Oxford and Cambridge are not only university towns, but also very important tourist destinations. Unfortunately there are few branded hotels in both towns, and it’s tricky to find a bargain for hotel stays on peak dates.
This has improved with the expansion of Marriott. At Oxford, the new Courtyard hotel is an excellent deal at 12,500 points, and I enjoyed my stay in a Tower View room a few months ago.
For Cambridge however, the University Arms hotel, which is a member of Autograph Collection, is an option in a totally league, yet equally a great bargain at 25,000 points a night.
Located within proximity to the town centre, University Arms is a great base to explore Cambridge. It’s a 15 to 20-minute walk to the train station.
The hotel has three gates, opening to the Regent street. It’s easy to miss though as the gates are hidden inside and only one of them bears the hotel’s name, and Google Maps led me to the wrong side of the building!
The £80m refurbishment in 2018 obviously wasn’t wasted. Every detail of the hotel has the feel of class and elegance to it, and one thing I noticed is the many paintings on every wall in every room.
I was upgraded to a Superior Room with Park View. The room is bigger than what a Superior Room normally is, and looks very new.
Although the small “living room” is a bit awkward in terms of where it is. And the desk could have been larger.
The thing I like most about the room is the balcony, overlooking the Parker’s Piece:
The bathroom has also got a beautiful touch. Note that only some rooms come with the bathtub and / or balcony, so make sure you book the correct room type or request on the app if it matters.
I’m still confused with Marriott’s Platinum welcome amenity. Officially at Autograph hotels only 1,000 points or $10 F&B credit is provided, however since there’s no club lounge at this hotel, you could also choose between breakfast and 750 points in addition.
Breakfast is served in the Parker’s Tavern restaurant.
You could choose one side, one main and drinks from the menu. Weirdly I’ve read on Flyertalk that only filtered coffee is complimentary and you must pay for cappuccino etc.
I’ve only had porridges and pastry on the two days, and wasn’t very impressed by the quality.
The hotel is definitely worth a stay if you ever visit Cambridge and I don’t doubt it being one of the best in town. Thanks to Marriott, I’ve got the opportunities to try out more and more hotels at affordable cost!
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