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Following a comprehensive redesign by renowned architect John Simpson and interior designer Martin Brudnizki, University Arms Hotel, Autograph Collection has re-established itself as one of Cambridge's most remarkable destinations. Our boutique hotel offers easy access to the university, as well as Newmarket Racecourse, IWM Duxford and the attractions of Cambridge city centre. Immaculate accommodation features charming Edwardian interiors with bespoke writing desks, luxury linens, complimentary Wi-Fi and an abundance of natural light. Some suites offer views over Parker's Piece. Elsewhere at the hotel, Chef Director Tristan Welch presides over Parker's Tavern, a Cambridge Institution for 185 years which serves innovative English cuisine in a university-inspired ambiance. Additional hotel amenities include an on-site fitness centre and a graceful ballroom venue with a fireplace and sweeping views. Whether you're in Cambridge for business or leisure, we look forward to welcoming you.
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The University Arms Hotel, Autograph Collection, is lauded for its elegant ambiance and traditional charm, accentuated by luxurious furnishings. While some guests have reservations about noise and value for money, the hotel's prime location in Cambridge is a highlight, offering easy access to local sights. The rooms receive accolades for their size and comfort, despite occasional remarks about their datedness.
Cleanliness is a strong suit, with spaces noted as spotless. Amenities, including live jazz and a commendable gym, add to the experience, although service quality can vary.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Elegant
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Well-appointed
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University Arms Hotel is an exceptionally beautiful hotel with wonderful staff, central location, thoughtful service, and excellent culinary experience.
From University Arms, you can easily explore the centre of Cambridge, a city so rich in history, art, and culture. Fitzwilliam Museum, the old colleges of the University of Cambridge, and several parks are within a short walking distance. Public transport options are also very close.
Both the exterior and the interior of the hotel are absolutely aesthetic, elegant, stylish, and refined. The ceilings are high, the windows are large, and the furniture are new.
I was lucky to stay in the Virginia Woolf suite - it is extremely gorgeous, spacious, and classy, providing a wonderful experience for its guests. Every part of the suite is wonderfully and carefully designed, from the bookshelf full of interesting publications, through the very comfortable bed, the sofa, the desk, and the decoration (pictures, posters, and even the bin!), to the amazing multi-part bathroom. It is a really nice tribute to the great English writer. Furthermore, it affords an impressive view of Parker's Piece (a 25-acre green common) and the Cambridge Eye. Room service is available too. This suite is the perfect place for a special occasion!
The brasserie restaurant in the hotel is exquisite and offers delicious dishes.
The helpful staff in the hotel's bar can prepare an incredibly wide range of cocktails. They also pay attention to every detail and make sure guests are hydrated which is a very nice gesture. Moreover, the bar is famous all over Cambridge for its great jazz nights! It also has a special and cozy library.
The gym is well-equipped and never busy.
Massive thanks to all the staff members who made my stay truly pleasant and memorable, especially Sarah Volpe, Sales Executive of University Arms, whose kindness, enthusiasm, competence, efficiency, as well as outstanding interpersonal and organisational skills are invaluable assets to the hotel.
The drinks receptions and dinners I have attended here have been equally great experiences. The attentiveness and helpfulness of the staff members are unmatched. I plan to return many more times.
All in all, I wholeheartedly recommend the University Arms Hotel!
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Date of stay: August 2024
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Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lucia Marin, Guest Services / Front Office at University Arms Hotel, Autograph Collection
Responded 5 Aug 2024
Dear elvirat768, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience following your visit at University Arms. We are delighted to hear that you had an enjoyable stay with us. Thank you for the detailed reviewed and the positive comments, especially about the staff and Sarah. We are looking forward to welcoming you back soon! Kind regards,
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The University Arms is located right on Parker's Piece, within easy walking distance to Colleges, shops and restaurants. This has advantages in terms of proximity. There are also disadvantages, as Parker's Piece can get noisy at night, especially when students are letting off steam.
We had a superior king bedroom with park view. This was large, but there was very little space to unpack clothes. All that was available was one closet, which did ot even have drawers. One shelf was taken up by the kettle, coffee machine and cups. We had literally to live out of our suitcases for four nights.
Would it be so hard to provide a chest of drawers? The room is big enough. The coffee things could then be moved out of the closet, where they would more easily be accessible.
