Reviews by guests

Ahoy ship mates, I transfered these comments from Eviivo & Trip adviser and put them on my blogg for all to see......I am so pleased everyone seems to be very happy with the services offered. Apologies if I seem to be bragging.

My girls are off to China

Ahoy Followers

Two of my four daughters (Camillia 23 & Natalie 22) are off to China on Sunday to teach English through TEFL for 4.5 months and are coming back to join me in running the business.

Whilst in China they will be based in Beijing and are so excited I think they are going to burst! I am looking on it as their time, a time to create their memories before settling down to the grind of a full-time working life. I never got the opportunity to travel and regret that to some extent (still, it's never too late!)

We will be in constant contact via Skype and all sorts of modern technology so I will be able to keep a close(ish!) eye on them. Their younger sisters will miss them terribly but it's not forever. I may just run them up multi-coloured coats for their return. he! he!

I'll keep you posted on their progress.

Skipper Cam

The Four Sisters update 11 August'10

Ahoy from Skipper Cam!

I've just been looking through trip advisor at all the lovely comments my previous guests have been posting about their stay on board the Four Sisters and I'm delighted to have a current rating of 4.3, which makes all my hard work seem worthwhile.

I always do my own 'meet and greet' as I love to see the reaction from my guests when they board for the first time, which is generally 'Wow!' or 'OMG!.

We've recently had a new addition to our crew, having lost our darling Hamish last November after 14 faithful years. His name is Chester and he's a Cockapoo! [a new breed of cocker spaniel/poodle]. I'm sure you'll agree from the photos that he's
adorable!

It's festival time at the moment and we're very busy but still have some vacancies from September onwards.

Catch up again soon.

Kind regards from rainy Edinburgh!
Skipper Cam

We're in the height of the season now and all is well. All except the engine again. Derek, my life saving engineer has told me I have an oil spill, (not quite as big as BP, but may as well be when you don't know where it's coming from!). Had to go into the engine room and clean it with a tooth brush!!! What a job!

Hi from Skipper Cam!

I have 4 daughters, hence the name of my boatel, 'The Four Sisters'.

The idea came to me in 2007: I was looking to semi retire from the Hotel, Guest House and Youth Hostel trade, but wanted to keep my finger on the pulse.

One day I was walking my elderly westie, Hamish [may he rest in peace] along the canal looking at the wildlife and the boats, when I realised that the barges were really just like floating caravans; self sufficient, cosy and comfortable. I used to have a static caravan at Pease Bay on the East coast of Scotland when my children were younger and we spent many happy times there; and I began to imagine having a huge caravan parked in Edinburgh city Centre with everything right on my doorstep.

I'd recently been on a short break to Amsterdam and had admired and envied the fact that the Houseboats and Boatels were so central and everything you could want was right at your doorstep. With a kitchen to prepare your own meals, what a saving, as dining out three times a day cost an absolute fortune!

From that moment everything just slotted into place in my mind. What if I had a boat built to my own specifications that I could rent out on a self-catering basis?

I didn't want to go with the traditional houseboat style of wood burning stove and horse brasses, I wanted sleek and modern. I intended the Four Sisters to be a very comfortable retreat in the heart of Edinburgh City Centre aimed at the discerning guest.

I commissioned the boat to be built with two double cabins, kids bunk beds, shower room and as big a lounge and kitchen as was possible.

In the meantime I took my skippers licence examination and passed in November 2008 at the Seagull Trust in Falkirk: a proud day indeed!

The Four Sisters ended up being 55 feet long by 11 feet wide, with 6' 4" of headroom, which is a monster by comparison to your average narrow boat commonly seen on the British Canal system.

By July 2008 she was ready for delivery from a company in Wiltshire, just outside Brighton. I craned her carcass off the low loader into the Union Canal at Sighthill in Edinburgh and that's when I first fell in love.

The interior work started in earnest. I had her lined in light oak and floored with 20 mm solid oak and then I set about fitting out her interior.

The black high gloss galley kitchen has an electric oven and grill and a gas four ring hob, fridge, freezer [with copious amount of free ice], microwave and slow cooker are at your disposal. There are ample utensils, crockery, serving dishes and cutlery. A complementary hot refreshment tray is there for your use while on board.

I had comfortable double beds built into both of the cabins and children's bunk beds built into the recess opposite the shower room.

For the shower room I didn't want a caravan/boat WC, I wanted porcelain furniture with an on board system. I wanted a stone shower tray and not a shower curtain but a screen. All of these things had to be specially made to fit the limited space available. The wash hand basin is cute but small. I have not tried to miniaturise anything on board. The shower tray is 24" square, small but very adequate.

Eco toiletries are supplied along with all linen, towels and 2 towelling robes.

As you'll see from the photo, I painted most of the exterior of the Four Sisters myself. She took six coats of paint and it was extremely hard work. I'm still trying to decide if I want to add further artwork, or just keep her plain apart from the information panels.

I won't say we haven't had our share of teething troubles, but The Four Sisters has been worth every sleepless night!

Welcome to the Four Sisters News Pages

The luxurious Four Sisters Boatel is berthed in the heart of Edinburgh, just minutes from Princes Street, Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile.

She is a permanently moored wide-beamed barge measuring 55 ft by 10 ft 6" sleeping up to 4 adults and 2 children, tucked away in the Lochrin Basin and accessed via Lower Gilmore Place at Tollcross.

The Four Sisters Boatel offers excellent self-catering accommodation for your sole use, making it a superb base for exploring the delights Edinburgh has to offer.

Please come back and view our latest news and offers.

We are looking forward to hearing from you and meeting you.

Skipper Cam