Some new, and very unusual, accommodation on offer in North Staffordshire puts its guests on the doorstep of the main attractions of ‘The Potteries’ - in a year which also marks the 100th anniversary of Stoke-on-Trent’s city status.
And it’s completely guaranteed to float anyone’s boat…
Aston Marina, on the outskirts of the market town of Stone, was created from farmer’s fields in 2007, initially to cater to the needs of passing visitors using the adjacent Trent & Mersey Canal.
A family concern, the Marina has evolved slowly over the years to become a destination in its own right, to the point where it’s now possible to “eat, drink, sleep, repeat”. (Not to mention marry, walk, marry, honeymoon, and meet”).
The original farm shop is long gone. But in its place has come a top quality complex where visitors will find a café bar, an award-winning restaurant, the starting point for a scenic four-and-a-half-mile walk, outdoors and indoors seating overlooking the marina itself, a wedding venue which takes some beating, and the first of a small fleet of narrowboats which - once all are moored here - will be capable of offering accommodation for up to 12 people.
There are around 200 leisure moorings in this glorious corner of North Staffordshire, with one of them having very recently been filled in May by Dragonfly, a luxurious wide beamed canal boat that has been custom-designed to offer the ultimate in waterside accommodation.
Wider than most narrowboats, and too wide to cruise this canal, it occupies a serene and exclusive setting, with easy access from the car park, and within a short stroll to so many other amenities.
Like every aspect of the entire complex, everything about it smacks of quality: from the king size bed, to the flat-screen TVs; the underfloor heating, to the breakfast which can be brought to you in a hamper the next morning.
A short stroll away, “No.26” is widely recognised as one of the best restaurants in the region, and offers a relaxed dining space that makes the most of its canal-side setting. Its seasonal menu boasts the finest quality ingredients, sourced from within Staffordshire wherever possible. Taking its name from the fact that the Marina is built alongside Lock No.26 of the Trent & Mersey Canal, it can transform a luxurious overnight stay into “dinner, bed and breakfast”.
Capable of sleeping up to 4 people, but primarily designed as a romantic hideaway for two, it is now being used as a both a Bridal Suite, and unusual B&B accommodation for everyday tourists. Prices per night start from £190 off-peak midweek, through to £275 high-peak on Fridays and Saturdays.
Two similar boats will operate here from 2026. And plans have also been submitted for a 32-room hotel.
Stoke-on-Trent and The Potteries have always enjoyed a close relationship with the canal system. Historically, it was a godsend to the pottery industry, offering a smoother passage than the traditional pack-horses to the ports of Liverpool and Hull, and the industrial heartland of the West Midlands.
Today, the canal is a busy thoroughfare for tourists, who are drawn to Stoke-on-Trent by the likes of World of Wedgwood, the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, and The Trentham Estate. 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the City of Stoke-on-Trent, and is being celebrated through a year-long calendar of special events.
Some people do walk along to towpath from Aston Marina to World of Wedgwood (it takes a little over two hours). But all of the major attractions of Stoke-on-Trent and The Potteries are within a short drive of Dragonfly.
And for some, the chance to combine a night in a narrowboat, with a summertime Dusk Beaver Safari at the nearby Trentham Estate on board Miss Elizabeth might prove very tempting.
Watch out too, for the hot air balloon flights that take off from the neighbouring field. And for the new state-of-the art Hill Helicopters, which occasionally fly in guests from even further afield.
For full details, visit https://www.astonmarina.co.uk