Herbert Woods Reviews 175

Boat was filthy and covered in cobwebs and bugs; the toilets didn’t work and were leaking foul water, surrounded in pee and poo. The shower didn’t drain so we couldn’t wash it away nor could we wash ourselves. Waited for an engineer to fix it, hours lost on our holiday, on for it not to be fixed!
Boat was leaking, dripping, the smell of the toilets ran through the boat making it unbearable, only for them not to sort it.

Sent in a “feedback” form which is a complaint apparently but after reading reviews I am not hopeful of any sort of outcome.

Not even completed our holiday and was disappointed before we even set foot on the boat. Arrived at the boat early to see them taping one of the back bedroom windows up. Obviously bodging a leak up as it was raining at the time. Proceeded to reception to be greeted with very poor customer service when informing them. The first staff member looked as us gone out and said she didn't know what to do but said I'm sure they are sorting it out. Was told shortly after the boat was ready. Window still taped up. Reported back to reception and asked to speak to someone else who said yes they've done it. When asking how he just said I don't know but I'm sure they have if they said they have. Got on the boat and found it had just been taped up. 4 days into the holiday the toilet wouldn't pump to work. Rang the 24 hour service number to report it and ask them to come out to repair. Got told it wasn't an emergency as we had another toilet. Yes we do have another toilet on board, but we wasn't able to pump the brown water out of the toilet as the pump leaver wouldn't work so was left with brown unhygienic smelling water , I can only imagine is contaminated unhygienic water. This had been present in all toilets on both the boats we paid for , and looked like they hadn't even been emptied from after the boat was used previously to us. As for the cleanliness of the boat, I dont think either boat had seen a cloth and clean soapy water or a dust pan and brush. The lino flooring was sticky and all coming up and uneven in the kitchen area, and bits of gravel and dust everywhere. The sofa when we wiped it turned the wipes black. Customer service is only helpful when it involves them taking your money at point of booking. Will not use this boat company a 2nd time.

Cannot recommend this company at all.

We booked Glow of Light for a few days over the Easter holiday for myself partner and granddaughter. On arrival at the boatyard the welcome was friendly enough but the boat itself was tired and grubby and it was obvious the pictures on the website had been taken several years previously.

The boats interior was tired, the windows inside the main area were covered in mould inside but after the initial less than thorough training we set off to find a mooring for the evening. The first evening was a nightmare, the boat had a sliding canopy which didn’t seal allowing the wind to blow through the cabin making it very cold. The heating was inadequate and we spend the evening sat in our hats and coats to keep warm. After a disturbed nights sleep we headed back to the boatyard but rather than look to resolve the problems, the receptionist just told us to write and complain. We did this but they are now hiding behind their terms and conditions stating we should have rung their 24 hour support line rather than head back to the boatyard.

They totally ruined our Easter holiday break and I would suggest anyone looking to book a holiday on the Broads choose a different company.

Almost 1/3 of all reviews on TA are average or worse , says it all. Unfortunately we rate them as awful, it terms of boat ( everything wrong with it, filthy , leaky ( not just condensation) unreliable ,unsafe and unhygienic. Staff are unhelpful, rude and obnoxious as if they believe working in a Norfolk boat yard demonstrates superiority.. really?? Love the broads and will be back , will just use one of the many better quality boat hire companies ( you embarrassingly pass on the rivers) next time

Another excellent stay in Broadlands, our 4th stay here in the last 5 years and would highly recommend staying in this riverside bungalow. It’s very spacious, a great shower cubicle and a well equipped dining kitchen. It’s comfortable, clean and warm but most of all the riverside views from the kitchen and lounge are fabulous. Must mention the well improved Wi-Fi too. And last but not least the Herbert Woods team on reception and the staff who manage the day boats are exceptional, professional, courteous and always a warm welcome. Thank you team Herbert Woods and see you next year.
Pete & Eunice

i luv u mr percel herbet u r my faveirut techer

o herberttttt
my love

We arrived for our second holiday of the year with Herbert woods on Boxing day and we stayed in the lovely Swallowtail apartment which is located in the main tower. We were welcomed into a warm, cosy and beautifully clean apartment and to top it off there was a fully decorated Christmas tree waiting for us in the main living area. We had amazing views over the marina and my partner and Son spent a lot of time on the river or in the marina fishing. The last time we stayed at Herbert woods we stayed in Mallard cottage in April which was also amazing but the WiFi didn't work, we were promised this was being sorted, it most certainly was sorted and the WiFi was brilliant. Well Done Herbert woods definitely 5 stars from us.