Housekeeping was below par for a hotel of this standard. I had to call early in the morning for toilet paper, as there were no spares. The soap was not topped up.
Breakfast is good, with a choice of cooked dishes and a buffet of fruit, cereals and cold cuts. It is served in Parker's Tavern, with a view of Parker's Piece; very pleasant.
All in all, something of a Curate's egg; some bits were quite good. A nice base for those visiting Cambridge for the first time. People who want to stay longer might perhaps choose a quieter location.
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Date of stay: May 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:The rooms facing Parker's Piece have a nice view, but can be noisy at night if students are out...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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A wonderful property right in the heart of Cambridge. Unbeatable location. The rooms are a bit dated but comfortable. Bathrooms are well done and well furnished. Ample amenities. Housekeeping was the only part that disappointed. We asked for some plates for food we had ordered (for a charge) but whilst promised that it will be delivered shortly, only to be later told that we need to call reception and order it…which we did, then it took 25 mins for it to be delivered. Salt dispenser was empty and so was the replacement. By the time all of this was sorted our food was cold and we ate it with limited utensils and no salt. Parker’s Tavern also left us wanting for service. Simple meals took forever and when delivered for a takeaway - they had no utensils to eat them with. Customer centric oversight is required in the F&B and housekeeping section to lift the level of services provided.
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Date of stay: May 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sadly this hotel did not live up to expectations at all. Firstly the room - a "cosy" double. What a misnomer. "Poky" would have been more accurate. The website says "spacious rooms full of natural light and a décor that features bespoke, leather-padded writing desks, low ottomans and tiered chandeliers in playful colours". Nothing could be further from the truth in the Cosy rooms, which are small, dark, with no natural light and certainly no ottoman or chandelier. The overhead light was so gloomy it did nothing to light up the room, and in fact the first room I was given, it flickered badly so I had to be moved. Both rooms I was given (306 & 506) have no natural daylight, with a blind, net curtain and curtains over the window - and then I discovered why - the window literally looks straight onto a wall. The door into the bathroom only opened less than 90 degrees, and as the basin had been placed directly inside the doorway the only way to get into the bathroom was to walk sideways. I'm not the slimmest person, but certainly not the largest, and I had to squeeze between the door and the basin to get in - just awful. The beds aren't just firm - they're HARD! I didn't sleep a wink on the first night of my stay (to the point where I considered going home). Thank goodness though the hotel then put a mattress topper on for the 2nd night when I mentioned it to reception. As a solo traveller I always make a note of how I'm treated, and sadly when I went to the bar this wasn't good, being given a tiny table right at the edge of the room, next to the a/c unit which was pumping out cold air. When I asked to move (and there were other tables available) I was told no. it wasn't until I got up to leave, having not ordered, that suddenly I was "allowed" to move to one of the warmer tables with comfy chairs/sofas... Breakfast was acceptable, except everything was self-service, including tea/coffee - and only ONE machine. Despite having breakfast included in the rate, if you wanted anything off menu there was an extra charge (I ordered a eggs benedict - an extra £7.88 on top of breakfast rate - which was overcooked - completely solid - cold and tasted very strongly of vinegar). The only thing good about the hotel was the reception staff, who were friendly and helpful. I'm sorry to report I won't be staying here again.
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Date of stay: February 2025
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Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lucia Marin, Guest Services / Front Office at University Arms Hotel, Autograph Collection
Responded 3 weeks ago
Dear Sarah, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience following your visit at University Arms. I am very sorry to hear that your stay at University Arms did not meet your expectations. Please note that your concerns have been passed on to the Hotel Operations Manager who will contact you directly. Once again, thank you for your valued feedback and we hope to serve you again whenever your travels bring you back to Cambridge. Kind regards,
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We stayed at this hotel for the week-end on 30th Sept 2023 as our daughter had started just university, in a premium king room and were not disappointed. The bed was exceptionally comfortable with crisp cotton sheets and the bathroom was excellent with large fluffy towels. Overall, this is one of the best hotels in Cambridge for location as we have stayed in a few others that are no where near as the "Marriott Standard" attains. We will be choosing this hotel for every stay over the next 3 years!
