Lower Rhine Houseboats

For me, there’s nothing more meditative than watching the waves, and from the expansive terrace at Rhine Houseboats you have the feeling you can wash your busy thoughts away with the water that gently laps against the side of the large wooden houseboat. But this isn’t your standard houseboat, this is a houseboat that you wish was your home: modern interiors, a fireplace and panoramic windows that allow you to spot kingfishers flying past. Plus, in some boats, you even have a private sauna that you can use Finnish style, jumping into the cool lake water after each sauna session.

Owners Dorothee and Volker are dairy farmers and look after the land surrounding the houseboats, and their love of the area shines through. Nature is at the centrepiece of a stay here, and Dorothee and Volker have named the boats after animals you can see in the area, such as Great Crested Grebe, Beaver Castle and Cormorant. Countless hiking and biking routes begin on your doorstep, and you can sample the produce of the land at the farm shop, which is stocked with goodies produced in the region. A stay here helps to slow you down and escape the often rushed pace of life; after just a few days, you’ll feel completely renewed.