DO NOT USE HERBERT WOODS OR WATERWAYS TO GO ON THE NORFOLK BROADS
We explained at the time of booking that there were 3 disabled persons on board & needed wide doors entering the boat so we could fit 2 mobility scooters in, we expressed that stairs were an issue, you gave us a boat with two very high steps leading to a very narrow low door then two more steps getting into the gally kitchen then a steep step to the living area then two steps to the bottom bedroom this was not acceptable my wife Julie had two falls one stepping out of the boat struggling to get up the high step & falling backwards hurting her head shoulder and back, she suffers from Arthritis in her whole body and has major problems with her hips knees ankles and spine she also suffers from clinical depression & has anxiety issues, the second fall was going onto the boat & due to the wet slippery steps she slipped down the stairs hurting herself again, this proved to be a great deal of stress as she was unable to get on and off the boat, John also struggled as he has just finished 6 months of radiation therapy following cancer, his legs & spine were put under a huge struggle getting on& off the boat,I myself was restricted as I cannot climb stairs. There was a boat next to us at potter higham with sliding doors no steps & a larger living space at a cheaper price that would have been ideal & more practical to our needs on booking you assured us the boat you gave was disability friendly this was very far from the truth.Once we set of we instantly noticed a terrible smell, also a huge crack in the toilet, we arrived at Richardson's as we couldn't cope with the stench any longer who pumped us out for £20 and advised us that it hadn't been done at potter higham we had to stop to use other facilities very unhygienic Herbert Woods had never helped us here's your map off you go we travelled around in circles Richardson's helped us out they drew us a route on the map but for 4 days we hadn't a clue where we were going it was extremely stressful my wife had a panic attack, this was not the welcome from the staff we expected not at all.Middle bathroom tray wouldn't empty & overflowed Herbert Woods came on board to check it out said that they had fixed it, but hadn't we couldn't use the middle shower No window screen wipers there was a switch for them but they weren't there we were stuck at a wild mooring place where we couldn't get of the boat as it was pitch black raining heavily & the wind was howling we couldn't go anywhere as we couldn't see out of the window it would have been extremely dangerous, a boat crashed into us sending us all flying there were no lights on the boat very dangerous
There were leaks all over the boat it rained twice all day and throughout the night the upholstery was soaked my wife who had to sleep in the living area as the bed was too high due to her crippling arthritis in her hips and spine problems could not get on the bed as it was very high, she her bedding pillows towels everything got soaked the boat was like a sieve Richardson's said they would never send a boat out in this condition they were as we were appalled.Why when you knew the condition of this boat did you think it was acceptable to let four inexperienced person's sale away in this very dangerous boat
There were holes everywhere especially where the cover was to attach it didn't fix in properly there was tissue paper stuffed in the windows at the front & down the side where the canopy was meant to attach to the boat it didn't hence more rain gushing in & wind constantly coming through except for the 3 days of good weather thankfully.Found curtains on the 3rd day at the side tucked away at the bottom in the cupboard for 3 nights.
the refrigerator was very tiny and fell over a few times the cooker
was dangerous the gas kept going out smelling the boat of gas, the grill wouldn't light and the whole cooker needed condemned,the TV Arial had a whole in it therefore we couldn't watch any television, the cassette radio player didn't work, The Bilge pump went off continuously and into the night keeping everyone awake, Herbert Woods came on board looked at it said he'd fixed it he hadn't Richardson's fixed it we have contacted Herbert Woods and Waterways who are blaming each other we booked with Herbert Woods but they are saying that we booked with Waterways who also have lied saying they offered us another boat which they didn't I have all emails of the booking emails back & fourth regarding this complaint & all pictures backing up our claim Richardson's were fantastic

I have had a major problem at home regarding medical treatment for one of my children. I contacted the company to advise them that I would not be able to take my holiday with them. I asked if there was anything they could do to help. All I am going to say is they were extremely helpful and I am now looking forward to holidaying with them next year.

