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  5. Reviews of The Varsity Hotel & Spa

Reviews of The Varsity Hotel & Spa 4 stars

Thompson's Lane, Cambridge, CB5 8AQ, United Kingdom

#22 of 36 hotels in Cambridge

Guests' Choice

Review score

Based on 946 hotel reviews

7.9

Score breakdown

  • Cleanliness

    8.7

  • Comfort

    8.7

  • Location

    9.4

  • Facilities

    8.2

  • Staff

    8.9

  • Value for money

    7.1

  • Free WiFi

    8.1

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Showing 1 – 25

  • Reviewed: 6 May 2024

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night

    Bed was too uncomfortable for my liking - very hard!

    Location was perfect for the City. Loved the roof terrace area.

    Stayed in May 2024

  • Reviewed: 6 May 2024

    9.0
    Excellent Stay.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Air con didnt work but might be a seasonal thing. Dustmen came very early on Sunday morning and were emptying all the bottle bins and rubbish bins for the hotel which woke us up. Why that time on a Sunday morning and not later on in the day??

    Excellent Location. Superb Food and Professional Staff. Had an free upgrade of room on arrival for my wifes birthday with cake waiting for us in the room. Great touch by the staff.

    Stayed in May 2024

  • Reviewed: 2 May 2024

    9.0
    A quiet haven in the heart of the city - would definitely recommend
    • Business trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night

    No complaints at all. Really liked it.

    Great central location, but really quiet, no noise. Lovely room - nice decor and clean. Comfy bed, proper coffee and lots of water. Had been to the restaurant previously but never stayed before but was very impressed with my room. Valet parking service was excellent too.

    Stayed in May 2024

  • Reviewed: 2 May 2024

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night

    Dirty windows inside and out in the roof top restuarant.

    The full English breakfast was superb - definitely order again on my next visit.

    Stayed in May 2024

  • Reviewed: 15 April 2024

    9.0
    A perfect hotel for the perfect stay.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • King Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Nothing

    Located close to the city centre. The staff were all so very polite and helpful. Food was of a good standard.

    Stayed in April 2024

  • Reviewed: 12 April 2024

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • King Room
    • Stayed 1 night

    Figuring out how to drive there. I placed the hotel in three different Satnav systems. One wanted to take me through Jesus College and another one wanted to take me across a pedestrian bridge.

    We loved the location. It is a great location. A perfect base of operations to see the town. Close to many restaurants. The spa was incredibly nice.

    Stayed in April 2024

  • Reviewed: 1 April 2024

    8.0
    Large comfy rooms with good food
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights

    Front desk could have been better: understaffed and looked like OJT going on, ie when there was a second member staffing the front desk he couldn't answer our questions. Not quite as centrally located as , say - The Hilton, but still a pretty easy walk to most of town. I like a dark room: Curtains were awful. After sunrise, you could read a book with the light the curtains let in. See pic

    Room was very good overall: huge by European standards, same for bath, King bed was comfortable and the pillows were excellent (not too hard). Room even had large iMac computer, but truth be told, it was very slow, (WIFI loading on my ipad was much quicker, doesn't make much sense but thats the way it was). SIX restaurant pleasant, had nice view. The squid was tad overcooked but the tomato soup, broccoli and lamb were excellent. Breakfast was very good as well. Rooftop bar was closed but that looks like it would be great in the summer. River Bar Steakhouse had even better view of river and food was very good as well. Lamb chops were excellent.

    Stayed in March 2024

  • Reviewed: 23 March 2024

    8.0
    Great central location
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Cost of parking

    Location

    Stayed in March 2024

  • Reviewed: 19 March 2024

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Stair well is a little dated.

    Proximity to city centre. Comfortable beds!

    Stayed in March 2024

  • Reviewed: 11 March 2024

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night

    pillows bit flat

    upgraded room, breakfast fab

    Stayed in March 2024

  • Reviewed: 7 March 2024

    9.0
    Superb
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night

    staff very helpful and friendly Very good roof top restaurant

    Stayed in March 2024

  • Reviewed: 6 March 2024

    9.0
    Superb
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Only a couple of things. Wouldn't usually even mention them, but for the price, should have been better. Our welcome information mentioned using the tablet provided to find more local information, see a more detailed list of services, food/drink available, play games etc. However, we didn't have a tablet. We did mention it and a lovely lady came to our room and was apologetic that it had mysteriously disappeared! I expected them to provide another one but it seemed to have been forgotten. My daughter was hungry on arrival and homed in on the sweets and crisps. I then noticed that they were priced at £4.95 each. I felt that after paying £360 for a 2 night, room only stay, this was a bit steep.

