The Varsity Hotel & Spa

See all properties

Choose dates to view prices

Where to?

Dates

March 2025

April 2025

Overview
Rooms
Location
Policies

Excellent

Popular amenities

Gym
Hot tub
Bar
Room service

Explore the area

24 Thompsons Lane, Cambridge, England, CB5 8AQ

University of Cambridge
‪1 min walk‬
Cambridge Corn Exchange
‪9 min walk‬
The River Cam
‪12 min walk‬
London (STN-Stansted)
‪41 min drive‬

Room options

Senior Suite (Fellows)

35 sq m
Sleeps 3
1 Queen Bed

Senior Room, 1 Queen Bed (Fellows)

22 sq m
Sleeps 3
1 Queen Bed

Senior Twin Room, 2 Single Beds (Fellows)

22 sq m
Sleeps 3
2 Twin Beds

Double Room (Graduates)

15.5 sq m
Sleeps 3
1 Double Bed

Room, 1 King Bed (Fellows)

18.5 sq m
Sleeps 3
1 King Bed

Similar properties

Pool
Hot tub
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi

for 1 room

includes taxes & fees

2 Apr - 3 Apr

About this property

Luxury hotel with 2 restaurants and a full-service spa

This smoke-free hotel features 2 restaurants, a full-service spa, and a health club. WiFi in public areas is free. Additionally, a bar/lounge, a sauna, and a rooftop terrace are onsite.

The Varsity Hotel & Spa offers 44 accommodations with tablet computers and DVD players. Each accommodation is individually furnished and decorated. Beds feature premium bedding. 32-inch Smart televisions come with digital channels. Bathrooms include bathtubs or showers, bathrobes, slippers, and designer toiletries.

This Cambridge hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include desks, safes, and phones. Additionally, rooms include complimentary bottled water and coffee/tea makers. Housekeeping is offered daily and hypo-allergenic bedding can be requested.

A health club and complimentary bicycles are featured at the hotel. Other recreational amenities include a hot tub, a sauna, and a fitness center.

Glassworks & Elemis Spa has 6 treatment rooms. Services include deep-tissue massages, sports massages, Swedish massages, and facials. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy, Ayurvedic, and reflexology. The spa is equipped with a sauna, a hot tub, and a steam room.

The spa is open daily. Children under 10 years old are not allowed in the spa without adult supervision.

Our customers tell us they can't get enough of the helpful staff at The Varsity Hotel & Spa. During your stay, you're just a quick walk from University of Cambridge. Features include free WiFi in public areas, plus 2 restaurants and a full-service spa.

Free WiFi
Enjoy a bite to eat at one of the 2 restaurants
Buffet breakfast served daily for a fee
Valet parking available for a fee
Indulge with manicures and pedicures, massages, or body wraps at Glassworks & Elemis Spa
Services include dry cleaning/laundry, a concierge, and tour or ticket assistance
Onsite recreation includes a gym, a steam room, and a sauna
Steps from University of Cambridge and 9 minutes by car from Addenbrooke's Hospital

The Varsity Hotel & Spa offers its guests a full-service spa, a health club, and a hot tub. There are 2 restaurants on site. You can enjoy a drink at the bar/lounge. WiFi is free in public spaces.

Event space at this hotel measures 614 square feet (57 square meters) and includes conference space. A sauna, a rooftop terrace, and spa services are also featured at the luxury The Varsity Hotel & Spa. Parking is available for a fee.

This 4-star Cambridge hotel is smoke free.

For a fee, guests can enjoy buffet breakfast on weekdays from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM and on weekends from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM.

The River Bar and Grill - This steakhouse serves dinner only. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar.

Roof Terrace - Onsite bar.

SIX Bar & Brasserie - This brasserie serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar. Open daily.

Late night fare is available from 24-hour room service.