Great staff, very good briefing. Very happy with our boat for 3 nights, (radiant light). Will be back

Picked up a lovely little boat (Adventure Light - Elite range) and it was awesome. New, modern, spotlessly clean, very well appointed and lovely bedding. Been to many other boatyards but this was by far the best. The set up at Herbert Woods is very professional and they make you really welcome. The staff are top notch and the way everything is organised flows great. Theres a shop (Lathams) opposite where you can get all your supplies too at really good prices. We had a medical emergency part way through our break unfortunately and found ourselves in a remote area with no chance of an ambulance & no car. Herbert Woods sprung to our rescue, sending a driver who took us to hospital! Nothing was too much problem. We’re so grateful for such unusually excellent customer service in these times. We’ll always go back.

Booked a large boat for a long weekend cost over £1200 what we got was a boat not fit for purpose. The boat smell damp but you kind of expect that but we soon found out why when it rained the rain come into the boat everywhere.the beds were soaking and so was all the bedding which we could not dry out. All the crockery on the boat was dirty and needed washing before use. The microwave not only didn't work but was down right dangerous with the front panel hanging on my bear wires. The boat battery was so old it didn't hold any charge so the fridge would go off as soon as we stopped consequently loosing all our cold food. The canapy kept coming off the runners and it took 5 of us all our strength to get it back on the runners. And as for the toilet issues you really don't want to know about .on too.of all that we had to pay between 10 to 15 per night to Moor . A very expensive mistake and a miserable weekend . Told herburt woods all they did was shrug and say "well our boats are quire old" useless

This is the second time we have booked with Herbert Woods, our boat was a slightly older model thos time, however completely our choice and did not affect our holiday at all. Would like to mention Steve's excellent professionalism when giving the safety briefing and a very special thanks to Nick who always took the time to chat and help with any issues we had, even showing us another boat on the fleet that we look forward to booking best time.

We hired the largest boat for 6 of us and whilst it was generally fine, there were obvious faults but they didn't really affect the weekend which was good fun. We had a steering problem on the second day and phoned them at 6.00pm and within an hour a guy came round and fixed it. When I got back I sent a message with a list of the problems and after a few days, I received an apology and an offer of compensation. It isn't just what a company offers but, if you have problems, how it deals with them. And they did this well.

Absolutely loved every minute of it , hired 2 boats after looking around for months and got the best deal with Herbert's by far! Boats all worked as they should , same can't be said for us as skippers😂. Slight confusion at start as to whether we could leave dock? One boat allowed to leave the other not. Apart from that was a pleasure 👍

From booking right through the holiday a great company to deal with if any minor thing is car parking but they find space for you

Easy check in, and boat ready early. Second day engine overheated, engineers attended and advised weed filter blocked. This was a reoccurrence wherever we went for the entire 2 weeks, and we constantly had to pull over and clear, despite carrying out the daily engine checks, (I've been boatng on the Broads for over 40 years so understand the importance of these checks).
Day 3 and we've no gas, bottle empty, and only the 3rd time we'd used it, so it was running on memories when we collected the boat.
Minimal cruising due to the weed filter issue, and not run hard due to overheating, and I had the pleasure 3 months after the holiday, to be informed, for the first time, I owe £56 for fuel, and it's OK if its an "oversight", but please pay urgently.
On the plus side the yard staff are friendly. Really couldn't fault them. But I'll be spending my money elsewhere in future.

