Where to stay in Cambridge: Gonville Hotel
As I always say, accommodation is a huge part of my travel. I love unique stays, luxury ones, cool hotels and everything in between. So when I researched where to stay in Cambridge, Gonville Hotel came up a few times. I had a little browse on their Instagram page and was sold.
Location
The Gonville Hotel is truly a wonderful luxury hotel right in the heart of Cambridge. Its location is right in the center of the city and just opposite the famous Parker’s Piece. I love that it is a short walk to everywhere. Address is Gonville Place, CB1 1LY.
Parking is £17* each day, which I found quite pricey but tbh, coming from London, I couldn’t complain much. Also, considering its location and how parking in Cambridge can be limited, it makes sense that there is a charge.
Reception
The reception was simple but pretty. There is a sit down, welcome area, which was quite useful as it was a busy check in period. It was the bank holiday weekend so everyone and their mama were in Cambridge. Check in was quick and even though we arrived about 30 mins before the official check in time, our rooms were already ready.
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Rooms
We had the pleasure of experiencing 2 rooms because we went with Bobo. Mr E and I stayed in the Super Deluxe while Bobo stayed in a Classic Double. It is possibly easier to have booked an Airbnb but tbh, I wanted full on luxury so hotel it was.
The Super Deluxe room came with the most beautiful bath in the bedroom. I’ll be honest, this is the reason I chose this hotel. I had seen the bath and I knew I wanted to stay in this room. The room also overlooked Parker’s Piece and the front of the hotel. I would say it was possibly one of the best rooms in the hotel.
The shower room was simple and quite minimal. It had a huge rainfall shower, which I loved and had all the facilities one would need.
The Bed. Ok, this was actually my favourite feature in the bedroom. Which is funny because I thought the bath would be the main attraction since it was the reason I booked this hotel right? But the bed was so perfect. It was comfortable and beautiful and that green headboard gave me life.
Then there was the Classic Double. We could have comfortably stayed in the classic double if I wasn’t mesmerised by the bath in the super deluxe. It was the perfect size, Bobo said the bed was comfortable and the shower room was simple and chic as well.
On the Lawn
With the rules changing constantly, most establishments are now expanding to accommodate terraces and gardens. Gonville Hotel was no different. They recently opened a new outdoor terrace as lockdown began to ease. I suppose to attract more guests who perhaps, are not hotel residents.
On the Lawn is a really cute spot, boho chic; yet a quintessentially English garden. It was really beautiful and the food was amazing. I ordered the lobster and my word, it was the best I have had in a while. So good that I went back to order the same dish the next day.
Regardless of whether you are staying at Gonville Hotel or not, you can book a table It is worth it, I promise!
We did not eat breakfast at the hotel just because we wanted a reason to go out early each morning. So I’m glad that we had the choice of the outdoor terrace once back from wandering.
Gonville Hotel’s Perks
1958 Bentley Tour: In looking for where to stay in Cambridge, Gonville hotel was a no brainer thanks to that tub. However, there was another reason that ultimately sealed the deal for me. Guests at Gonville hotel can take a complimentary ride around the city in the classic Bentley. The experience was our welcome to Cambridge as we went on the experience just as we got to the hotel. We spent just under an hour driving around Cambridge with Elliott, the knowledgeable concierge/driver. He knew all the history and hidden gems Cambridge has to offer and made sure to drive us to each of them.
Rent-A-Bike: Gonville Hotel also offers bicycles to rent for free on a first come, first serve basis. Bicycles are quite the norm when “wandering” around Cambridge so this was a lovely perk. We ended up borrowing the bicycles on the morning before we checked out for a few hours. As the hotel is just across Parker’s Piece, we spent the morning riding around which was so cool.
Gresham House Wellness: Gonville Hotel houses a wellness center as well which might be one of the prettiest buildings I had seen in Cambridge. It is a luxury wellness center, which offers treatments from massages to facials to waxing. This was one I wish I had researched more so I could book a slot in time. Of course, being the busy weekend it was, there was no availability for the treatment I wanted.
Service
The first thing I noticed with Gonville hotel was their lovely staff and how their service was top notch. You see, this trip was booked back in December 2020. Yes, December. It was supposed to be during the last few days of 2020 but then we went into yet another lockdown. I immediately received an email to let me know that my place would be on hold and I could rebook whenever I felt comfortable.
Since we had no idea when lockdown would be lifted, I knew to book way ahead. Enter May bank holiday weekend. We also needed our room to be next to Bobo’s even though they were different types. The staff made it work. A lady called me and patiently went through the options they had with me which made me comfortable to book. We also rang ahead to book the Bentley tour and they offered us a slot before check in!
So despite the pandemic and all the dates being reshuffled, we felt very well taken care of.
My General Thoughts on Gonville Hotel
In researching where to stay in Cambridge, Gonville Hotel is a fantastic choice. Its proximity to everywhere is perfect. There is a park just outside where one can chill and have picnics. You are spoilt for choice when it comes to food options; regardless of dining in or out. Cambridge is a small city and most places are within walking distance. It is also important to state that most hotels will be within proximity of everywhere you’d like to visit. However the extra perks sold Gonville Hotel to me.
I like the fact that there was a Bentley Tour and I loved that we could rent bicycles. Also, the terrace dining was a big plus for me. Not to forget the beautiful bedroom and cute tub. In those uncertain times, the fact that we were able to book and pay on arrival was also a great touch. It meant that if we had gone back into lockdown, it would not have been a hassle to get our money back.
Was there anything lacking? I couldn’t come up with one. Maybe a pool? Only because it was a very hot weekend that I started to think a pool might be nice lol. But let’s be honest, pools in the UK are really unnecessary. I said what I said haha!
Until my next hotel stay…
Bisous, ‘Bugo x
*cost of parking as at May 2021
