Reviews of Houseboat Holidays Ltd (Rent Cars)

Chris Tyler

Houseboat Holidays is a well-run, long-established family business which rents houseboats on the St Lawrence River. The boats are old but well maintained - basically RVs mounted on pontoons. They have a serious 70's/80's vibe - including wood paneling - but are equipped with everything you need to safely explore the St Lawrence. They includes a Thousand Islands National Park Pass, so you can stop at many different islands for lunch, a hike, or to dock overnight. The boats have hot and cold running water, a bathroom with shower, kitchen with fridge and freezer, stove, and oven, and beds for 6 or 10 people. There are small decks at the back and front with patio chairs, or you can go up to the roof for 360 views. The boats are easy to operate; no operator card (PCOC) is required but highly recommended. The great points: freedom to explore, fairly carefree holiday, a very different and fun experience, and naturally distanced during these COVID times. Great sunrises, sunsets, plants, and birds to view, and great hikes also! Good staff and straightforward, fair policies at Houseboat Holidays. The low points: sofas and dining table convert to OK-but-not-spectacular beds. Gas is expensive, and be prepared for gas and oils top-up costs at the end. Overall, a fantastic, fun experience!

Cindy McCooeye

We had a great time! ????

C Poulin

(Translated) Great service and equipment that boaters call the "Big Bang Box" in their way of maneuvering, and a fantastic four week trip up the curtain channel from Gananoque. (Original) Super service et équipement que les plaisanciers appelle les "Big Bang Box" de leur façon de manoeuvrer, et une semaine à quatre fantastique a remonter le canal rideau depuis Gananoque.

Andrew Grzela

Great, we rent boat from houseboat every year. Always good

Darrell H

We have rented from Houseboat Holidays a number of times over the past few years. After our first trip we immediately booked again for a weeks later and the following year we could not wait and booked two more times. Just came back from our 5th trip and we are never disappointed. Gananoque is only 3 hours from Montreal or Toronto making it very convenient to get to. The entire process from booking, arriving and completing the experience is flawless, the way things should be. Boats are nicely equipped with everything you need from dishes, cutlery and linens (bring your own towels). The boats are very comfortable and clean. I have experienced the 1000 Islands many times over the years but never enjoyed them as much as I have from a houseboat. If you want a relaxing yet fun vacation check out Houseboat Holidays.

Ashton Fillion

Fantastic experience. I rented a house boat with a large group of friends for a fun reunion weekend. The owners were very friendly and highly accommodating. Literally nothing but an amazing experience. The boats are fantastic and the setting is impossible to beat. Highly recommended

Chris Kao

I try to go back every year if possible. Probably one of my favourite things to do in the summer.

Philip Mario Pompili

This was an amazing trip. The team at House Boat Holidays made it very easy for anyone to operate the boat. The boats themselves are well appointed, and by following the guide in advance, wee made sure that we had all the items required for a great trip. I would highly recommend this vacation to any of my friends and will definitely visit again.

Alan Wechsler

From start to finish the entire experience was seamless. This operation has 40 years of experience here and it shows. Orientation was efficient and straightforward. Everything on the boat worked as promised. Engine always started immediately, as did the BBQ (both very, very important haha). Fridge was ice cold even on the hottest days. Their advice, coupled with their notes on the laminated charts proved accurate and invaluable. And even when we had a minor issue just before breakfast on our 2nd last day the service was incredible; they offered two solutions, one which we could easily perform in about 10 minutes—handy if we were underway already— and the other where they would come out and fix it for us. We opted for the latter and were astonished to see them come out in a fast boat, replace a part and vanish in about 40 minutes flat. And THAT’S when you realize you’re dealing with professionals. In short, this was an immersive experience where every day felt like we were in a Group of Seven painting and we can’t wait to book a longer trip next year!

John-Claude J PEP

Need a 5 STAR vacation either from work or away from it all then definitely look into renting a houseboat from Peter! We went on a 4 day fishing trip between all the islands and the st Lawrence is packed with all sorts of different species of fish! The boats are easy to steer and easy to maintain, we had zero issues and the staff not only guides you out but back in and they let you know what exactly you maybe looking for when you get out there? Place is professional and clean! WE'RE ALL COMING BACK!

abhishek kumar

We had an awesome 2 nights trip. Every thing was good and clean. The only issue I observed was in the stove oven, the knob was i think misaligned or something, we had hard time operating it. We had never driven a boat before, the instructor explained things very nicely, he also drove the boat with us for a short distance to gave us a feel of the boat and water. Those instructions were very useful.