Avoid Herbert woods boats are filthy that’s all I’ve got to say

Well we have been hanging on to write about our trip with Herbert Woods. But we have been hanging for a refund. Thought we would try and do the decent thing and give them a chance. But it seems like they don't want to take that chance so now I can tell everybody exactly what happened and what to look out for. We were booked in on the Evesham light for a week.. On arrival the whole boat stank of diesel, the boat looked completely dated and not particularly clean. But we decided that because it was my last trip on the Broads. To try and give this boat a go, and make it work. Prior to this I had been on the Broads about 7 or 8 times from a child up to my adult adventures. So not particularly impressed by first sight things got gradually worse. Firstly with the electrics. We were told that we would need to run the boat for four hours to get a decent charge which we did on three of our days or since we had been there. But low and behold when we try to charge our phones and maybe watching telly afterwards we would get a beeping noise which meant that the battery was not coping with the electrics. I am not a technical man about these things but it would cut off the electric literally .., so while trying to get our evenings entertainment we could not watch the TV which was about it apart from maybe reading books. We had brought a number of films with us thought we would, see the evenings through with them. But that seemed like it wasn't going to happen. We still carried on with the trip, managed did what we could just play along with the old boat. We even manage a couple of nights but honestly these boats are so outdated they need a revamp or binning off and a new Fleet. If only that was the only problem we had. low and behold, unknown to us our toilet was filling up and starting to overflow and by the time we got to the third day there was s*** and p.. s everywhere in the shower/toilet room. After my wife had had a shower in the second morning we were starting to be flooded with this horrible liquid. To cut a long story short it was so disgusting we obviously went back to base which now was taking up another day of our holiday. We had contacted Herbert Woods and they suggested we come back to base. For those of you with any experience you know you can't go very quick on the Norfolk Broads. Which is the whole idea of the holiday pretty much. On the phone call they said they would possibly would give us another boat or give us a boat we could use during the day and come back once they had repaired and tidied up the boat we were using. Now that might sound fair but on the Norfolk Broads when you lose a day like this you're losing two days. And we didn't want a day launch because most of the day had gone anyway. We gave it some thought but on arrival back there was another couple that had the same problem with a toilet situation and also an engine situation. where the boat nearly caught fire through engine trouble. And that just about swayed it for us we weren't interested in anything anymore on the Norfolk Broads. We had enough the smell was awful and had made as quite ill. When we got back there was a H Woods employee that tried to accuse my wife of leaving the pedal down in the toilet. which shouldn't be able to happen anyway. I'm glad he was out of my reach. Because he would have been in the drink. After having such a horrible situation like that to be accused and say it was our fault was just bang out of order. And that definitely finished it. we thought well, we will come away and see what happens with a refund. Which we fully deserve a whole refund let alone a part of one. So our holiday was in ruins my last time on the Broads and they have offered us £100 for half of our holiday. Well folks all I can say is. Be careful when dealing with these people. if this is what they are like to us. I know Richardson's boats are lot better I've used them. We are now waiting to hear back from Herbert Woods. if only you could have just dealt with this better and treat us fairly that's all we wanted. So beware when using Herbert Woods.. You're better off trying to hire a skip and see if it floats.

So, first off, I have to say the ladies on reception were spot on. Unfortunately I can't say the same for the, as he was happy to tell me. 'Fleet coordinator' I love the Norfolk Broads but my little boat is too small to spend any decent amount of time on so on a recent short visit, my wife and I decided to look around a few boat yards for a 2 week rental in 2022. Herbert Woods was high on our list but thanks to this rude and obnoxious employee that will not be happening and would advise anyone reading this goes elsewhere. The whole reason for his behavior was all because, and wait for this... Desperate for the loo we moored and went to use the facilities before paying the 1 hour fee of £4! Yes you did read that right. On returning to our boat we found this obnoxious scruffy looking employee rolling a cigarette in his car waiting to question us on the what how and where we had been and had we payed. Explaining the situation seemed to mean nothing but I bit my lip and went to pay. Unfortunately that still was wasn't enough. I then was beckened over to discuss my payment on paying and displaying my receipt so it could be seen. That fact I wasn't given one didn't sit week at all. 'I will discuss this with reception' is what he said, he then rolled himself another cigarette before walking of to do, I assume what was needed about me not being issued with a recipet! Let's not forget, this was all about £4 and it's also worth mentioning that the keyhearding didn't even have anywhere other than waste pump out pipes to tie ropes.
I think it's worth noting that we were also told several times that everything we did was on CCTV.
If this is the meatality for an hour, I dread to think what would be expected for any lenghy service. Don't bother, take your money elsewhere!