Name: Boathotel Rotterdam Seven
Address: J.B. Bakemakade 41, Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Rotterdam, 1018 EJ, Netherlands
Rating: 8

Smoke-free property

Electric car charging

General

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

Parking

Pets allowed

Pets

Contactless check-in and/or check-out

Health and Safety Measures

Location

At the cottage

Rijnhaven

Wilhelminaplein

Maashaven

Nederlands Fotomuseum

Erasmus Bridge

Arboretum Trompenburg

Wereldmuseum Rotterdam

Maritime Museum

Witte de Withstraat

Kunsthal Rotterdam

Beurs World Trade Center

Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum

Sonneveld House

Netherlands Architecture Institute

Stadhuis

Rotterdam City Theatre

Euromast

De Doelen

Railz Miniworld

Blijdorp Zoo

Rotterdam The Hague Airport

Offem

Viewpoint Groot Hoogwaak

Museum Engelandvaarders

Beach Noordwijk aan Zee

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Vondelpark

Stedelijk Museum

Van Gogh Museum

Heineken Experience

Rijksmuseum

Anne Frank House

Dam Square

Artis Zoo

NEMO Science Museum

Boathotel Rotterdam Seven

Rotterdam

child-bed

child-bed-fee

external-private-bathroom

private-bathroom

shared-bathroom

10-beds

11-beds

12-beds

13-beds

14-beds

15-beds

16-beds

17-beds

18-beds

19-beds

2-beds

20-beds

21-beds

22-beds

23-beds

24-beds

25-beds

26-beds

27-beds

28-beds

29-beds

3-beds

30-beds

31-beds

32-beds

33-beds

34-beds

35-beds

36-beds

37-beds

38-beds

39-beds

4-beds

40-beds

5-beds

6-beds

7-beds

8-beds

9-beds

king-bed

queen-bed

limited-time

lounge

treatment

no-window

bay-view

bosphorus-view

canal-view

city-view

courtyard-view

garden-view

golf-view

harbour-view

inland-view

lake-view

land-view

mountain-view

ocean-front

ocean-view

oceanside

panoramic-view

park-view

partial-ocean-view

partial-sea-view

partial-view

pool-view

river-view

sea-front

sea-view

street-view

sunrise-view

sunset-view

water-view

with-view

annex

basement

main-building

1-bedroom

2-bedrooms

3-bedrooms

4-bedrooms

5-bedrooms

6-bedrooms

not-guaranteed

wired-internet-access

smoking

sauna

duplex

safe

mini-bar

breakfast-for-1

breakfast-for-2

pets-allowed

wi-fi

park access

Wonderfully charismatic boat, oozing character, which was great to stay on.  Spacious and a great place to stay as an alternative to the norm.  Nicely positioned to be an easy walk from the indoor market and other attractions.  Recommend it highly.  The only down side was the mosquitoes, so if you book, take some insect repellent and bit cream.

Lovely boat with great character

This is really an alternative hotel experience for my 9 yr old son. Rather than hotel, this is more like an apartment. Although there is no breakfast serving downstairs, you get to eat at the famous Markthal by walking 5 minutes from the boat. We enjoy doing this during our 3 day stay. Great location to all the fun things and places. 5 min walk to the Metro station makes everything easier. Love it. 

Alternative and positive

Potentially a great place but currently with many problems, some of which could be dangerous for guests. I suspect the owners once bought a lovely boat but have since skimped on maintenance. First, the good things, the boat is spacious, colourful, and in a great location in the centre of town. It is quite well equipped, with most of what you need.The heating is good and the decor is fun.   If maintenance and safety issues had been OK we would have loved it.  But it does seem that the owners are not concerned with providing a good quality and more importantly SAFE place for their guests. Because these were such serious problems I have given it only one star. 

Here are some of the problems and I have illustrated them with photos.  First,  safety, second maintenance, third payment issues. 

Safety issues were very concerning. The entrance from outside is via a hatch about 1.5 metres tall which leads down a steep freestanding ladder with no hand rail (see my photo).To reach the hatch you walk around a narrow ledge outside the boat, with a handrail that is not suitable for small kids to hold. Then you must get your suitcases down this ladder and also yourself and your little ones down this 2 metre tall ladder. OK, it is a boat, I understand this, we have a boat of our own. But it is no longer an operational boat and it is now in fact an apartment. So why not fit proper safety rails to make this apartment safe? Why risk elderly people or children injuring themselves falling more than their own height? And why no warnings on the listing that this is not necessarily suitable for old or young, specially in wet slippery or icy weather?  

Equally dangerous is that  the maximum water temperature is scalding hot, we couldn't find a way to adjust it.  Twice in the shower I hit the taps with my back, the taps are loose and when they turned the water immediately became scalding. I nearly slipped trying to escape from being badly burned. Again, dangerous for the elderly who might be accidentally clumsy, or for kids who can be careless. Again, no warnings on the website. I don't know what the rules are for holiday apartments in HOlland but I don't think the owners have done the work to make this a safe apartment.

There were many cleaning and maintenance issues, some of which are illustrated in my photos.  The roof leaked, the microwave didn't work, the mini-oven  was dirty, so was the griller, about 1/3 of the lightbulbs didn't work, there were old used tea lights and light bulbs were not replaced so it was very dark in places.  Other guests half eaten packs of food and clothes were not removed, (I found someone else's underpants in the chest in my room!) The laminated floors were peeling, the macerating toilets smelt bad and there was no ventilation in the toilets, the seat didn't fit in one of the toilets, the radiator was rusty, the toilet washbasin tap was faulty. There were no instructions for the TV (or anything else) we could only get 4 Dutch channels.  

Three, the issue of payment was a problem. They sent a letter some time ago saying they did not take cards, which I admit I had forgotten. But their current listing STILL says they take cards, just like it did when we booked, and the invoice we just received also says they take cards.   We had to draw out nearly 300 euros extra per day in a foreign country. Bank surcharges are large and the exchange rate is always poor on credit cards. I know it puts customers off if they have to pay in cash but if the owners choose that then they must not send invoices and keep a listing going which says the opposite. This will continue to mislead customers. 
 
Despite its many charms it seems the owners don't much care what kind of experience their guests have and will even risk their comfort and safety. It leaves a nasty taste.  It is such a shame, because this boat could potentially be lovely. But I wouldn't want to hire it again.

Boathotel Rotterdam Seven

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