far as you can get from a traditional rose-painted, potted gerainium-strewn houseboat. Matt black on the outside, with a sleek roof terrace and HotBox barbecue, its almost-monochrome interior comes speckled with vintage Scandinavian finds, a walk-in Agape shower, designer Atelier Areti lighting and underfloor heating. But this isn’t any old houseboat. It’s owned by interiors company Bert & May and opened last week as a “boutique barge hotel”, although hotel is a bit of a misnomer given the set-up; with one bedroom (there’s also a pull-out bed in the living area), a kitchen, bathroom and living-dining area, this is more holiday rental than hotel. A welcome hamper comes with craft beer; you can choose between a Brompton and a vintage rowing boat when you want to venture out – and breakfast is delivered to the door. On a mooring along Regent’s Canal in Hackney, there are plans to expand to Little Venice, and to York and Bristol.
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