Jason and Dawn’s top five tips for would be a hotel barge owners:
1. It is essential that you start with a good platform, that means the right barge. 30 meters long enables you to cruise anywhere in Europe. It also gives you the space for your guests to have ample accommodation with en suite facilities. A boat of this length gives you good deck space which very important to allow guests to capture the beauty of the French countryside from the boat.
2. You must be prepared to work long hours. Whilst we only cruise in the summer those long hours go right through the year.
3. You must hold key positions on the barge. Handing over the cooking and piloting means you’re at the mercy of the crew so you need to be in the two most important positions as owners: Captain and Chef.
4. Language. Running a business in France, dealing with the bureaucracy and the minutiae of French law, a good grasp of French will be invaluable, or you must have at least a willing interest to learn.
5. A good accountant. Make no mistake this can make or break you. We were stung in the beginning of our business by a lazy and inefficient accountant, who also gave bad advice to make things worse. After finding a good accountant, we have seen massive beneficial differences in our business. Do your homework to find the right accountant for you.
Bon Voyages!
Jason and Dawn can be found at www.charterbarge.com
See Dawn's delicious recipe for salmon croissant - perfect for snacks and parties on page 90