A Night at The University Arms, Cambridge
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A stay in a hotel is always something of a treat, isn’t it? There’s something about lounging in a comfy bed, calling room service to deliver breakfast and having a slow morning that I always enjoy. So when I was invited to stay overnight at the University Arms in Cambridge I was excited! I’ve been to Cambridge before but not for many years. I’ve also been to ‘the other University’ recently and I definitely prefer Cambridge. Is that scandalous to say? Anyway, I thought I’d share some snippets of what we got up to on this press trip!
Sweet Dreams
There’s a fast train from King’s Cross that gets you to Cambridge in 40 minutes which is a dream. It was off the train and straight to the hotel, where we checked in to our rooms. My room looked out onto the Parker’s Piece green, and was full of light, even though we didn’t have much sunshine. Apparently University Arms is Cambridge’s oldest hotel and walking the halls you can see there’s so much history. I didn’t manage to snag one of the rooms with the great bathtub but it was still so lovely and relaxing!
We also had two lunches at Parker’s Tavern, the restaurant in the hotel. They’re running a smaller menu than normal at the moment because of the pandemic, but I’d definitely recommend the tempura cauliflower. It’s got a nice kick to it and it’s tasty! The other hot dish amongst our group was the spag bol, which came highly recommended by Carrie!
Wandering Cambridge
Now, don’t you worry, there is plenty to see and do in Cambridge and all of it is accessible from University Arms. Soon after our first lunch we headed out for a little bit of punting along the river Cam. If you haven’t been punting before, it’s a real treat! Our guide Max was pretty entertaining as he took us on a tour of the colleges. You can see so much just from the river! Plus you go right under the Bridge of Sighs.
We also visited Kettles Yard, an incredible house filled with art and other objects. The house used to belong to Jim Ede, a former curator of the Tate in London, and his wife Helen. They converted four dilapidated cottages into one space, and filled it with the work of artists that he’d collected over the years through his friendships and career. It’s a truly incredible space that also has a gallery where they hold various exhibitions. We got to see an exhibit from artist Ai Weiwei who created a collection exploring truth, authenticity and value, as well as globalisation, the coronavirus pandemic and current geopolitical crises. I found it really interesting and well worth a visit!
Another great thing to do during your stay at University Arms? A walking tour! The hotel organized a walking tour with Tony of Cambridge Tour Guide, who took a small group of us to see the sites and learn a little bit of history! It was really interesting to learn more about the university and the history of Cambridge. We also made sure to stop off at Fitzbillies for warm drinks and their famous Chelsea buns!
And then it was back to London! Despite the rain, it was a very busy trip and I had a great time! There’s so much to see in Cambridge, I would definitely go back! Unfortunately, we did have to head back to London eventually. I was sad to say goodbye to the beautiful hotel, and to Cambridge! Now the real question is, how soon can I head back to Cambridge!
