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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)
Traditional Apartment, Ensuite, Marina View | Living area | 32-inch Smart TV with digital channels - Inner Dowsing Lightship (Rochester)
Superior Double Room, Ensuite, Marina View | Free WiFi, bed sheets - Inner Dowsing Lightship (Rochester)
Exterior - 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

9.6 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

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(7 reviews)
  • 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
(5 reviews)
  • Marina view
  • 1 bedroom
  • 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)
  • 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

  • Rochester Castle
    Rochester Castle
    5 min drive - 2.5 miles
  • Rochester Cathedral
    Rochester Cathedral
    5 min drive - 2.5 miles
  • Dickens' Swiss Chalet
    3 min drive - 1.3 miles
  • The Vines Park
    5 min drive - 2.3 miles
  • Hollywood Bowl Rochester
    6 min drive - 3.3 miles

Getting around

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

Restaurants

  • McDonald's
    10 min drive
  • The Man of Kent
    4 min drive
  • Turkuaz Rochester
    10 min drive
  • The Granville Arms
    4 min drive
  • White Hart
    10 min drive

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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

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).

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Inner Dowsing Lightship Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

9.8

Cleanliness

9.4

Amenities

9.8

Staff & service

9.6

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 34 out of 42 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 42 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 42 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 42 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 42 reviews

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dylan

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

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Peter

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely place to stay
Stayed 1 night in May 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Julian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Excellent quirky B&B with all the essentials. Very highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Clare

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
The whole property was spotless and had everything we needed
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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
Verified

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