“Overall good afternoon on the boat. However booked for 12.30 & arrived in plenty of time. The boat didn't arrive till 12.45 & the cleaning & handover was very rushed. Didn't get on the boat till 12.50 but the team were great & allowed us to return the boat at a later time so none of the experience was lost.”
Thank you for your review. We’re pleased to hear you had a good afternoon on the boat and that the team looked after you.
We’re sorry the boat was late returning and that this made the cleaning and handover feel rushed. On busy days timings can occasionally slip when a previous hire returns later than expected, but we appreciate that you arrived in plenty of time and understandably expected the boat to be ready for 12.30.
We’re glad the team extended your return time so that you didn’t lose any of your boating time, and thank you for being understanding about the slightly delayed start.
Thanks for the feedback, Margaret. We’re glad the boat suited you overall, although we understand the engine noise wasn’t for you. One of our electric day boats would be worth a try next time for a much quieter cruise, and no engine noise at all.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“Best holiday ever” is hard to beat, Sam! We’re really pleased the boat, the Broads and our team all helped make it such a good one.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“Great day out on the broads, great service and great value. I highly recommend booking in advance when the weather looks good as they get booked up very quickly during peak periods.”
Looks like you picked a great day for it, Carlie — we loved the photo, especially your four-legged crew member and the ice cream boat!
You’re quite right — sunny days can book up quickly in peak season.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
Thanks for sharing the video Renata — you certainly picked a beautiful sunny day for another family trip on the water.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
Thank you for the feedback. A friendly welcome should be part of the experience, however busy things are, so we’re sorry we fell short on this occasion. We’ll make sure your comments are passed on to the team.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
Just how we like it, Keith — straightforward from booking through to getting you on the water. We’re pleased the team looked after you well, and we hope you have a great time on the Broads.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
Coming back every year is about the best compliment we could ask for, John. It’s always a pleasure to welcome you back, and we’re really pleased the boats and the team continue to look after you well.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“We have had a full day boat hire today with Barnes Brinkcraft, we have had the best day! We couldn’t recommend the company, the boat and experience highly enough. All the staff have been so friendly and helpful, our boat was very clean, in very good condition and comfortable. I would recommend the full day and going to the abbey, it’s nice to make the most of being on the water and bring a picnic. We can’t wait to go back.”
“First off ui think the boat harmony2 was bit to expensive ,rear toilet smelly even though engineer put aload of blue stuff toilet cleaner i believe, didn't really solve the issue ,so rear accommodation was a bit a uncomfortable, we left Wroxham boat yard and opened sliding roof and it came off its runners and got stuck,so had to return to boat yard to get fixed ,so not a good start, so for price ,go for a newer boat or Broom”
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry your holiday aboard Harmony 2 didn’t get off to the best start. Things can occasionally go wrong on a boat, but we appreciate that the sliding roof coming off its runners so soon after leaving the boatyard was frustrating. We’re pleased our team was available to put it right, although we understand this wasn’t the start you expected.
We’re also sorry to hear that the smell from the rear toilet continued after our engineer attended. If a problem persists during a holiday, please do contact us again rather than continuing to put up with it. Our engineers are here to help throughout your stay and would much rather have another opportunity to investigate and resolve the problem.
We appreciate your comments about the price and condition of the boat. Harmony 2 is one of our older boats and is priced accordingly within our fleet, but every boat should still be comfortable, clean and fully operational. We’re sorry that, on this occasion, you didn’t feel it represented good value.
“Another brilliant holiday on the Broads. The only disappointment was the “guest” bed in the main cabin of the Royal Commander as it was not a bed as such, just the bench seating which could perhaps be suitable for a toddler but definitely not adequate for an adult : I did check on booking and was told it was just slightly smaller than a single bed and suitable for an adult but sadly not! However, we had a great time and was delighted with the hamper on arrival. Really good quality meats, ham and cheese amongst other things. Busy looking at other Brinkcraft boats to select our next holiday. Great company to book with, very friendly and attentive, would give 6 stars if I could!! Can’t wait for a return visit!”
Peter, it’s great to hear you had another brilliant holiday with us, and that the welcome hamper went down so well.
We’re sorry the guest bed wasn’t as you expected, particularly as you’d checked with us beforehand, and we’ll make sure your comments are passed on. Six stars is quite a compliment though — we’ll happily take that! We look forward to seeing which boat you choose for your next trip.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“We visited the Sail Loft Spinnaker 2years ago and was very excited to return this year. However this time we feel the accomodation was run down and very much needs an update. On arrival we quickly noticed a lot of dust and grit on the floors, the kitchen table was dirty and the outside garden furniture was not only broken but very dirty this was diappointing after a long journey wanting to sit down and relax. The beds are in desperate need of new mattress and protectors the strings were protruding in all the the beds. Although We know you cant control the weather we do suggest and did last year that the top floor desperately requires addition ventalation. Knowing this from last year we did bring an extra 4 fans however the ones you supplied were not only extremely dirty but less than helpful. In all bathrooms there was a distinct odor of urine. Everyone in the party mentioned this at one time. Although you dealt with my enquiry quickly we did find ourselves without hot water for most of our showers on the first day the engineer was very helpful and gave advice if the problem occured again.”
Dear Charlotte
Thank you for returning to Sail Loft Spinnaker and for taking the time to give us such detailed feedback. We’re very sorry that the property wasn’t presented to the standard you experienced previously—or the standard we expect.