David Tigwell

Six of us just returned from a great trip on Big Blue III. Had a fantastic time with fantastic weather. About the boat: We've owned two large sailboats. It's "knot a yacht"! It's more like a comfortable (beeghas) trailer on pontoons. Yes, it handles like a scow. So what? Everything worked. No failures of any systems. We cruised the Thousand Islands from end to end. We had a great time. Just remember that a yacht of this size would cost many times more - if you could find one... BTW, the Navion app is incredible. Don't leave home without it. And the trial is free! I think we will do this again. Great fun. Thanks, guys! David and Anna

JC Laing

We had to cancel two weeks out as the weather in September suddenly dropped to 7 Celcius when the sun goes down. As a family we were seriously concerned that my 94 year old father in-law who booked the rental, would get very sick being out on the water for 7 days in that kind of weather. I explained this to the owner but received no understanding or sympathy whatsoever about our concerns. When I asked about the deposit my father in-law gave and the potential of using it to rebook for next summer, the response I got was that it would simply be forfeited. Congrats, he has his $ 400.00 from an old man, but lost future clients. Not a smart buisness move.

Gnomze

Rented a house boat for the first time this weekend and it was the most amazing trip I have been on in a long time! The staff was super friendly and helpful, even though none of us knew how to operate the boat we felt more than comfortable by the time we hit the open waters. The islands they recommended were beautiful and perfect to kayak around, would book again in a heartbeat!

Donald Fields

This was our 2nd. rental from Houseboat Holidays. I can't explain why we waited 6 years to do it again. The boats aren't new, but are well maintained. We had no issues whatsoever and the owner and employees are extremely helpful with even the most silly questions. They also provide a large cooler for the asking. They provide a well marked chart (we have our own) with gas locations and suggestions for the Canadian National Parks of which they have paid the annual fees for docking. Two suggestions before you go: Download the Navionics phone app to all your phones (2 week free trial) to make navigation and depth finding all the easier! Book a kayak or canoe in advance so you can more easily do shore excursions. We are looking forward to doing it again.

Les C. Cseh

Nice boats, very helpful and friendly staff.

DJ Steff Channel

Had such a good time ppl its unreal !!! We were 6 guys (fairly big boys) and we rented the 48' very comfortable!! We had such a blast we want to return again and this is a moment where I say " Just take MY MONEY !!!"???? Wonderful time !!

Dustin Tallett

The owner and all staff were extremely friendly and accommodating to all of our needs. The house boat was in great working order and as a first time boater of any kind we were able to drive the boat w confidence. As for the natural beauty of the area it was breathtaking. Thanks guys well be back!

Technical Solvers

This is my fourth season of renting a boat from Houseboat Holidays and I can’t think of a better way to enjoy the 1000 Islands. I love the beauty of the St Lawrence River, the freedom to tour and the serenity. We have visited several islands in the 1000 Islands National Park (Camelot, Leek, Mulcaster) and docked at Clayton NY for some shopping including stopping in at the famous River Rat Cheese Shop. The houseboats are clean and well maintained. The staff at HH are helpful with lots of great suggestions on how to make the trip memorable. I like to cook and the kitchen is great – ergonomic with beautiful, ever changing views. The fridge and stove are more than adequate. No shortage of hot water. We experience every type of weather: sun, fog, rain, thundershowers, cool nights and warm days. I can’t wait to go back on the houseboat, perhaps in the fall to take in the autumn colors along the Rideau Canal. Note: power inverters included with every boat rental.. Helpful to keep everyone’s devices charged. Unplugged (sort of!), but loved my iPhone camera to capture the gorgeous sunsets.

Mark Beaumont

Amazing experience from start to finish. Boats are well equipped, well maintained and more than adequate for a weekend / week long trip. The team are friendly and experienced and provide great guidance. The scenery and travel is truly incredible; one of the best experiences I have had in Canada. Can't recommend highly enough.

rogermarleau1

We had a wonderful time on the houseboat! Peter and his staff were friendly and very helpful. The boat was kept in tip-top shape. The weather was great and of course the views were fantastic. We were so impressed we booked for next year. A memorable six days. Thanks to all the staff for all they did

Joel Goyette

Had an amazing time touring the beautiful St-Lawrence river in the 1000 Islands. This was my second time renting these houseboats and will be doing it again. The staff are amazing to deal with and the boats are kept in good condition. I will keep recommending them and this Houseboat holiday experience to everyone!

