The Web’s Premiere Guide to Historic Hotels and Accommodation in the UK, France, Italy and Western Europe
~ UK Hotels and Inns ~
London
Bedfordshire
Berkshire
Buckinghamshire Cambridgeshire
Cheshire
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly
Cumbria and Lake District
Derbyshire
Devon
Dorset
County Durham
Essex
Gloucestershire
Hampshire & Isle of Wight
Herefordshire
Hertfordshire
Kent
Lancashire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Norfolk
Northamptonshire
Nottinghamshire
Northumberland
Oxfordshire
Rutland
Shropshire
Somerset and Avon
Staffordshire
Suffolk
Surrey
Sussex (East)
Sussex (West)
Warwickshire
Wiltshire
Worcestershire
Yorkshire
Highlands of Scotland
Edinburgh & Mid Scotland
Southern Scotland
North Wales
Mid Wales
South Wales
Northern Ireland
The Channel Islands
~ France Historic Hotels ~
France Index
Paris & Ile de France
Alsace & Lorraine
Aquitaine
Auvergne
Brittany
Burgundy
Centre Region
Champagne Ardennes
Corsica
Languedoc Roussillon
Midi Pyrenees
Normandy
Pays de la Loire
Picardy & Calais
Poitou & Limousin
Provence & Riviera
Rhone Alpes
~ Italy Historic Hotels ~
Rome & Lazio
Venice and Veneto
Florence
Tuscany
Umbria
Southern Italy
Piemonte & Liguria
Lombardy & Trentino
Emilia-
Eastern Italy
Sicily and Sardinia
~ Spain Historic Hotels ~
Northern Spain
Madrid, Rioja & Cast. Leon
Central Spain
Barcelona & Eastern Spain
Southern Spain
Balearic Islands
~ More Europe ~
~ Rest of the World ~
~ Special Sections ~
Historic British Cities: Cambridge
Bath | Cambridge | Canterbury | Chester | Durham | Edinburgh | Ely | Lincoln | Oxford | Wells | Winchester | York
“The only place on Earth that I could regard as home”
-
Famous for being home to one of the world’s most prestigious universities, the historic heart of Cambridge is relatively compact, level and full of green open spaces – a delight for those who prefer taking in the sights on foot.
Its 31 colleges form the architectural core of Cambridge, with a number of them backing onto the River Cam (hence the term ‘The Backs’) where the pastime of punting in boats takes place – a much photographed and filmed activity for which the city is renowned.
Also of particular note are the Fitzwilliam Museum which possesses a fine collection of antiquities and art, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – a 12th century Norman structure built by the Knights Templar.
It is, however, King’s College Chapel to which the architectural historian will be most drawn – its colossal fan-vaulted ceiling is the largest anywhere in the world.
Its 31 colleges form the architectural core of Cambridge, with a number of them backing onto the River Cam (hence the term ‘The Backs’) where the pastime of punting in boats takes place – a much photographed and filmed activity for which the city is renowned.
Also of particular note are the Fitzwilliam Museum which possesses a fine collection of antiquities and art, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – a 12th century Norman structure built by the Knights Templar.
It is, however, King’s College Chapel to which the architectural historian will be most drawn – its colossal fan-
Period Places to Stay in Cambridge
Hotel du Vin. Parts of the building are said to date back to the medieval period, and there are many architectural features that suggest as much. The hotel, however, is very much of the ‘boutique’ variety, with an emphasis on combining contemporary décor with the existing older structure. Located on Trumpington Street, Hotel du Vin is only a short walk from King’s College and other architectural treasures.
Booking.com | LateRooms.com
Booking.com | LateRooms.com
The Regent Hotel. 3-star rated, this privately owned hotel is a grade-II listed building. It offers 22 rooms in all, a bar, and is totally non-smoking throughout. Although it might not make as much of its period nature as other hotels, it remains popular with visitors and is centrally located, thus making it an ideal base from which to explore the city. The Regent is a privately owned establishment.
TripAdvisor | Booking.com
The Royal Cambridge. While geared to the demands of the modern traveller and one of the city’s larger hotels, the Royal Cambridge remains a fine period building which once formed part of the famous Addenbrooke’s Hospital. It offers a total of 57 en suite rooms, a restaurant and a bar, and also welcomes well-
De Vere University Arms. Because of the sheer number of Victorian-era hotels in the UK we prefer to focus on those built before 1800. However, for the De Vere University Arms we make an exception: an iconic hotel that has proudly maintained its period ambience. Constructed in 1834 as a post house, enlargement over the years means that the hotel now boasts over 100 en suite rooms.
Also see...
|
|
It might not yet be the definitive list, but there are some fabulous places to discover in our Beautiful Villages of England section.
|
|
|
Surprisingly for somewhere as famous and historic as Cambridge, there really aren’t as many period places to stay in the city itself as you might first think. But there certainly are within Cambridgeshire itself, of that there’s no doubt. Discover more within the county itself here.
|
|
|
If you prefer a holiday or break under your own steam, there are plenty of Historic Holiday Cottages throughout the country. And we keep the ones we feature to those said to have been built before 1700, too.
|
|
|
For those travellers who, like us, prefer older buildings, we believe that De Vere University Arms, Hotel du Vin, The Regent and The Royal Cambridge provide the best hotel options in the city. But we might be wrong. And we’d love to hear from anyone with any information regarding other historic accommodation that we can include in this section. Indeed, suggestions of traditional inns, boutique bed and breakfasts, luxury country house hotels or anywhere else that are relevant to the site as a whole are very welcome indeed. Thank you for visiting.
Copyright. Nights In The Past 2007 -