    It was a gorgeous room. Very clean throughout. Absolutely loved having a nice big bath. The staff were very helpful and friendly.

    Stayed in March 2024

  • Reviewed: 24 February 2024

    9.0
    Superb
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Perfect room, perfect location.

    Stayed in February 2024

  • Reviewed: 4 February 2024

    7.0
    Great hotel
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Our room on 4th floor wasn't the best it's next to a cupboard which I guess was the source of vibration event ten mins in the room we didn't sleep well for both nights. We asked reception who said they would come up and listen and call us back whjch never happened. But overall it was great

    Really good location. Right in the centre. Near everything. Hotel was lovely. Room was clean, and staff were lovely

    Stayed in February 2024

  • Reviewed: 25 January 2024

    7.0
    Happy - we had a great stay in Cambridge!
    • Business trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 3 nights

    We had heating in the bathroom floor for 2 of the 3 days, the last day it wasn't there - reception couldn't help. Mattress a little too hard for my liking, but this is very personal. Some mold on the curtains, so maybe HK should take a look.

    Nice big room. Very friendly staff. Loved the big bathtub! Amazing positioning of the hotel, in the middle of town with walking distance to everywhere. Very clean rooms.

    Stayed in January 2024

  • Reviewed: 25 January 2024

    8.0
    Would stay again however I think if you are just staying and not using the facilities then it’s too expensive for what i
    • Leisure trip
    • People with friends
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Rooms could be cleaner and also they need a seating area in the room. Views in all rooms not so good and it’s also very noisy. We could hear people showering and going to the loo all night.

    The property is ok its location is excellent. The views from Some of the rooms are not great we looked over the back of a restaurant not great. The six restaurant is lovely drink were brilliant albeit a bit pricey. Did get to use the spa facilities we were only there one night. Artwork was really Lovely and the decor was good. Staff were friendly too.

    Stayed in January 2024

  • Reviewed: 13 January 2024

    7.0
    Disappointed. Six restaurant average and decor tired and confused.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Tired decoration, felt dated even though it was a modern building.

    Location and facilities

    Stayed in January 2024

  • Reviewed: 12 January 2024

    9.0
    Superb
    • Business trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The height to fit my head under the shower, was just not given. Always a problem for tall people. Expensive parking, but nice service.

    Nice room. Good spa for the price that was included. Good location to walk into the city centre.

    Stayed in January 2024

  • Reviewed: 5 January 2024

    9.0
    VERY COMFY STAY IN A GREAT LOCATION.
    • Business trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night

    GREAT LOCATION AND VERY COMFY BED.

    Stayed in January 2024

  • Reviewed: 30 December 2023

    9.0
    Superb
    • Leisure trip
    • People with friends
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Lovely central location with friendly staff, clean and cute.

    Stayed in December 2023

  • Reviewed: 17 December 2023

    8.0
    V v v good place to rest and recover
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 4 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    WiFi

    Stayed in December 2023

  • Reviewed: 15 December 2023

    9.0
    A fabulous oasis of friendly staff and comforts.
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • King Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Balcony door wouldn't lock.

    Access to the gym and spa. Great restauran t on site. Friendly staff. Valet parking.

    Stayed in December 2023

  • Reviewed: 8 December 2023

    7.0
    Great location right in the city centre. Excellent, if expensive breakfast.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Superior King Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Room seemed of lower standard than the website showed for the class.

    Location

    Stayed in December 2023

  • Reviewed: 5 December 2023

    9.0
    The best pound for pound hotel in Cambridge. Fantastic super friendly service.
    • Business trip
    • Solo traveller
    • King Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Having to leave

    Excellent boutique hotel with great super friendly staff and facilities. Roof top bar was class and cocktails were fab too.

    Stayed in December 2023

Showing 1 – 25

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