I rented a boat for 2 hours to go on the river with my children. They were really good and I will…read moredefinitely use them again. Upon arriving the manager was really friendly and could not have been more helpful. I did not have the feeling of any schedule for other things he had to do, even we were only renting for 2 hours, there were other customers and it was probably a busy day for them. The service was quick, efficient and no one was left waiting. He took us out on the boat and showed us what to do, recommended a route and all went well. It is a lovely part of the river as is most of the Thames in that part of the world. My children were a bit nervous as it was their first time on a boat like this and so we came back early. Chertsey Meads Marine Hire were understanding and accommodating, we did not feel silly in any way. On entering the place there are old vehicles, loads of boats, engines and other things all over the place, this is a proper boatyard and not an amusement theme park. The people working there seems to be proper experienced boating people. The boat was not new, it was not passed it either, but certainly well used. The cushions were perfectly clean, the rest of the boat not that clean but still fine. However it was a strong boat probably meant to the massive use that comes with boat rentals, it seemed totally reliable and felt totally secure which to me is what mattered. I was very happy with it There were many other customers, all seeming really happy, having a good time and enjoying the boats. On a great sunny day in that part of London on the river, it would be hard not to. I hope to return again soon.

meny happy days spent on you. sorry to see you go .read more

The highlight of our London trip so far was exclusive service we received on the Thames Limo! What…read morea beautiful boat, spectacular service and great commentary from our captain, who kept us in stitches with his funny historical stories of different landmarks we passed on the river. My niece had the most spectacular 16th birthday, that she said she will never forget thanks to this amazing charter boat service. We especially loved the union jack painted on the sides that made for some great photos to take back home with us. The interior was spectacular too with white leather tufted couches. Highly recommend it, especially for a special occasion.

What a beautiful and romantic way to see London! We literally got the royal treatment, sipping…read morechampagne on this exquisite boat during the Queen's jubilee. Everything on this charter was first class. Certainly worth the splurge! Thank you captain Phil!

I went on an excellent stag weekend and we went wreck fishing on the first day with these guys…read more I've done a fair bit of sea fishing and they can be a bit ropey but this trip was so well organised and all of the equipment was really modern and in good condition. Surprisingly there's a lot of pollack, cod, and bass to be had above some of the many boat wrecks scattered around the Sussex Coast. We paid around £50 per head for our trip and I think it was worth every penny. You get to keep some of what you catch which is always a bonus!

My friends Steve, Terry and I decided to spend a day floating down the Thames and go to Richmond…read moreand just enjoy the summer day. We bought our tickets from at the ticket booth at Hampton Court located on the River Thames just across the Thames from the Big London Eye and directly across the street from Big Ben. If you have a Travel Card which is a daily travel pass, you can receive a 30% discount. Our 1100 departure came and went but eventully this smal boat arrived and docked closer to 1115am. The three person crew were very friendly, welcomed us aboard and off we went. We were lucky enough to be on The Connaught, a vintage ship from the Edwardian times celebrating her 99th year plying the Thames; fortunately, her engine and crew were not that old! This ship has an open deck up front as well as in the back but if you want to stay out of the wind and cool breezes there is a large covered area below with windows, tables and chairs and a bar! We became very friendly with the bar tender buying several pints of beer. The captain of the Connaught gave commentary along the way which was nice but he also just let us enjoy the peace and quiet to enjoy the beauty of the Thames. Immediately upon our departure, I realized how the Thames slices through Central London and winds its way through the city. If you are a Planespotter, you'll love this trip too because we pretty much followed the landing and take off patterns of London's Heathrow airport; we were lucky enough to be under Emirates new A380 from Dubai as it made its final approach to LHR, the wingspan seemed to dwarf that of the 747-400!. We passed many old buildings on the banks of the Thames, what were once loading dock areas of the past have been converted to very trendy lofts offering excellent views of the Thames. I especially liked the numerous bridges that we sailed underneath, some were built over 100 years ago and still operating! Each one seemed to have it's own personality, I would take this tour again just to see the bridges. As we continued closer to Richmond the city of London left us and the countryside welcomed us, lots of weeping willow trees on the banks, rustic flowers blooming in the late summer season and large estates began to appear with very large back yards and private launches for their own boats; that's the life! Eventually we arrived at the first lock we needed to get through to enter the next section of the Thames. If you have cruised through the Panama Canal you will understand how this works, this was a miniature version but using the same engineering. Within 10-15minutes we had risen about 8-10feet, the lock in front of us was opened and we continued on our way to Kew. On this trip we did not leave the Connaught at Kew but I highly recommend going to Kew Gardens, they are absolutely beautiful and the conservatory has one of the best displays of Orchids I have seen. We picked up a few more customers and left for Richmond. At this point we were truly in the country and there's nothing to do but just sit back and enjoy the gentle motion of the ship, take in the sunshine, have a sip of your beer and be thankful for a wonderful day. We arrived in beautiful Richmond, many restaurants and pubs along the river and incase you don't want to take the ship back to London there is a train that will whisk you back to Waterloo station in just 25minutes. I truly enjoyed this trip and recommend it for anyone who is visiting, traveling by boat/ship beats riding the underground anyday.

