Definitely Funky

Guest: Ms. Mattie (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 04/18/11 Review Submitted: 05/25/11

I would like to compliment Ryan who was very professional in his communication. However, there were some important (to me) details left out in the description of the rental property until after I had paid the full amount. The marina is not very scenic. In fact at the time I was there the water was quite dirty. I did not find the boat spacious and cannot imagine its sleeping 4-5. It was clean but a bit dark and damp. At low tide which occurs every six hours one needs to use the shower head to fill the toilet since the water is very low and contains (I was told) sludge during that time. There is a chance that if one uses a hair dryer for example a fuse might blow and needs to be reset. If you have a car, the parking lot is not that close by. The marina IS convenient to the downtown area of Phila. But I think it is WAY overpriced and not as desirable and exotic as suggested. The marina does have a bathroom and shower but it is not kept very clean. If comfort & aesthetics are important to you, this rental might disappoint.

Owner response:We were saddened to receive this review about our houseboat in Philadelphia. We try very hard to accurately describe the boat, location and experience on our listing site. We will definitely review our descriptions to make sure we do not mislead anyone in the future. The low tide problem is being addressed as I write this response. The marina has to be dredged as the silt has filled in the marina. The dredging is slated to begin this Summer after 3 years of financial setbacks due to the state of the economy. We look forward to the time this work is completed, but try our best to make due while we wait for this work to be done. Adding water to the bowl is an easy, simple method we have implemented to circumvent this issue. The boat can be dark on gray days, but there are plenty of windows around the boat that provide a great deal of sunshine when it is available :) The cautionary statement about the circuit breaker is in our welcome book, and is meant as an informative detail in case that situation happens (which is not very often at all) our guests will know where the box is so they can reset the circuit without waiting for assistance. We had just received heavy rains and a major storm before this guest arrived and the surge pushed a lot of wood, dock pieces, etc... into the marina. The marina staff has since cleaned the debris out. As we mentioned in our listing, we do have parking available 2 blocks from the marina. You can however pull right up in front of the marina to unload your belongings when you arrive and depart. Unfortunately the lot is the only available monthly space we could find to provide parking for our guests which is included in your rental. If you have difficulty walking distance, there is a lot across the street from the marina run by the comfort inn that has available short term parking for $20/day. Our ultimate goal is that every guest have a memorable and enjoyable stay. We welcome the opportunity to answer any questions guests may have about the boat or experience. If you are unsure of anything about our rental, please ask!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers.

EXCELLENT LOCATION to tour historical area.

Guest: Theresa (Alabama)
Date of Stay: 07/13/10 Review Submitted: 08/04/10

Did not need a car for anything we wanted to see/do, which was GREAT! Was hoping to defray some cost by making suppers in the houseboat for our family of 5, but we could find no grocery store with even CLOSE to reasonable prices to make it worthwhile. Plus, the oven control was covered in duct tape so we assumed that we weren't supposed to use it. Ordered delivery several times, which was good and reasonably priced. Shower is VERY small, and we all experienced some feelings of still being on the boat at times, even though we weren't. There is, however, a bathroom/shower in the marina's main building. Overall, we all agreed that it was an excellent, really fun experience to stay on a house boat, and we really enjoyed it, but we probably wouldn't do it again. We booked a four-night stay. The listing description is accurate as well as the photos. The property was clean, and there was a couple on-site who was very helpful in answering any questions and giving guidance for the area. I would recommend this property for anyone interested in seeing historical Philadelphia who would enjoy the really neat experience of staying on a houseboat. Mama's (I think) Philly cheesesteak stand sandwiches are terrific!