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Date of stay: September 2023
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:If you like the Marriott Standards - then this is the only choice for Cambridge
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Response from Lucia Marin, Guest Services / Front Office at University Arms Hotel, Autograph Collection
Responded 9 Oct 2023
Dear Y2829WEpauls, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback following your recent stay at University Arms. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us and thank you for your kind comments. Should you stay with us in the future, please kindly contact me at lucia.marin@universityarms.com so I can make sure you are very well looked after. We are looking forward to welcoming you back soon! Kind regards,
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The University Arms has become our favorite place to stay in Cambridge. It is attractive with the elegance of an old fashioned hotel with large windows, high ceilings, and spacious rooms. It is in an excellent location close to Cambridge center, but also looks out onto a beautiful park called Parker's Piece where you can see people enjoying gatherings and picnics, and playing games on the lawn. As you walk into the hotel on the left side is a front desk with welcoming and professional staff as well as a desk manned by concierge who are especially warm and helpful. On the right you find the entrance to a lovely bar and restaurant called Parker's Tavern which looks out onto Parker's Piece and a quiet and cozy library where you can rest, as well as have tea or drinks. Over the course of our several stays at this hotel, we have had breakfasts, afternoon teas, and dinners in these three rooms, and the atmosphere (there was a harpist one evening!)) is lovely. We have found the food at Parker's Tavern to be excellent, and it has become one of our favorite places to have dinner while we are in Cambridge. Our favorite rooms to stay in look out onto Parker's Piece, have lots of room, and are decorated in a pretty Victorian style. The University Arms has personality, warmth, wonderful rooms and delicious food. But the icing on the cake is hearing Alan Benett narrating The Wind in The Willows when you visit the loos in the lobby!
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Date of stay: June 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lucia Marin, Guest Services / Front Office at University Arms Hotel, Autograph Collection
Responded 13 June 2024
Dear Susan W, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience following your visit at University Arms. We are delighted to hear that you had a wonderful stay with us and thank you for the lovely feedback. We are looking forward to welcoming you back soon! Kind regards,
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Stayed here for 3 nights ahead of our daughter’s wedding at Emmanuel College. We had a different room on the Thursday and, because husband did not want to see The Dress ahead of the day, I needed to keep it covered until daughter arrived on the Friday. The logistics of the changeover of rooms was handled efficiently by the reception staff, specifically Fácil and Denzil and Anastasia (I think) of housekeeping kept us informed and she and Bruno were on hand to move us from one room to another. Both our rooms were superb, especially our last room overlooking Parker’s Piece, with a balcony. Daughter’s suite was superb - loads of room for all our dresses, 4 bridesmaids, 2 hairdressers and all our bits and pieces, with a beautiful and big terrace overlooking Parker’s Piece where we had breakfast in the morning. Room service was timely and efficient. Every member of staff at the hotel was superb! We had a lovely meal in the restaurant the night before and Dante our waiter was lovely, very helpful and patient with our large table. We had drinks in the bar and listened to the jazz band which was lovely. The hotel was very accommodating on the day of the wedding. Because of the erratic weather, we had booked a vintage car for the very short journey to Emmanuel and he was allowed to park right outside the hotel to the right of the entrance. We had photos taken in the beautiful foyer before we left. We had a fantastic stay, nothing was too much trouble for the staff. The quality of the toiletries and decor; the prints decorating the public areas, the comfortable beds and spotlessly clean bathrooms - everything of the highest standard made it an absolute joy staying here. Fácil and the wonderful Denzil answered all our many questions with a smile and Bruno our porter was fantastic with all the hat boxes, dresses and wedding presents that we had to move here and there. Thank you to all at the University Arms for making our stay really enjoyable and helping with all the stressful bits ahead of the wedding. We would love to come back for a restful, wedding-free, stay in the future!
