If you asked any of my friends what my absolute, hands-down favourite holiday location is, they’d answer without fail: Amsterdam.

I’ve visited the city twice a year since I was 21 (I’m about to turn 28, and you can guess where I’ll be going to celebrate), after completely falling in love with its creative vibe, stylish neighbourhoods and more than anything, those world-famous canals.

Amsterdam isn’t far away, but I can’t really spend the plane fare (or increase my carbon footprint) every time I get the urge to take a stroll by the water, so I occasionally frequent the canals in London. Although pretty in their own way, I never thought of the capital’s inner-city waterways as a place to spend a holiday. That was until I heard about The Boathouse. 

The Boathouse is a one-bedroom floating boutique hotel, and if that description has piqued your interest, you’d be right to want to know more.

Moored up in Paddington, it’s located in Floating Pocket Park in an enclosed shopping area, meaning that nipping out to grab another bottle of bubbly is no trouble, and there’s no loud roads nearby.

Essentially, it’s a houseboat, but a big and beautiful one at that. You won’t find a concierge or reception, but you will find that every detail of your stay has been thought about to make your experience as magical as possible.

Let’s start with the exterior: atop the barge is a large area of decking with plenty of chairs (see image above), decorated with cute-as-a-button festoon fairy lights that will glimmer away as the evening draws. It’s a great spot to enjoy a few drinks alfresco. 

But the inside is even better. Designed and furnished entirely by the talented folk at Made.com, the interior décor ticks all of those millennial boxes that the brand is so famous for. From the abundance of angled lamps to the geometric tiles that lead you into the living space, it is, in a phrase, ‘interior goals’. 

Staying here means you get access to your own kitchen, so bring food and drinks onboard and really make yourself at home. No need to worry about breakfast, though, as The Boathouse team will have already stocked up on granola and alternative milks for when you wake up.

But it’s the bathroom that’s the real show stopper. Think floor-to-ceiling white tiles, a free-standing, roll-top monochrome bath AND a rainforest shower. Now throw in loads of plants and fancy toiletries and you’re ready to have the best bathing experience of your life.

If you fancy checking into The Boathouse for a special occasion, then you might be interested to know that there are plenty of ways to make your time there even fancier, by adding on services such as a champagne arrival, yoga teacher, private chef or boat captain.

Whatever you do, make sure you take advantage of the free extra rowing boat (very The Notebook) to explore London by water, and the two bikes to do some adventuring on dry land, too. 

The Boathouse is ideal for a two-person stay but arrangements can be made for four people if you let the team know, or you can event hire it for an event. Prices from £275 per night, you can check availability here. 

Images: The Boathouse