I am writing this review late but as they day, better late than never !
I booked this accomodation after reading reviews in trip advisor and I must say that trip advisor did not disappoint again
Butt clermont houseboats are situated in a secluded area off the Dal lake , quite close to the Hazratbal shrine actually .
The houseboats are anchored in the lake with an adjoining garden which was supposedly built by none other than Emperor Akbar [ history lovers that should be enough for you to book yourselves here ]. If that is not enough there are absolutely gorgeous chinar trees in the garden one of them which is about four hundred years old . After you finish ogling all these details , narrated by Butt sahib, [ who is such a charming gentleman ] , you are led into the small office which houses many photographs of visiting dignitaries and the like.,then the houseboats, there is no stench enamating from the lake here, as periodic cleaning is undertaken , but yes the waters are dirty
In the houseboats , the food is good, the service excellent , they also make provisions for sightseeing and travel , they are extremely courteous and very helpful.
You can also opt for the inhouse shikara which is manned by an old man who speaks such good English and his grandson . we opted to go to the floating market at sunrise and it was an amazing experience to float on the lake with the wake up calls of the mosque surrounding us and people manning their shikaras to the market to buy and sell vegetables and fruits
Delicious kashmiri tea was available and we bid goodbye with reluctance after three wonderful days
Butt sahib also has a good collection of paper machie products which are slightly more expensive but worth the money
the best part about this place, the access as you do not have to depend on a shikara to ferry you across , yet you have the experience of living in a houseboat and you are pampered to no end
would love to stay there again and again

I had read the reviews in trip advisor and booked a houseboat at Butt's Clermont for a 4night stay. I am very glad I did.

These houseboats are unlike any other in Srinagar, they are anchored in an area that's both beautiful and easy to access. You don't need to go in a Shikara to reach the boat. The boats have a wonderful garden on one side, and the Dal lake & hills on the other side. The boats are well maintained. Clean bathrooms. Clean bedsheets & towels. We paid Rs.7,500/- for a boat with two bedrooms & a dining hall, inclusive of all meals.

But, what impressed me the most is the professionalism and friendliness of the Owner Mr. Butt & his staff. They made us feel at home from the very moment we walked in to the place. Certainly the best personalized hospitality I have seen in my travels.

I gladly recommend this place to anyone who wants to travel to Kashmir as a couple or with Family.

We stayed with Mr Butt and his staff for four nights in July. We were met at Srinagar airport and greeted with a delicious pot of Kashmiri tea when we arrived at the houseboats which are in a secluded spot adjacent to a small Moghul garden. Since another group had extended their stay we were welcomed to the houseboat where Michael Palin stayed which accommodates up to 10 and is very grand and comfortable. Bedrooms are spacious, each with its own bathroom. Our tariff included all our meals which were excellent and through Mr Butt we were able to organize shikara rides on Lake Dal and car trips around Srinagar at reasonable prices.

Mr Butt is a very attentive host and his staff are very helpful and informative. While we had come to Srinagar to enjoy the peace and calm of Dal Lake we were equally interested to hear about local politics and conditions. The highlights of our stay were the shikara rides with Lassa who told us about the local flora and fauna and showed us the floating gardens, and the time we spent on the houseboat, watching birds and eating the delicious meals that Ramzaan brought us.

Through Mr Butt we were able to arrange for an excellent driver to take us from Srinagar to Leh, so after four nights we left the peace of Lake Dahl for the grandeur of the mountains.

My husband and I were booked in for 3 nights - but upon arrival immediately extended our stay to five nights. Unlike all the other scores (thousands in fact) of houseboats, Butts is the only one with a beautiful garden. And most importantly it's in a quiet location with no other houseboat neighbours. We conducted a tour of Srinagar and saw where the majority of houseboats are based - we would have hated to have stayed there. It's horribly busy and overcrowded and completely ruins the point of staying on Dal Lake which is still very beautiful. Mr Butt and his family were incredibly lovely - they organised a driver for us and even took us themselves to see how the famous Kashmiri carpets and pashminas are made. It's incredinle and well worth a visit. The houseboats themselves are stunning - it makes you feel like you are back in the days of the Raj. And with the service provided by Ramzaan - who seemed like our own personal butler - we felt incredibly spoilt. Nothing was too much to ask for.
Mr Butt is very proud of who has stayed at his houseboats in the past - including Michael Palin and some very important politicians - and rightly so. And they are still coming - we just missed Bill Gates's right hind man, and were staying next to singer Belinda Carlisle. While you can't be guaranteed a famous neighbour - there are four boats in all - you can be guaranteed of a beautiful stay. And please do take the smaller boats to visit the floating market - and the secret canal areas. Simply stunning.