University Arms Hotel

The hotel is great with a charming setting. The beds are quite comfy with good WiFi. Very clean and very good room service. The reception is great, but I think they need to allocate people help in luggage transfer to and from the rooms. Breakfast is great, and I think the hashbrown is one of the best.

Absolutely love this hotel. We have stayed a handful of times. We spent our honeymoon here during Covid. Rooms are elegant & cosy. Highly recommend a room/suite with a standing bath. The breakfast is varied. Also recommend taking the hotel bicycles out for a spin, it’s a great way to explore Cambridge. The bar/library for a cocktail is essential 🙂 The restaurant serves a tasty steak. Staff are polite and always helpful.

I’ve stayed at this hotel several times before and have always appreciated its excellent location and overall service. Unfortunately, this visit was deeply disappointing. I arrived quite late, around 1am, and was shocked to find that the lavatory seat in my room was clearly unclean, with visible faecal matter on it. As I was exhausted, I didn’t call reception immediately, intending instead to raise the issue the following morning and look into alternative accommodation. The next day, I reported the issue to reception and asked if I could cancel the second night of my stay. The experience had made me lose trust in the hotel’s standards, and I no longer felt comfortable remaining there — regardless of whether they offered me another room. I’m not someone who is overly fussy; for instance, I noticed hairs on the bed linen but chose not to complain. However, the state of the toilet was simply unacceptable, and it made me question the overall reliability of the hotel’s cleaning team. The receptionist I spoke to was polite and understanding. They assured me the matter would be investigated and that I would receive a follow-up. As a result, I didn’t check the billing at the time of departure. However, after leaving the hotel, I received an invoice that not only charged me in full but also included an additional night of parking, which I didn’t use. I called again, but the staff simply told me there was nothing they could do. I’ve travelled extensively and stayed in numerous hotels around the world, but I’ve never encountered a situation like this. It’s truly disappointing. The supervisor even told me, “If something like this happens, you should inform us immediately.” I deeply regret not taking a video at the time — though even then, I imagine they might have claimed, “That could have been your own doing.” It’s a real shame. On previous visits, both the service and experience were excellent. I never expected such a letdown this time. I’m very disappointed.