Traveling Family

The boat was riddled with problems and very old …but we made the best of it and enjoyed the time with the family. We rented Big Blue 1, the 48 foot monster on the 5 day package - 3 adults and 4 kids, in late July. On the morning of the second day the engine was smoking horribly and upon inspection we noted the fuel line had a leak in it. We called the company - no one called back so we drove 30 minutes back to the marina and they fixed it no problem (one of the co-owners met us upon arrival and was really nice about it). We also had him fix half of the screens that had holes in them as we were overrun with bugs our first night out. We had to close the windows which made for a very hot night of sleeping. He mentioned that this should have been handled before we were given the boat. When we received the boat, the refrigerator and freezer were turned off by mistake. The freezer never did get cold enough to freeze anything, so we lost a bit of the food we brought with us that didn’t last. On the third day we ran out of fresh water. We used maybe 2 gallons (brushing teeth and filled one pot for cooking hotdogs because the grill wouldn’t stay lit). We had plastic bottles of water for everyone to drink and 10 liter spout containers for our use in the kitchen. On the fourth day the sewage backed up and began to leak out the back drain plug. I won’t even go into the odor, I’m sure you can imagine. The last afternoon we anchored about 30 minutes from the rental place. About 9 PM the anchor lights and interior lights were dimming. By 10 PM all lights were out - batteries were dead. That meant no lights and no water at all. The motor still started (different batteries) so we called the rental place and let them know, but figured we’d make due until morning when we had to turn the boat in anyway. There was no answer so we left a message - no one called back. The next morning the motor didn't start – those two batteries were dead. We called about 5 AM and left a message that we were stranded and the wind was blowing us towards the rocks. Called again at 6 AM and left another message. Called again at 7 AM and still no answer. Called again at 7:30 and the owner, Peter, answered. We explained the situation and he said he "must have missed that one" when we asked why no one called us back. I’m not sure why they have a “help” line posted on the boat, if the phone is only answered during office hours. Finally, about 40 minutes later he showed up and changed out the batteries. We asked him if that was normal for the batteries to go dead and he said no. When we returned the boat, we asked one of the dock mates at the rental place the same question and he said they had been having problems with those batteries for a while. When we explained all the problems to the other co-owner of the company, Peter, he didn't seem to care or be concerned when we explained the 40 gallons of fresh water ran out after two days, the sewage was full after 3 days, the batteries went dead even though we had run the boat for over an hour every day. He kept making excuses saying "there could be any number of reasons." Anyway, the boat was old, more like an old camper than a nice house boat. It has wood paneling and brown musty curtains and cushions. It could definitely use some updating. The boat goes about 7 miles an hour and drinks a lot of gas. When I told him because of his houseboat a great deal of fuel leaked into the river he took off half the price of the fuel, (half of 20 gallons at $7.00/gallon). I told him it wasn’t the money I was frustrated with it was the poor working condition of the boat and having to listen to my wife, sister-in-law and four kids complain because the fresh water ran out so quickly, the toilet stunk after a few days and became unusable after 4 days, etc. Overall we made the best of it and had a nice adventure, but next time we'll rent a cottage on the river and take our ski boat out every day to enjoy the beauty of the 1000 Islands area. Definitely won’t rent a houseboat from Houseboat Holidays, Ltd.

Nadia Coppard

We just got back from a 4 day trip. Service is spectacular. Boats are VERY VERY Clean and well appointed. We rented a red boat with 2 adults and 2 kids and we had plenty of room. The boat has tons and tons of storage area so don't be afraid to bring a few extra items if you think you may need them. The islands are beautiful and we never had any trouble finding a spot for the night. Get the free trial of Navionics.

Sean C

Had a great time sailing the high seas of the St Lawrence.

Kak Eyed

Fantastic experience! The boats are not new, but they are fully functional, comfortable and the price is right. Everyone there was very friendly and helpful, and took the time to answer all my newbie questions. We ran out of propane on the 4th morning (My fault. I should have checked them every day, since the first 2 days/nights were fairly cold and the heater ran quite a bit). A quick call to the office and 2 fresh tanks were sent out to us in record time. As mentioned in other comments, the maps provided by Houseboat Holidays have lots of great info, but I would recommend installing the Navionics app on a phone - it helps avoid some nasty rocks and lets you get closer to shore to anchor. It's much cheaper than a new propeller! If you use a CPAP or think that you might need more battery power, Houseboat Holidays will gladly provide you with an extra battery. I really hope that I can go back and spend another week on the waters of the 1000 Islands soon. Thank you to everyone at Houseboat Holidays for making our trip so memorable!

courtney clerke

Honestly it was so worth it. I know nothing about driving a boat, anchoring, docking yet was able to drive it quite easily the controls are very simple and if you can drive a car you can drive a houseboat. The views were spectacular everywhere you look and the houseboat interior was very comfortable. I really appreciated having a decent size fridge, propane stove, oven and BBQ on board. The kitchen had everything you needed to prepare and serve food. There was fresh drinking water on board and plenty of room in the bathroom. I highly recommend it and the staff were very easy going and answered all my emails promptly, will definitely return!

Yvon R Gibeau

The wife and I have just completed a 10 days venture on the fly deck blue boat .It was an unforgettable pleasant and learning experience .Everything was to expectations , the cleanliness , the supplies provided (linens, cutlery , pots and pans , the fantastic detailed map , etc ..The welcome committee was great with helping for the ice and worms , our luggage and food and fishing gear then the briefing by Neil which was so helpful in getting started on a fantastic journey ..Upon return we booked for 14 days next year and we recommend the everyone whom love water , nature , quietness , wild games , to try it sometime in the near future .. See You Guys next year and thanks again .. Carolyn and Yvon

Shannon Stephens

Totally enjoyed our time. Barry and crew thanks for helping us shove off and pull in. Everything was great! We’re definitely coming back!!!

B. A.

Clean boat, they will teach you how to drive and give you good info Very good staff they helped us when we got a flat tire highly recommend for a quick getaway

Carolyn Ward

My favorite summer getaway.