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Guest Comments

Guest: Previous guests (Boston, MA USA)
Date of Stay: 04/01/10 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

Guest: Cristina 1 (Phoenix AZ) Date of Stay: September 28, 2009 We stayed on the Houseboat in Philly for a week this past Aug/Sept. I have to say this was the best vacation we have ever had, mind you we have traveled extensively. We usually stay in hotels and wanted to try something different so we came across the Houseboat. We absolutely loved it. It was clean and comfortable with everything you need to enjoy your stay. You can't beat the location, walking distance to everything! As Houseboat "novices" we had a few minor issues which turned out to be nothing and only due to operator errors (meaning us!). We would contact Ryan and I have to say he was professional every time. I am ashamed to say we called him at the oddest hours even as late as 11:30 PM and he was there for us. He even made us feel like old friends and was patient with us. Everything was handled professionally from start to finish. I can't express enough how wonderful this trip was for us. Usually when you leave a hotel after a week you can't wait to go back home but I have to admit we did not feel that way when we left. We were sorry to leave and can't wait to go back. I can definitely say our yearly trip to Philly we will be staying on the houseboat. For sure. 5/5 Guest: Joan (Philadelphia, PA) Date of Stay: August 14, 2009 The houseboat is spacious, clean and comfortable with amazing views of the bridge and water! Everything Center City has to offer is conveniently within walking distance. It was a truly unique and FUN experience! 5/5 Guest: VRBORORG221922 (Massachusetts) Date of Stay: July 6, 2009 My stay in Philadelphia was fantastic! The boat was a quite a surpise, with a great living space and amazing roof deck - even better than the pictures! The view of the city, the water and the bridge was so great and the boat was clean, comfortable and exactly what I was hoping for. The boat was also conveniently located, so that I could walk easily to downtown Philadelphia and had plenty of restaurants and sight seeing attractions near by. What a fantastic vacation! Thanks so much! 5/5 Date of Stay: May 27, 2009 The stay in the boat in Philly was perfect. The boat is in a great location close to Old City, has incredible views of the local bridges, is incredibly well mantained, and very roomy. I would definitely recommend this over ANY of the tiny hotels in the area. It is incredible!

Recommended for:

Guest: Cristina 1 (Phoenix AZ)
Date of Stay: 09/28/09 Review Submitted: 09/28/09

We stayed on the Houseboat in Philly for a week this past Aug/Sept. I have to say this was the best vacation we have ever had, mind you we have traveled extensively. We usually stay in hotels and wanted to try something different so we came across the Houseboat. We absolutely loved it. It was clean and comfortable with everything you need to enjoy your stay. You can't beat the location, walking distance to everything! As Houseboat "novices" we had a few minor issues which turned out to be nothing and only due to operator errors (meaning us!). We would contact Ryan and I have to say he was professional every time. I am ashamed to say we called him at the oddest hours even as late as 11:30 PM and he was there for us. He even made us feel like old friends and was patient with us. Everything was handeled professionaly from start to finish. I can't express enough how wonderful this trip was for us. Usually when you leave a hotel after a week you can't wait to go back home but I have to admit we did not feel that way when we left. We were sorry to leave and can't wait to go back. I can definatly say our yearly trip to Philly we will be staying on the houseboat. For sure.

Recommended for:

Guest: Joan Shiffler (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 08/14/09 Review Submitted: 08/14/09

The houseboat is spacious, clean and comfortable with amazing views of the bridge and water! Everything Center City has to offer is conveniently within walking distance. It was a truly unique and FUN experience!

Recommended for:

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/06/09 Review Submitted: 07/06/09

My stay in Philadelphia was fantastic! The boat was a quite a suprise, with a great living space and amazing roof deck - even better than the pictures! The view of the city, the water and the bridge was so great and the boat was clean, comfortable and exactly what I was hoping for. The boat was also conveniently located, so that I could walk easily to downtown Philadelphia and had plenty of restaurants and sight seeing attractions near by. The staff I dealt with were very professional, helpful and readily available if I had any questions. What a fantastic vacation! Thanks so much!

Recommended for:

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/27/09 Review Submitted: 05/27/09

The stay in the boat in Philly was perfect. The boat is in a great location close to Old City, has incredible views of the local bridges, is incredibly well mantained, and very roomy. I would definitely recommend this over ANY of the tiny hotels in the area. It is incredible!

Recommended for: