Private Barge Charters
All of our luxury hotel barges are available for private charter, and this makes for a wonderful way to celebrate a special occasion with close family or friends – whether it is a milestone birthday or anniversary, or simply a memorable family holiday. A hotel barge charter offers flexibility, freedom and fun for all members of the family, with a gentle pace and varied activities to suit all interests. It offers a similar experience to that of staying in a luxurious private villa, but with the benefit of gradually changing scenery each day, a bespoke programme of excursions and delicious cuisine and fine wines served throughout.
Each vessel has capacity for between six and twenty passengers in comfortable en suite twin or double-bed staterooms, as well as spacious living and dining quarters, sun decks with deck chairs and an alfresco dining area, and some vessels are also equipped with Jacuzzis or plunge pools. Most are also stocked with bicycles for exploring the towpaths beside the canal or venturing into the nearest village for an early morning visit to the boulangerie.
With a private charter you will have exclusive use of the vessel for the six night voyage. This includes the services of an experienced captain, chef, expert guide and hostesses to ensure that you can relax and enjoy the journey. Menus and wine lists can be tailored to your preferences – the cruise includes all meals and an open bar on board – and the chef can prepare separate meals or dishes for children if required.
Each barge follows a suggested itinerary with excursions on foot or by minibus to local points of interest from cathedrals and châteaux to vineyards and historic towns and villages. But a private charter means that you can tailor the visits to your own personal interests as well – whether that means focusing on the vineyards of Burgundy, the Loire or Alsace with included chateaux visits and tastings, taking time for guided walks in the Charolais or Scotland’s Great Glen , or perhaps including family-friendly activities such as a trip to the zoo or a go-karting experience.
Whatever your party size and wherever you chose to visit, Kirker will take care of all the arrangements, including flights (or perhaps car or train travel), transfers, and hotel accommodation before or after the cruise if required, to ensure that you have a completely hassle-free and relaxing holiday experience from start to finish.
Please note that some of the most popular barges are booked well in advance for private charters, and they are usually on sale more than a year ahead – but we may also have opportunities for last minute availability. Contact one of our experts to discuss the most suitable vessel for your requirements and plan the perfect journey.
The Barges
Hotel Barge Anjodi
Canal du midi, Southern France
A classic French barge which spends much of the year on the UNESCO World Heritage avenues of the ancient Canal du Midi, Anjodi was also the secret star of Rick Stein’s popular French Odyssey TV series, during which the chef (and his dog) explored the culinary traditions of southern France.
Hotel Barge Anjodi »
Hotel Barge Athos
Canal du midi, Southern France
Originally built as a commercial vessel to carry cargoes of sand, grain and wine, Athos now carries up to ten passengers – as well as a certain quantity of wine – in comfort on the Canal du Midi in southern France.
Hotel Barge Athos »
Hotel Barge Enchanté
Canal du midi, Southern France
This spacious double-decker hotel barge is tastefully furnished in a contemporary style, with four luxurious, air-conditioned, twin or double-bedded suites – the largest of any hotel barge on the Canal du Midi and all with en-suite shower rooms.
Hotel Barge Enchanté »
Hotel Barge La Bella Vita
Venetian Lagoon, River Po and Canal Bianco, Italy
In contrast to the former working vessels which carry passengers on the waterways of France, La Bella Vita is a purpose-built small river cruiser. She can accommodate 20 passengers in two upper deck junior suites and eight lower deck staterooms, all air-conditioned and with en-suite private bathrooms.
Hotel Barge La Bella Vita »
Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque
Burgundy, France
Based in Burgundy, La Belle Epoque was formerly a working vessel transporting lumber from this densely-wooded region up the Burgundy Canal to Paris. She now transports guests on the same canal but in considerably more comfort, with two junior suites and four staterooms offering a choice of twin or double beds and marble en-suite bathrooms.
Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque »
Hotel Barge L’Art de Vivre
Burgundy, France
L’Art de Vivre is a charming, traditional barge, which has a particularly fascinating history. Originally built in England during World War One, she served as a supply vessel for Allied troops on the Somme. In retirement, she has enjoyed a more tranquil lifestyle on one of France’s longest-established canals, the Canal du Nivernais.
Hotel Barge L’Art de Vivre »
Hotel Barge Renaissance
Upper Loire & Western Burgundy, France
One of the most luxurious hotel barges, Renaissance glides along France’s oldest canal, the Canal de Briare, which cuts a course through the Loire Valley, passing elegant chateaux, picturesque villages and the Sancerre wine region and traversing Gustav’s Eiffels’s impressive aqueduct across the Loire.
Hotel Barge Renaissance »
Hotel Barge Rosa
Bordeaux & Gascony, France
Rosa was once a Dutch “Clipper” barge, built to carry cargoes on the offshore waterways of Holland. The wide beam of these former working vessels makes them ideal for conversion into comfortable hotel barges and today Rosa navigates the canals of southwest France including Bordeaux and Gascony. She also featured alongside Anjodi in the successful television series, Rick Stein’s French Odyssey.
Hotel Barge Rosa »
Hotel Barge Spirit of Scotland
The Scottish Highlands, Scotland
The Great Glen is at the heart of Scotland and has historically linked Inverness in the northeast with Fort William to its southwest. Traverse this spectacular region on board the elegant Spirit of Scotland. A purpose built hotel barge, she has extensive public areas inside and out, that are perfect from which to admire the breathtaking Highlands scenery in comfort as she cruises the Caledonian Canal and the lochs of the Great Glen.
Hotel Barge Spirit of Scotland »
