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Inner Dowsing Lightship

3.0 star property
Guests start their day with a continental breakfast while enjoying the convenience of self parking at this unique accommodation aboard a historic lightship

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Photo gallery for Inner Dowsing Lightship

Sundeck - Inner Dowsing Lightship (Rochester)
Traditional Apartment, Ensuite, Marina View | Living area | 32-inch Smart TV with digital channels - Inner Dowsing Lightship (Rochester)
Exterior - Inner Dowsing Lightship (Rochester)
Superior Double Room, Ensuite, Marina View | Free WiFi, bed sheets - Inner Dowsing Lightship (Rochester)
Traditional Apartment, Ensuite, Marina View | Living area | 32-inch Smart TV with digital channels - Inner Dowsing Lightship (Rochester)
Travelers aboard the Inner Dowsing Lightship receive a warm welcome and continental breakfast each morning. The vessel offers practical amenities including WiFi and laundry services, with tranquil surroundings that provide a peaceful retreat after a day of exploration.

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Laundry

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 3 of 3 rooms

View all photos for Superior Double Room, Ensuite, Marina View

Superior Double Room, Ensuite, Marina View | Free WiFi, bed sheets

Superior Double Room, Ensuite, Marina View

8.8 out of 10
Excellent
(6 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Smart TV
Heating
Portable fan
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Coffee/tea maker
  • Marina view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Classic Double Room, Ensuite, Marina View

Classic Double Room, Ensuite, Marina View | Free WiFi, bed sheets

Classic Double Room, Ensuite, Marina View

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(4 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Smart TV
Portable fan
Heating
Hair dryer
Shower/tub combination
Private bathroom
Coffee/tea maker
  • Marina view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Traditional Apartment, Ensuite, Marina View

Traditional Apartment, Ensuite, Marina View | Free WiFi, bed sheets

Traditional Apartment, Ensuite, Marina View

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Separate dining area
Separate sitting area
Heating
Kitchenette
Refrigerator
Smart TV
Portable fan
Separate bedroom
  • Marina view
  • 50 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 2 Large Twin Sofa Beds

About the neighborhood

Located in Rochester, Inner Dowsing Lightship is in the historical district. Leeds Castle is a notable landmark, and travelers looking to shop may want to visit Bluewater Shopping Centre and Lakeside Shopping Centre. The Vines Park and Diggerland are also worth visiting. Visit our Rochester travel guide
View more Guest Houses in Rochester
Map
Inner Dowsing Lightship, Medway Bridge Marina, Manor Lane, Rochester, England, ME1 3HS

What's nearby

  • The view of Rochester Cathedral from the castle window😊
    Rochester Castle
    3 min drive - 1.7 miles
  • beautiful cathedral and important Norman castle out of shot, in the middle of a quaint small city steeped in history with plenty of nice cafes and restaurants
    Rochester Cathedral
    3 min drive - 1.7 miles
  • Dickens' Swiss Chalet
    3 min drive - 1.3 miles
  • Diggerland
    3 min drive - 1.7 miles
  • The Vines Park
    4 min drive - 1.7 miles

Getting around

  • Chatham Station
    6 min drive
  • London (SEN-Southend)
    70 min drive

Restaurants

  • The Dig Inn
    8 min drive
  • McDonald's
    10 min drive
  • The Man of Kent
    4 min drive
  • Beantown Coffee
    3 min drive
  • The George
    5 min drive

About this property

Inner Dowsing Lightship

Guesthouse in the historical district
Inner Dowsing Lightship provides laundry facilities and more. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
  • Free self parking
Room features
All guestrooms at Inner Dowsing Lightship have comforts such as free WiFi and free bottled water.
Extra amenities include:
  • Heating and portable fans
  • Free tea bags/instant coffee and electric kettles
  • Bathrooms with shower/tub combinations and hair dryers
  • 32-inch Smart TVs with digital channels

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • In-room WiFi speed: 25+ Mbps
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free secured self parking on site

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities

Guest services

  • Change of bedsheets (on request)
  • Change of towels on request
  • Housekeeping (on request)

Accessibility

  • No elevator

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 32-inch smart TV with digital channels

Food and drink

  • Electric kettle
  • Free bottled water
  • Tea bags/instant coffee

More

  • Heating
  • Portable fan

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

There is no front desk at this property
The host will greet guests on arrival
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Host will greet you

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and debit cards; cash is not accepted

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Property is also known as

Inner Dowsing Lightship Rochester
Inner Dowsing Lightship Bed & breakfast
Inner Dowsing Lightship Bed & breakfast Rochester

Frequently asked questions

Is Inner Dowsing Lightship pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Inner Dowsing Lightship?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 10:00 PM. After-hours check-in is not available.

What time is check-out at Inner Dowsing Lightship?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Inner Dowsing Lightship located?

Situated in the historical district, this guesthouse is within 2 mi (3 km) of Dickens' Swiss Chalet, The Vines Park, and Rochester Cathedral. Rochester Castle and Restoration House are also within 2 mi (3 km).

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Reviews

Inner Dowsing Lightship Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

9.8

Cleanliness

9.6

Amenities

9.8

Staff & service

9.6

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 30 out of 38 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 38 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 38 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 38 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 38 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Dylan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
lovely location view and friendly check in
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

8/10 Good

Gary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A lovely place to stay,great views looking down Medway,can be a bit noisy from motorway bridge nearby,really needs to offer breakfast as its not cheap just for a bed but staying on an old boat looking down the Medway and Rochester makes the price more bearable.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Amy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Surrounding wasn't that great but its a working harbor, beautiful boat. Quite and chilled if we are down that way we will definitely go back.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Recommend!!