Languages

English, French, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

Valet parking on site (GBP 33 per night)

Food and drink

Buffet breakfast available for a fee 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM on weekdays and 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM on weekends; GBP 19.50 for adults and GBP 19.50 for children
2 restaurants
A bar/lounge
Coffee and tea in common areas

Restaurants on site

Roof Terrace
SIX Bar & Brasserie
The River Bar and Grill

Things to do

Free bicycle rentals
Full-service spa
Health club
Hot tub
Sauna
Steam room

Family friendly

DVD player
Free cot
Laundry facilities

Conveniences

24-hour front desk
Guidebooks
Hair salon
Laundry facilities
Luggage storage
Safe at front desk

Guest services

Concierge services
Dry cleaning/laundry service
Housekeeping (daily)
Multilingual staff
Porter/bellhop
Tour and ticket assistance

Business services

614 square feet of conference space
Meeting room

Outdoors

Rooftop terrace

Full-service spa

6 treatment rooms
Aromatherapy
Ayurvedic treatments
Body scrubs
Body wraps
Deep-tissue massages
Facials
Hot tub
Manicures/pedicures
Reflexology
Sauna
Spa open daily
Sports massages
Steam room
Swedish massages

Accessibility

Lift

Room amenities

Bedroom

Free cot
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Premium bedding

Bathroom

Bathtub or shower
Designer toiletries
Dressing gowns
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Shampoo
Slippers
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels provided

Entertainment

32-inch smart TV with digital channels
DVD player
Streaming services
Tablet computer

Food and drink

24-hour room service
Coffee/tea maker
Free bottled water
Restaurant dining guides

Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
Desk
Heating (climate-controlled)
Individual decor
Individual furnishings
Iron/ironing board
Phone
Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:30 PM; Check-in end time: anytime

Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM

Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property

For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

No pets allowed, but service animals are welcome

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome.

Rollaway/extra beds are available for GBP 50.0 per night.

Free cribs (infant beds)!

Payment types at the property

Important information

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

Fee for buffet breakfast: approximately GBP 19.50 for adults and GBP 19.50 for children
Valet parking fee: GBP 33.00 per night
Rollaway bed fee: GBP 50.0 per night

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

You need to know

This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession.

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

This property accepts major credit cards, debit cards, and cash

Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a smoke detector, and window guards

Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property. For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation.

Guests who may encounter issues with stairs should contact this property in advance. Elevators are not available.

We should mention

Reservations are needed for massage services and spa treatments. For reservations, contact the hotel before arrival using the contact information on the booking confirmation.

Property is also known as

Hotel Varsity

Varsity Cambridge

Varsity Hotel

Varsity Hotel Cambridge

The Varsity Hotel Cambridge

The Varsity Hotel And Spa

The Varsity Hotel & Spa Hotel

The Varsity Hotel & Spa Cambridge

The Varsity Hotel & Spa Hotel Cambridge

The Varsity Hotel & Spa Reviews

8.8

Excellent

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.2/10

Eco-friendliness

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

16 Dec 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

2/10 Terrible

Mitchell, BURY ST EDMUNDS

Travelled with partner

5 Dec 2024

Disliked: Amenities

THE HOTEL FOOD WAS DISGUSTINGLY AWFUL,THE TV IN THE ROOM DIDNT WORK AT ALL & THE BED SHEETS SMELT AWFULLY MUSTY & VERY VERY UNFRESH. DREADFUL AWFUL STAY DO NOT STAY AT THIS VILE HOTEL...

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Mary

Travelled with family

2 Dec 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

A lovely convenient place to stay, but be prepared to open doors yourself while managing luggage. Great restaurants, but wait staff need a bit more training. (Knowledge of menu etc., and time management. Still my top choice of hotels for proximity and cleanliness!

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

8/10 Good

Maurice

Travelled with family

22 Nov 2024

Liked: Staff & service, amenities

Hard to explain but definitely not as good as it looks in pictures. It’s kind of like it’s been repurposed at a hotel but in a cheap way. Fixtures and fittings are cheap kind of way and it’s poorly finished. Poor lighting etc. no coffee machine in room. Good to have the gym next door and great dining options. Very friendly staff at reception.

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Anish

Business traveller

19 Nov 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Eleni

Travelled with family

17 Nov 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

We liked the ease of the valet parking. The lovely staff were very helpful.