From what you have described, it appears the property did not receive the thorough clean it should have before your arrival. The dusty floors, dirty table and garden furniture, unclean fans and bathroom odours are all disappointing. This is very unusual, but we do listen carefully when standards have been missed and will be addressing these points with our housekeeping team.
We’re also reviewing your comments about the mattresses and damaged garden furniture, as these maintenance issues should not have detracted from your stay.
The exceptionally warm weather clearly made the top floor uncomfortable, and we appreciate that the ventilation is limited during very hot periods. We’re particularly sorry that the fans provided were not clean or effective, especially as you had sensibly brought additional fans with you.
Finally, we apologise for the hot-water problem on your first day. We’re pleased our engineer responded promptly and was able to advise you, but we appreciate this caused further inconvenience at the start of your holiday.
Having stayed with us before, you know this isn’t our usual standard. We would genuinely like the opportunity to welcome you back and provide the experience you should have received this time. As a further apology, we’d be pleased to arrange a special offer should you decide to give us another try. Please contact Sara at **[sara@barnesbrinkcraft.com](mailto:sara@barnesbrinkcraft.com)**, and she will be happy to arrange the details personally.
We’re genuinely sorry that your return visit did not live up to the happy memories of your previous stay, and we appreciate you bringing these matters to our attention.
All the Best
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“The boat was acceptable except the toilet smelled. It would have been intolerable if we had needed to sit in the cabin but the weather was fine and we were outside.
The instructions for using the boat was very brief and hurried.
On return there was no signage to direct us to the correct mooring off the main river and we had to moor elsewhere and find a member of staff. Jack was very helpful and took over and drove us to the correct place in the boatyard.”
Hi Maurrice
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry the handover felt brief and hurried, and we’ll pass this on to the day boat team. We’re pleased Jack was able to help and guide you back to the correct mooring.
For anyone reading this review, directions for returning to the day boat yard are included in the booking confirmation email, so it’s worth keeping this handy during your trip.
The toilet is flushed using river water, which can occasionally cause an unpleasant smell. Giving it an additional flush will often help, although we appreciate this wasn’t ideal during your day out.
“Website not easy to use on a phone. Page kept saying no boats available. Booked via ipad although for some reason charged £10 more than advertised. Boat yard easy to find. Free parking a bonus. We arrived early but a boat was available and we were able to set off straight away. We were given very little instruction so were glad that we had watched all the videos and downloaded the app although no signal in parts. We had a very enjoyable few hours. Some areas of water busier than others.”
Hi Jane, we’re glad you enjoyed your few hours on the Broads and that we could get you underway a little earlier than planned.
We are working on making the mobile booking experience easier at the moment, so your feedback is useful. The headline prices shown for each boat are “from” prices, and as we’re currently in peak season, some dates will cost a little more. We’ll also pass on your comments about the handover, as we want everyone to feel properly prepared before setting off.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“The good bits, the website was quick and easy to use, the reception was friendly and the paperwork minimal which I liked. The only part I thought could have been better was the pre-departure brief. I would have liked more info about basic troubleshooting and what to try first before calling the Barnes Brickcraft helpline.”
Dear Abraham
Thank you for your feedback. We’re pleased you found the website easy to use and that the welcome and paperwork were straightforward.
Your comments about the pre-departure briefing are particularly useful, as this is an area we are currently reviewing. We do provide a skipper’s handbook covering many of the basics, but we appreciate that it may not answer every practical “what should I try first?” question.
We’d be very grateful if you could let us know which troubleshooting information you felt was missing, or what situations you would have liked covered before departure. You can contact me directly at sara@barnesbrinkcraft.com.
This would really help us improve both our briefings and the information we provide to future customers.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience.
Yours sincerely
Sara Thwaites
“We had hired Brinkes Sunshine boat, the boat was so good - very easy to drive, spacious for 5 people and clean.
We loved the option of two shelter covers as we had a baby with us, they really helped … we also enjoyed the Sun by keeping the roof open. Had a lovely time!”
It sounds like Sun Shine worked really well for your family, Manjula. Having the choice of covers is particularly handy with a little one onboard — shade when you need it, then open them up when you want to enjoy the sunshine.
We’re really pleased you all had such a lovely day.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
That’s great to hear, Matt. We’re pleased everything was straightforward from booking to getting out on the water, and that the boat was just right for your day on the Broads.
We’ll pass your kind words on to the team.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“We stayed at main sail right opposite the reception. We had an amazing holiday and have already booked to go again next year just after our wedding. The house was beautiful, staff welcoming and the area beautiful. It was lovely to sit and watch the boats and swans go by while you eat breakfast or have your morning coffee. Definitely a place for all ages”
Thanks Zoe, the photos are great — it looks like you really made the most of that riverside setting. Morning coffee while the boats and swans drift past is a pretty good way to start the day.
We’re delighted you’ve already booked to stay again, and what a lovely place to come back to after your wedding. We’ll look forward to welcoming you next year.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
“My wife and I took our daughter and our two grandchildren for two hours on a Brinklet. Everyone was very helpful and the boat was easy to steer. The river and broads near Wroxham offer a nice variety and we had a very pleasant couple of hours.”
It sounds like a lovely way to spend a couple of hours together, Robert. We’re pleased Brinklet was easy to get to grips with and that the whole family enjoyed exploring the waterways around Wroxham.
All the best,
The Team at Barnes Brinkcraft
