Hotels in Cambridge: Where to Stay (and Why It Matters) – 2026 Guide
Choosing a hotel in Cambridge is like picking a vantage point on a chessboard. From one square, the city feels hushed and scholarly; from another, it hums with riverside cafés and late-night debate.
Where you stay quietly shapes how the city unfolds—your mornings, your walks, your sense of place. Here’s how to choose the right base, and why it matters more than you think.
That approach works.
But it misses something important.
In Cambridge, where you sleep quietly shapes how you experience the city. One street can mean bell towers outside your window. Another means silence, bicycles, and mist rising off the River Cam at dawn.
This is not just a list of hotels. It’s a guide to choosing the right base in Cambridge in 2026—with real prices, real locations, and the trade‑offs most guides never mention.
Hotels in Cambridge: what’s actually changed by 2026
Cambridge hasn’t added dozens of new hotels. Space is tight, planning is strict, and the historic core is protected.
What has changed by 2026 is pricing and positioning.
• City-centre hotels now regularly exceed £180–£240 per night on weekdays during term time.
• Station-area hotels have become the best value-to-comfort ratio.
• Budget hotels still exist—but location matters more than star rating.
If you understand that, choosing becomes easier.
Luxury hotels in Cambridge (when location is the experience)
Luxury in Cambridge isn’t about skyscrapers or infinity pools.
It’s about stepping outside and being inside the story of the city.
University Arms Cambridge
Address: Regent Street, Cambridge CB2 1AD
Typical 2026 prices: £170–£260 per night
Check‑in: 4:00pm | Check‑out: 12:00pm
The University Arms isn’t just central—it faces Parker’s Piece, the green that quietly anchors Cambridge life.
Originally opened in 1834 and fully reimagined, it blends Edwardian confidence with modern comfort. Rooms are calm, light-filled, and deliberately understated. This is a hotel for people who want to feel part of Cambridge rather than observe it.
Everything important is walkable: King’s College (8 minutes), the Fitzwilliam Museum (5 minutes), the River Cam (10 minutes).
The Varsity Hotel & Spa
Address: 24 Thompson’s Lane, Cambridge CB5 8AQ
Typical 2026 prices: £150–£230 per night
The Varsity sits beside the River Cam, and that detail changes everything.
From the rooftop terrace, you see the city as it’s meant to be seen: college roofs, church towers, bicycles threading through narrow streets.
Rooms are contemporary but characterful. The Elemis spa, rooftop bar, and riverside steakhouse make this one of the few Cambridge hotels where you might stay in for the evening—and not regret it.
Royal Cambridge Hotel
Address: Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PY
Typical 2026 prices: £110–£160 per night
This is the quiet achiever of central Cambridge.
Less flashy than its neighbours, the Royal Cambridge Hotel offers traditional rooms, reliable comfort, and one of the best locations in the city—directly between the colleges and the museums.
If you want central access without luxury pricing, this is often the smartest compromise.
Budget‑friendly hotels in Cambridge (value without sacrifice)
Here’s the truth most guides avoid:
You don’t need to stay in the historic core to enjoy Cambridge.
You just need to stay connected.
Premier Inn Cambridge City Centre
Address: Barnwell Road, Cambridge CB5 8HT
Typical 2026 prices: £70–£110 per night
Premier Inn does what it always does: clean rooms, excellent beds, predictable comfort.
The city-centre location means you can walk everywhere, while still paying significantly less than boutique hotels nearby.
Travelodge Cambridge Central
Address: Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8JL
Typical 2026 prices: £55–£90 per night
This is about efficiency.
You’re paying for a bed, a shower, and a solid night’s sleep—then spending your time outside. For short stays or solo trips, it’s hard to fault.
ibis Cambridge Central Station
Address: 2 Station Square, Cambridge CB1 2GA
Typical 2026 prices: £75–£120 per night
This is where modern Cambridge is quietly forming.
Right next to Cambridge Station, the ibis is ideal if you’re arriving by train from London (journey time: ~50 minutes from King’s Cross). Buses and taxis connect you to the historic centre in under 10 minutes.
Choosing your Cambridge hotel the smart way
If this article does its job, you’ll stop asking:
“What’s the best hotel in Cambridge?”
And start asking:
“What kind of Cambridge do I want to wake up in?”
Because in this city, that question matters more than star ratings.
Public transportation in Cambridge (2026 guide)
Not staying right in the centre? No problem. Cambridge buses, taxis, cycling routes, and rail links make the city easy to navigate—if you know how the system actually works.
