Where to Stay in Cambridge: Best Areas & Hotels (By a Local)

Cambridge is a compact and beautiful city.  It’s one of the best places to spend a long weekend in the UK.   

I’ve lived in Cambridge for over 30 years and, for most visitors, I recommend staying in or close to Cambridge city centre. You’ll be within easy walking distance of the colleges, River Cam, museums and most of the main sights.

The downside is the price. Cambridge can be expensive place to stay, particularly in summer and during university graduation weekends.

If the city centre prices make your eyes water, there are some good alternatives. Staying near Cambridge train station can work well if you’re arriving with luggage, whilst University of Cambridge college accommodation can be a fun option, outside of term time.

In this guide on where to stay in Cambridge, I’ll share my best areas to stay in Cambridge along the best hotels for your needs.

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Best areas to stay in Cambridge, UK

Local tip: Cambridge gets booked up quickly during summer and University graduation weekends. Book as far in advance as possible.

Cambridge city centre

If it’s your first visit to Cambridge, the city centre is the area I’d choose to stay.

You can walk to King’s College, the River Cam (for punting), the Fitzwilliam Museum and most of Cambridge’s main sights. You’re also surrounded by restaurants, pubs and cafés.

One of the best things about staying centrally is that you can wander around Cambridge in the evening, go for dinner and a drink and walk back to your hotel afterwards.

Where to stay in Cambridge city centre

Graduate Cambridge

Best for: river views

The Graduate is my personal favourite hotel in Cambridge.

Its riverside location is the main reason to stay here. The hotel’s garden sits beside the River Cam and in summer it’s a gorgeous place to sit with a drink and watch the river go by.

I’ve spent plenty of time here over the years and sitting in one of the deckchairs beside the river is one of my favourite ways to spend a sunny Cambridge afternoon.

If you want a hotel that feels part of your Cambridge experience rather than just somewhere to sleep, the Graduate would be my choice.

Gonville Hotel

Best for: relaxation and luxury

The Gonville hotel is a little bit further from the historic centre of Cambridge and I wouldn’t describe its immediate surroundings as particularly picturesque. There’s a large multi-storey car park nearby, although directly opposite is Parker’s Piece, one of Cambridge’s green spaces.

What makes me recommend the Gonville is the luxurious experience you get here.

There’s a lovely spa, and you can take a chauffeur-driven drive around Cambridge in the hotel’s classic Bentley.

I find there’s a feeling of calm when I walk through the doors. The food and drink here is great. I’ve had a hearty breakfast, including delicious pancakes, and in winter I’ve sat wrapped in cosy blankets drinking delicious winter cocktails.

In summer, the hotel sometimes hosts outdoor cinema screenings in the garden. I watched Grease here and loved it.

If you’re interested in football, look out for the sculpture on Parker’s Piece commemorating the first rules of football which were drafted in Cambridge.

Check out my guide to the best Cambridge spa days for more spa options in Cambridge.

University Arms

Best for: book lovers

The University Arms is my choice of hotel for book lovers.

I’ve spent many evenings having drinks in the hotel’s library. There are giant sofas, books all around you and a roaring fire in winter. It’s a lovely place to settle in with a drink when it’s cold outside.

But one of my favourite details about the University Arms is in a slightly less glamorous location: the toilets.

An audiobook plays while you’re in there, which I think is a brilliant idea. It might also result in you spending longer in the toilet than you intended.

I haven’t stayed overnight here, but the rooms themselves are beautifully designed. Combined with the library and the location overlooking Parker’s Piece, the University Arms is a real treat if you love books.

If you’re a book lover, read my guide to the best bookshops in Cambridge.

Wilde Aparthotels Cambridge

Best for: Self-catering

Wilde is one of Cambridge’s newer places to stay and is different from traditional hotels like the Gonville and University Arms.

The main advantage is having apartment-style, beautifully designed, accommodation with smart kitchen facilities whilst still being extremely central.

This makes Wilde a good option if you’re staying for longer, travelling with children or just don’t want to eat out for every meal.

The public spaces feel modern, spacious and upmarket without being stuffy. One of the things I remember most is the calming scent when you walk through the door.

Hilton Cambridge City Centre

Best for: being right in the centre of Cambridge

I’ve stayed at the Hilton and have returned many times for drinks. Its biggest selling point is location. It’s extremely central, so as soon as you walk out of the hotel you’re amongst the shops, colleges and main sights.

I particularly like the relaxed atmosphere in the bar. There’s often a pianist quietly playing in the evening, which makes it a lovely, laid-back place for a drink.

Because of its very central location, there’s naturally more activity around the hotel, than at somewhere such as the Gonville. But if convenience is your priority, the location of the Hilton is difficult to fault.

Cambridge train station

Staying near Cambridge train station can save money without putting you too far away from everything.

It’s around a 30-minute walk to the historic centre and the main route is straightforward and well lit. There are also frequent buses.

You’re also not far from Mill Road, where you’ll find international restaurants, food shops, record shops and bars. It gives you a glimpse of a more everyday side of Cambridge than you’ll see around the central area.

Where to stay at Cambridge train station

ibis Cambridge Central Station

Best for: train travellers

The Ibis is literally footsteps from the station, making it really useful if you’ve got lots of luggage.

