Series 9 - African Queen, Reading

To view this page ensure that Adobe Flash Player version 10.1.0 or greater is installed.

Three years ago the Hotel Inspector came aboard the African Queen, to help owners Andy and Bonny Cowley turn around their struggling business. They bought the boat after running a successful hotel and restaurant on the Isle of Wight. But it soon became clear that the experience was anything but plain sailing, with occupancy in their snug cabins dropping as low as 13 per cent.

Alex discovered that the boat was in serious need of a facelift, and the couple’s marketing left a lot to be desired. After a sparkling makeover and an event that wowed travel journalists and potential corporate clients, the future looked a little rosier for the couple.

Three years later, Alex drops in to see if the business is still bobbing along, or has sunk without a trace.

All episodes 

Comments (88)

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • Rache

    6 months ago

    Rache

    I have not had any problems with this at all. I used to have continous buffering when I used to watch God Tv but they offered us Octoshape Streaming Services to download to help with the reception. Since I downloaded Octoshape I have not encountered any probs again with any channes I watch on my pc.

  • Charles S

    7 months ago

    Charles S

    I'm afraid we may be seeing the end of the line for the Hotel Inspector with Alex Polizzi. I hope Channel Five can come up with someone equally good as Alex, and hopefully a less annoying narrator in the next edition.

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • Peter Piper

    9 months ago

    Peter Piper

    I noticed that this episode was posted over a month ago. The last two episodes merely revisited previous hotels and used a lot of footage fro those episodes. This might indicate that these episodes were done to fulfil a contract for a certain number of episodes. It's possible that Alex no longer as time for the Hotel Inspector with her making the move to her new series as 'The Fixer'. If so that is quite sad. She was great in this role, and such style too!

  • Peter Piper

    9 months ago

    Peter Piper

    All these people complaining about the player... I'll be you are using Microsoft Windows and possibly Internet Explorer? Windows and Internet explorer have been causing lots of issues. I'm using Ubuntu Linux and Firefox and it always plays smoothly even though I'm only on a 1MB internet connection. I also watched this on my wife's MacBook and it played just fine. Folks, if you are really having problems playing this online, I'd suggest recording a bunch of episodes from the television on a DVR and just playing them on your TV. And if you have probems viewing online go to the 'Problems Viewing this Video' link to the right of the player. This section is for your comments about the content of the story.

  • PM

    9 months ago

    PM

    Great show. Wasted on this site. No point if we can't view it. Alex, leave Channel 5...

  • vibenino

    9 months ago

    vibenino

    worst of all players, ch5: BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES.

  • Sue

    9 months ago

    Sue

    aaaargh ridiculous. Ads ok programme wont play. Rubbish

  • mary Lou

    9 months ago

    mary Lou

    Get your act together. A good programme spoilt by poor technology at your end. Shame on you.

  • Jezzerman

    9 months ago

    Jezzerman

    Everything I want to watch on my Android pad comes up unprotected content. WHY? Usless

  • Zak

    9 months ago

    Zak

    Channel 5...should be known for the worst internet player ever. I love this program..but I hate watching anything on here because it freezes every bloody second !!!! Channel 5...do something about it !!

  • Mehrcat

    9 months ago

    Mehrcat

    @eumaeus. Well bully for you mate, seems you got lucky with your museum piece that's running on steam power. I have a brand new computer and this programme won't even start. Let's face it, demand 5 is worst TV player in the UK.

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • tracy

    9 months ago

    tracy

    i have spent an hour now trying to watch this funny how the adverts work ok

  • RobbiG

    9 months ago

    RobbiG

    This couple make me humbled to be South African- they and there unique establishment, and yes Alex too ,made this a great episode. xx

  • Geoff Dixon

    9 months ago

    Geoff Dixon

    it is very difficult to watch any programmes stopping and starting very bad

  • rachel

    9 months ago

    rachel

    wot a waste of time - used to be able to watch all of these episodes for fun & squeezed a couple in on a Sunday morning - they just jam these days, so shan't be bothering

  • This comment was removed by a moderator

  • H. Dyett

    9 months ago

    H. Dyett

    unable to watch this episode. keeps buffering and repeating the adverts?????????

  • georgeandbungle

    10 months ago

    georgeandbungle

    tried for an hour to watch yhis with all it's buffering, that includes 20 mins tring to understand the words required before i could post a comment, Hopefull I will never need to complain......................................

  • sniegel

    10 months ago

    sniegel

    I'm a great fan of the Hotel Inspector but sorry this is just another repeat of an old episode with a 12 minute update from Alex!! The Hotel Inspector is repeated enough for us to get the gist of it so sorry Alex you are really taking the mick out of this series. OK have a 15 min update but really giving us 12 mins of a 'new series' no - you are not practising what you preach - give us value for money.

  • David Cornwallis

    10 months ago

    David Cornwallis

    The availability of programmes on the C4 i player is just appalling. You might as well not bother at all.......

Blank_avatar