The Ark Houseboat - A Unique Getaway

Superhost

Houseboat hosted by Eva

8 guests
3 bedrooms
5 beds
2.5 bathrooms

Self check-in

Check yourself in with the lockbox.

Eva is a Superhost

Superhosts are experienced, highly rated hosts who are committed to providing great stays for their guests.

Great location

100% of recent guests gave the location a 5-star rating.

Every booking includes free protection from Host cancellations, listing inaccuracies, and other issues like trouble checking in.

SPECIAL! We have recently reduced our prices to make them more attractive to smaller groups!

+ Ideal for a group of friends or family

+ 3 bedrooms & 2 bathrooms

+ Brand new on-site restaurant

+ Plenty of free parking directly in front of the boat

+ Flatscreen TVs in every room & WiFi onboard

+ Fabulous rural river location

+ River front hut selling breakfast sandwiches and lunch

+ 10-15 minute drive to York city centre

+ Local pubs/restaurants and shops 5 minute walk away

The space
***PLEASE NOTE***
We do not provide breakfast provisions. We do however supply tea, coffee, ground coffee, sugar and fresh milk.

STAYING ON A HOUSEBOAT
Staying on a houseboat is a unique way to experience the historic city of York and the surrounding riverside areas. The boat is spacious and light and has everything you'll need to entertain your guests in a stress-free and stylish environment. Some guests have said it's like a floating boutique hotel! We are proud to say that many guests tell us how beautiful the boat is, and said how large, light and spacious the rooms are.

KITCHEN AND LIVING ROOM
We have an open-plan style kitchen and living area with everything you’ll need to entertain your guests in real comfort:
* A fully equipped kitchen
* Pots, pans, oven dishes, cutlery, wide range of kitchen utensils, mugs, cups, wine glasses all provided
* Electric cooker with fan-assisted oven and grill
* Fridge/freezer, electric kettle & toaster
* Coffee and teas (breakfast and herbal) provided
* Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper provided
* Kitchen foil and greaseproof paper provided
* Living room with LCD flat screen TV
* Upstairs WC

From the kitchen and living area, you can go down the stairs into the large hull of the boat to the 3 bedrooms below decks. All our rooms have been decorated in a neutral colour palette to create a calm environment, fit for any occasion.
There are 3 bedrooms with the space to accommodate up to 8 people. Here’s the low down, below decks:

The DERWENT Room is a large, luxurious and comfortable double bedroom with its own private en suite bathroom, perfect for couples (and singles).

The WHARF Room is a spacious double room with a comfortable memory foam mattress which adjoins a large bathroom which is shared with the Foss Room.

The FOSS Room is an airy, light-filled bunk bedroom with 3 separate comfortable single beds, which easily accommodates between 1 to 3 people, with a 4th person having the option of a cosy floor mattress. This is a nice large room for singles, children and other members of the group, also having access to the large shared bathroom (with the Wharf Room).
Please note that the top bunk is quite high and can be a struggle to get up and down! Best for kids and teens!

All the beds are freshly made and we provide one clean bath towel per person per stay. There are also clean hand towels in each bathroom.
Every room on the boat has plenty of storage space with drawers and a wardrobe.
All our rooms have a television with freeview channels and there is WiFi on the boat.

OUTSIDE DECKS
You and your guests will be free to use our enormous front deck which boasts fabulous views of the river and Bishopthorpe Palace (the official residence of the Archbishop of York). This is the perfect space for stylish al fresco dining. Additionally, at the rear of the boat, there is a covered deck with built-in seating where you can relax and watch the world go by.

CHECK IN AND CHECK OUT
Check-in is 3:00pm & check out is before 11:00am. Bag drop is possible before check-in and after check out. Early check-in and late check out are subject to availability and may be subject to a charge of £15 per hour for the hire of extra cleaning staff.

CENTRAL HEATING
The houseboat is cosy and warm in winter with central heating and double glazing throughout. Hot water is always available on tap all year round.

TRANSPORT TO AND FROM THE HOUSEBOAT
Getting here couldn't be easier. The houseboat is just over 2 miles from the centre of York and there are regular buses nearby going to and from the city centre and York railway station, just catch bus number 11 from the village.
Taxi services cost around £9-11 to and from the city centre/railway station.

FREE PARKING
There is plenty of free parking available just next to the houseboat.

FISHING
Keen anglers may enjoy fishing along the River Ouse during open season (15th June - 15th March), You can even cast your rod off the side of the boat - who knows what you might catch!

THE CAMPSITE
The campsite alongside the boat is in use during the warmer half of the year, and there is a tea hut selling breakfast sandwiches, hot drinks and sweet treats open from 9am until 4pm Thur-Mon.

THE CAFE
Bosun's Oven Cafe is a little cabin on the bank of the river which offers tea and coffee, cold drinks, hot sandwiches and other treats along with Yorvale ice cream, a very locally sourced treat (made down the road in Acaster Malbis)!

Where you'll sleep

1 of 2 pages

What this place offers

Waterfront

Kitchen

Wifi

Free parking on premises

Bath

Private patio or balcony

Luggage drop-off allowed

Cot

Travel cot

Select check-in date

Add your travel dates for exact pricing

Guests

1 guest

4.95 out of 5 stars from 265 reviews

Cleanliness

Accuracy

Communication

Location

Check-in

Value

Where you’ll be

Bishopthorpe, England, United Kingdom

Bishopthorpe is a beautiful village dating back to the 12th century, making it a perfect holiday destination just on the outskirts of York. York is a town steeped in history, founded by the Romans, occupied by the Vikings, a trading centre in medieval times, and a hub of the industrial revolution with important rail links and, importantly, chocolate factories! All of these changes are visible in the fabric of the town and in the many sites and museums you can visit during your stay. York also has a lively food scene with a huge range of both independent and well-known restaurants and cafes.

The boat is also a 20 minute walk from York racecourse where important race meets occur throughout the horse racing season, from May until October. The racecourse is also the site of one of the largest car boot sales in the area, where you can grab yourself a bargain every Saturday morning (apart from during race meets), early until around 1pm from late April until the end of October.

The village of Bishopthorpe itself is a 5 to 10 minute walk from the boat and is home to three pubs and a sports & social club, a small Co-operative supermarket, a butcher's, a bakery, a fish & chip shop, a newsagent's, a sandwich shop, a library, a pharmacy, a barber and a parish church. For a wider choice of shops and restaurants, the Designer Outlet shopping complex is 10 minutes drive away.

Bishopthorpe palace, the beautiful home of the archbishop of York, is a Grade I listed building visible from the embankment, though unfortunately it is not open to the public.

Hosted by Eva

Joined in January 2015

610 Reviews
Identity verified
Superhost

Hi there!

We are two families from York, together running our business, The Boatyard.

We enjoy good food and company and when we, ourselves, are guests on airbnb and we appreciate staying in unique and homely environments - this is what we have endeavoured to create in our boats and cabins.

Thank you,
Eva and the whole Boatyard Team!

Hi there!

We are two families from York, together running our business, The Boatyard.

We enjoy good food and company and when we, ourselves, are guests on ai…

Co-hosts

Michael

During your stay

We are a small family-run campsite so one of us is always on site ready to greet you upon arrival, though if you wish to arrive later, that’s no problem either. We'll be on hand to help with anything you may need.