Very nice stay on this lovely boat! My parents had one of the double rooms and myself and the kids had the apartment. We were made very welcome by the owners. The boat was well equipped and beautifully decorated. The kids also loved that there was a basketball hoop & football goal they could use. Everyone was happy.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Absolutely amazing and unique stay, the view, the comfort and the history of the ship were all genuinely wonderful. We arrived on the hottest day of the year so far and the lovely hosts kindly ungraded us to the much larger self catering accommodation as this was much cooler and was much appreciated! Everything was just amazing!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rosemary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Unique and special historical accomodation,great ,ication and fine hosts
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Judith

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The owners were very welcoming and the boat was a lovely experience that we hope to repeat in the near future. Breakfast was delicious and served with a happy smile.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Steve

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Amazing

We had a lovely stay, great place, really nice views and really nice host. Great breakfast too.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Terence

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Unique place

Unique place to stay. Owners were both very friendly and helpful. Breakfast was very good.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ben

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Simply beautiful, as a native to the area and someone who has worked in multiple hotels in the area I have to say that this was a refreshing surprise and the entire family enjoyed their stay. From the unique setting to the warm hospitality shown by the owners, not to mention the amazing breakfast, it was a beautiful stay in a beautiful setting with comfort to equal the views. We cannot wait to come back again!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

P

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

A Delightful find

Very helpful check in.Good breakfast in an interesting location.A piece of history.Close to a good local pub and a nice walk into town
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Angela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Very cosy and warm, steep steps up to room and parking a few minutes walk away. A wonderful view to wake up to overlooking the river Medway. No breakfast inc and it’s not clear reading the other reviews, I think it’s overpriced without breakfast. We enjoyed our stay but I wouldn’t stay here again unfortunately. If you are a light sleeper noisy traffic in the background also. The host was friendly.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Victor

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely accommodation. Very lovely hosts. Very good breakfast . Comfy bed. Unfortunately close to M2 bridge and rail line. Relaxing with constant back ground noise . And i would say not in a marina more a boat yard. Not a problem for us but need to be aware very steep stairs to upper deck.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kevin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Unique & Great Location!

We had a warm welcome from the moment that we got there. The room was so bright with windows/doors down to sides of the room. All that yoj would need. A lovely sun deck to to relax on and enjoy the late summer sun. Location for Rochester City center & surrounding area was spot on. In the morning the continental breakfast was really good to start the day.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Feel of the Med on the Medway 😎

What a treat staying on a boat! Well worth it. So glad we chose this place. At a marina so a little out of the way. Lovely food at The White Horse Borstal. Hope to return. Need to have reasonable mobility because of steps and hill up to the pub. Jeremy and family were great hosts. We hope to return soon. Thanks for your hospitality. The breakfast was superb.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Juliette

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had a such a wonderful time on this beautiful family run boat. My husband and I stayed in the comfort quadruple room with our two young boys aged 6 and 8 to explore Diggerland and Rochester a few minutes away. We were even able to spend a day at Port Lympne Safari an hour' drive during the half-term break. Jeremy and his wife were so warm and hospitable and every little detail on the boat is exceptional. We looked forward to the fresh breakfasts every morning from croissants, pastries, breads, yoghurts, fresh fruit and best of all themed pancakes what the boys loved. Thank you for a memorable stay!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

6/10 Okay

Alessandra

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

Disappointing

The houseboat is located in a marina which looks a bit rundown, a car is absolutely necessary to go to Rochester or any other nearby village. The owners have been renovating the property for the past few years and indeed our room was nicely decorated and clean. Unfortunately though the boathouse is located next to a highway bridge and the noise is just unbearable. We booked our room in November 2024 for a stay in July 2025 on a B&B basis. At our greatest surprise we were told that they no longer serve breakfast but that they would get back to us after our departure to agree on a partial refund. They never did. We contacted Hotels.com and instead of helping out they simply said they could not get hold of the owners… So we ended up paying 135€ for a one night stay without breakfast (extremely expensive for a room only rate) and had to go to Rochester and pay an additional 23£ to have breakfast! That was deeply disappointing. If the owners had decided to no longer serve breakfast they should have informed Hotels.com and the incoming customers and have the latter decide whether they wanted to keep their reservation. As simple as that. Hospitality is after all a profession…
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Yip Shing

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
An extraordinary experience to live in a historical boat which was built in 1839.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Almuth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was really very nice, thank you very much
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Martin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Exceptional accommodation

Delightful and unique stay and great setting for visiting the surrounding area. you can visit Hever castle, Rochester, Reculver fort and Canterbury Marlowe theatre. Hosts very helpful and welcoming. Highly recommend
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nick

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely, unique location and host was amazing
Stayed 1 night in May 2024

8/10 Good

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I know the area really well, as I used to live nearby. The surrounding area doesn’t have a great deal to do, but if you have a car there’s plenty of choice within a few miles. I was visiting my mother, and wasn’t looking for entertainment. Fancied staying on a boat, which was good Amazing river views, especially the first night as it was 33c and beautiful to sit outside on the deck area. .
Evening views.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cristina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved the experience! The host was terrific.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Alvyn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The property is very different to a hotel I would say quirky very unique being the last wooden hull lightship remaining Very friendly owners who live on board warm and cosy when blowing a gale as it did when we stayed Difficult to find in the dark needs more signage to direct you
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lisa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful find. Very impressed, everything was perfect. The room was amazing, especially waking up to the views in the sunshine. Everything we needed and the room was spotless. All the little details have been thought of. The breakfast was yummy and the owners very friendly. We even had a text the evening we arrived asking us what time we would like breakfast and the options available. Such a lovely personal touch. Will definitely go back and recommend to others.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024