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Anish

Business traveller

14 Nov 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

6/10 Okay

Kristy

Travelled with partner

11 Nov 2024

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

On arrival there was nowhere to leave the car to unload bags, the hotel is surrounded by resident parking and double yellow lines, even when paying for valet parking you have to risk leaving it on double yellows to hand over to the staff. The staff on reception on arrival were also very unfriendly, barely made an effort to say hello. We booked this hotel over other choices for the option of the spa, the spa was hugely disappointing. No private cubicles in the changing areas and the spa smelt musty and damp throughout, especially the jacuzzi, . It was not somewhere you want to sit and relax inhaling unpleasant odours and sitting in stale water. Finally we were given a room with a balcony, on first impressions a nice upgrade from the standard room we had booked. However soon became a negative once unpacked that we found the external door to the shared balcony area did not lock, leaving us feeling vulnerable that 2 other rooms could access ours. And on top of this the shared balcony brought with it noise from other guests talking outside until 1am. The bed is positioned next to the patio doors to the shared balcony, so their conversation was practically happening at my bedside. After calling and emailing reception no one made any effort to ask the other room to respect the time of the day and keep the noise down or move the conversation inside. This made our plans of a relaxing night away far from enjoyable. We will not be returning.

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

4/10 Poor

Deborah

10 Nov 2024

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Lacking in all areas

Firstly, hotels.com needs to update its description because the ONLY reason I chose this hotel was because of the roof terrace, and when we arrived we found out it was closed. Then the room. What a letdown. It’s over £200 a night (breakfast not included) and is small, filled with tired, cheap furniture, the plumbing gurgles all night, then at dawn you get woken early because the curtain is too small to cover the window. Really takes you back to student accommodation. It’s like a £40 travelodge. And I’m not saying the room had been neglected for months, but if you do avail yourself of the free water bottles (tepid, because of course there’s no fridge), you’ll find the caps are still detached. So at least 4 months old. The hotel claims each room has a tablet so you can read the papers and order room service, etc. Our room didn’t have one. But the Wi-Fi didn’t work either, so maybe that was intentional. Also no phone signal, so if you’re looking for a digital detox, this is the room for you. I also asked for bikes - free bike hire is on the amenity list - but the bikes don’t have lights on them, and when you can only check in at 3.30pm there’s not a lot of daylight left in November. I was told by a staff member that I could ‘risk it’ and ride around without lights, but no thanks hun. That would be illegal and I would definitely get into an accident. The spa is nice, but it’s super small and busy with more than 6 people there so we had to get out of the jacuzzi sharpish.

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christina

1 Nov 2024

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

6/10 Okay

Alison

26 Oct 2024

Liked: Staff & service

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Matthew

21 Oct 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Terry

13 Oct 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Fantastic - The Varsity is an experience, not merely a place. Apart from all the comforts of a 5 star hotel, the atmosphere - generated by the artwork and well-crafted design themes of Cambridge academia and Grand Britannia - gives the visitor a sparkle to their stay. Traveling from my foreign field, I will return to this corner that is forever England.

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

dawn

Travelled with partner

27 Sept 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Loved our stay there.. staff were polite and friendly customer service was brilliant z would highly recommend the varsity to anyone .

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Chris

Business traveller

25 Sept 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Loved the location!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

6/10 Okay

Kerry

Travelled with family

24 Sept 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities

The service on the front desk at arrival was awful. They gave me a lesser room than what I’d booked (Queen rather than King bed) and then tried to argue that the Queen size bed was actually a King. The room was hot and tiny so I went out for dinner and when I came back they said ‘congratulations, we are upgrading you’ to the room I’d actually booked… like it was a favour! And they made me move my own luggage. The hotel is near a bus zone that’s 15 metres long and has been set up as a fine sting… you’re forced to drive through it because the Google directions try to lead you through a locked park. £70 fine. In short: it’s not worth staying here.

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Brittany

13 Sept 2024

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Thomas

5 Sept 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

James

19 Aug 2024

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Keith Alan

14 Aug 2024

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Alex

Travelled with family, Travelled with partner

5 Aug 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Hotel in a great location but google maps not helpful so use the hotel instructions. 5 mins walk to the colleges and lots of places to eat nearby. Room good but you could hear others talking adjoining room. Nice facilties in room and staff helpful. Did not eat there so can't comment. Staff helpful and valet parking a bonus.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024