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Worth paying for a room overlooking Parker’s Piece.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lucia Marin, Guest Services / Front Office at University Arms Hotel, Autograph Collection
Responded 15 Aug 2023
Dear 17debbies, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback following your recent stay at University Arms and thank you for choosing us for such special ocassion. We are delighted to hear that you had a memorable stay with us and thank you for your kind comments, especially about the staff. We are looking forward to welcoming you back in a near future. Best regards,
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We booked a king size room and were pleased to have a spacious room with a proper king size bed with a view over Parker's Piece. Despite being a spacious room there was only one armchair provided, which meant that one of us had to sit on the desk chair while the other used the armchair. The room would have benefitted from a little more by way of pictures on the walls, but this is a minor detail. Oddly, there were no cotton slippers provided, which one would have expected in this class of hotel. Likewise, there was no shoe-cleaning mitten: I know that most people now wear trainers, but for those who still wear shoes this is a useful thing to have. The breakfast at the hotel is generally disappointing: I am not in favour of everything being set out on hot-plates when one is paying that sort of money, but to have canteen style reconstituted scrambled eggs is simply not acceptable. If the kitchen cannot make scrambled eggs to order then do not have them on the menu. All in all, the hotel has benefitted from the major face-lift and renovation, but it is still far from providing the service which an 'autograph' level establishment should put on.
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Date of stay: August 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:As k for a room with a view.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Less than an hour on the train from London, this hotel is a perfect blend of British tradition and modern luxury. The location couldn’t be better for exploring Cambridge, as it is steps away from the Universities college's, the river Cam, and lots of bars and restaurants. The concierge team go above and beyond with suggestions, from guided college walks and private punting tours on the river.
The suites are incredibly spacious, overlook the park, and have claw-foot bath tubs and fully-stocked reading nooks. Parker's Tavern, the hotel’s renowned restaurant has a brand-new menu featuring British cuisine, which is crafted entirely from fresh, local ingredients - no more than 3 miles from the hotel! If you dine here, the steak is to DIE for!
Taking afternoon tea in the library is also a must, as it is the cosiest, warmest, most indulgent experience I have had in a while.
Overall, I would highly recommend this hotel to ANYONE looking for a city/countryside weekend break, a staycation, to get out of London, or to add on to an international trip. I will certainly be returning.
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Date of stay: November 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is the relatively new big grand offering in town centre Cambridge. it is certainly large and is well located within walking distance of most of the major sites and places you will want to see. The young staff are all young and charming, and apart from the odd minor gripe, are well trained, as perhaps expected from a major chain. BUT we are not really fans of chain hotels and this hotel is an example of that. everyone follows the training manual (and do that well) but just feels a bit 'tick the box' and for us it just lacks the personality and charm of smaller/independent hotels. and the occasional 'do's and don't' rules that suit staff and management but forget that the customer should always come first. Restaurant, which is a bit cavernous (reflecting the size of the hotel) needs some design thought so it does not look too empty when not full. Food was OK on the one night we ate in. we did not eat breakfast, which we thought over priced. our room was a good size and overlooking the green (on 7 floor) on problems from noise referred to in other comments). very comfortable and good nights sleep.
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Date of stay: March 2025
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:some reference to noisy rooms so be choosy. perhaps dont commit to breakfast when booking, they...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lucia Marin, Guest Services / Front Office at University Arms Hotel, Autograph Collection
Responded today
Dear SimonT962, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience following your recent stay at University Arms. I'm pleased to hear that your overall stay was a positive one and that you enjoyed the room. Once again, thank you for your valued feedback and we hope to serve you again whenever your travels bring you back to Cambridge. Kind regards,
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Dear Sailing37,
Thank you for your enquiry. Please contact our hotel directly on 01223 606 566 and our events team will be able to assist you.
Kind regards,
Ian James
General Manager
Dear eahlms,
Thank you for your question, indeed car parking cannot be booked in advance of arrival.
Due to the extremely limited number of car parking spaces available onsite, we recommend that all guests be aware of the centrally located public car parks & plan to park there during their visit to Cambridge – our concierge team will be available to assist with the unloading of luggage and providing driving directions to said car parks when the guests arrive at the hotel.
In the event that car park spaces are available at the time of arrival – our concierge team will offer these spaces on a first-come-first-served basis to arriving guests at the nightly rate of £30 – with the requirement that the vehicle be removed from the car park by 12pm on the day of departure.
I hope this answers your question but should you have any more queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards,
Ian James
General Manager
University Arms
There are more places to choose from in the Cambridge area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$360 - AU$496 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
hotel de vere university arms
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
University Arms Hotel, Cambridge
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandCambridgeshireCambridge
NUMBER OF ROOMS
192
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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