We had spent a very nice morning at Hampton Court Palace, enjoying a picnic in the sun until about…read more3.00pm when we decided to take a river boat ride back into Central London for our train home. We boarded our river boat just beside Hampton Court Palace and were heading back to Westminster Pier. I did take a seat under the awning for the trip as it was a blazing hot day and am glad I did. The journey back to Westminster Pier took 3 hours, but only made a few stops along the way. Those that sat up top predictably got quite sunburnt. The most picturesque part of the route is from Hampton Court, through the river as far as Barnes and Mortlake. You can see some beautiful properties which lie beside the banks of the river and it's extremely pretty. Once you are past Putney, it's mainly a few parks and office buildings, but the journey itself is very pleasant, relaxing and a great chance to chat with friends, have a beer/wine or whatever and just relax.

09/12/17 This is the…read morePier of the boats that go from London to Greenwich. The pier is clean and employee's are super friendly. Once you leave this pier you will enter Greenwich and see the stunning views of the Naval college and plenty of museums. Some of the museums are free some are not. When you want to return to London just return to the pier with your purchased ticket and you'll be on your way back.

There's really nothing much to say about the pier itself. Its pretty straightforward as piers go…read more But it is the gateway to the amazing area of Greenwich. When you arrive by boat, you get some stunning views of the Naval college. There are plenty of free museums in this area and a couple of which need to be paid for. The boat may seem like a more expensive way to travel to Greenwich, but its a good experience and worth trying at least once.

The Fat Swan, your first port of call for luxury cruising on the River Thames in Reading 0700…read more349 6713 info@thefatswan.co.uk Come aboard The Fat Swan and enjoy a decadent boat cruise. We are a grand party boat that is a great venue for hosting an array of special events to be celebrated on the Thames. The Fat Swan is decked out with luxurious fixtures and fittings and she is ideal for those looking to celebrate in style The Fat Swan is ideal for formal and informal events, unique parties, business meetings, corporate events, afternoon and evening cruising . We provide the highest standards and best value for money when it comes to parties on the Thames

This is a real gem of a restaurant. The food is just excellent and cooked with obvious skill and…read morecare. It is a wonder that they manage to combine that with very reasonable prices and hearty portions. Today I had the smoked fish platter for starter (three large pieces of assorted fish), the lamb rump medallions (four chargrilled pieces with au poivre sauce) for main and lemon sorbet for dessert. Every element spoke of real, honest cooking skills. It's quality you would normally struggle to find at any City restaurant and for only about £25 including wine and coffee it was such a find.

I had the party menu for 15 guests - three courses plus tea or coffee with mints after. Food was…read moreamazing, staff polite and helpful. I would really recommend this restaurant