I haven’t stayed here myself, but it’s somewhere I’d look at if I wanted a straightforward, car-free Cambridge base and the central hotels were outside of my budget.

You can easily catch a bus into the centre or walk when the weather is good.

Clayton Hotel Cambridge

Best for: a more upmarket stay near the station

The Clayton is the station-area luxury alternative to the Ibis.

I really like the interior. There are comfortable seating areas with books, it has a relaxed atmosphere, and the staff have been very friendly when I’ve visited.

If you want to stay close to the station but prefer something more upmarket than the functional Ibis hotel, the Clayton is where I’d book.

If you’re arriving from London, my guide to getting from London to Cambridge compares the different train and coach options.

Staying in a Cambridge college

Best for: a unique Cambridge experience

Staying in a Cambridge college is one of the more interesting places to stay in Cambridge and many visitors don’t know that it’s possible.

During University vacations, rooms in some colleges are available to visitors. Remember that you’re generally booking student-style accommodation, so don’t expect the facilities of a four-star hotel.

But you do get something a chain hotel can’t offer: the experience of actually staying inside a Cambridge college and walking up to gorgeous views of a historic college.

Christ’s College

Christ’s would be my first choice of Cambridge college to stay in.

It’s extremely central and the courtyards and gardens are beautiful. I’ve spent plenty of time exploring the college, and it’s one of my favourite colleges in Cambridge.

There’s also a connection with Charles Darwin, who studied here, including a statue of him on one of the benches in the college grounds.

If you want to feel as though you’re actually staying in Cambridge rather than simply staying at a hotel here, a stay at Christ’s College is hard to beat.

Remember that the actual accommodation won’t be as luxurious as the central hotels but it will be an experience that you can’t get in many places.

Other areas of Cambridge to stay in

West Cambridge and Eddington

I don’t normally recommend first-time visitors stay in Eddington.  However, it is the best place to stay if you’re visiting the University of Cambridge’s West Cambridge site.

Eddington is a modern part of Cambridge with a small central square and lots of green space, including a little lake nearby where you can go for a walk.

The two hotels in Eddington are Turing Locke and Hyatt Centric. I’ve visited them for food and drink many times.  This area is very quiet, so if you’re here for work it’s great. 

There’s also a gym on site and I particularly like the landscaped area between the hotel spaces, where there’s covered outdoor seating and a relaxed atmosphere.

Turing Locke

Choose Turing Locke if you want an apartment-style stay rather than a conventional hotel room.

Having your own kitchen and living space makes it particularly useful for longer stays or families.

Hyatt Centric Cambridge

Hyatt Centric is the better choice of the two if you want a conventional hotel experience.

This place has a modern, upmarket feel without feeling overly formal.

Cambridge North Station

This area of Cambridge isn’t for the casual sightseeing visitor, unless you enjoy a good walk to start and end the day, as Cambridge North is quite a distance from the city centre.

It does make sense to stay here though if you’re visiting the Science Park or need to be on this side of the city.

For a sightseeing weekend, I’d stay somewhere more central unless the Novotel here is significantly cheaper for your dates.

The Novotel is right next to Cambridge North station and has a swimming pool, which may make it attractive if you want a good swim after a long day.

There’s a lovely walk into Cambridge that’s largely along the river, but it’s a long one, at around 50 minutes.  The walk can be very quiet at night, with not many people around, so keep that in mind if you’re travelling alone.

You can also take a bus to the centre and continue from there.

Where to stay in Cambridge on a budget

Cambridge isn’t a cheap place to stay, so I’d compare several different types of accommodation rather than only searching for hotels.

My first check would be college accommodation, particularly Christ’s College, if you’re travelling when rooms are available.

I’d then look at the YHA Cambridge.  I haven’t stayed at the Cambridge YHA, but I’ve used YHAs in other places when I want to save money whilst travelling. They offer a dependable, basic standard of accommodation, and you can get a great price on a private room.  The YHA in Cambridge even offers private rooms with their own bathroom.

The Cambridge hostel is very close to the train station, on a quiet side street, so the location is useful if you’re arriving by train and it’s about a 20 minute walk into the city centre.

Where to stay in Cambridge with parking

If possible, I’d leave the car at home when staying in Cambridge.  The city is compact, the centre is very walkable, and a car isn’t going to help you see the main sights. What a car will do is leave you paying high Cambridge parking prices.

If you really need to bring a car, check whether your hotel has parking and compare the cost with the city-centre car parks. Queen Anne Terrace multi-storey car park costs £24 to £26 for a day.  Both the Gonville Hotel and the Graduate have paid on-site parking which costs about the same.

Final thoughts on where to stay in Cambridge

For a first visit, I’d stay in Cambridge city centre if your budget allows.

I’d choose the Graduate Cambridge myself because I love its location beside the river. For a really luxurious hotel experience, I’d pick the Gonville, while book lovers should have a look at University Arms.

If you’re trying to keep costs down, check Christ’s College before automatically booking a budget chain hotel. If central Cambridge hotel prices are simply too high, staying around Cambridge railway station is a perfectly good compromise.

Wherever you stay, I wouldn’t worry about having a car. Cambridge is a city that’s best explored on foot.

Visiting Cambridge for the first time? Read my one-day Cambridge itinerary next, or have a look at my guide to the best free things to do in Cambridge if you’ve got longer.