Hotel du Vin, Cambridge
by Nina Cuthbert
Above: Hotel du Vin, Cambridge
The History: This building, dating back in part to medieval times once made up part of the administrative offices of Cambridge University. The hotel comprises three buildings merged into one and is just over two months old. With 41 bedrooms and suites and not much competition in the area, there is already a desire to make it bigger.
The Room: Overlooking Trumpington Street, the room has neutral décor with some exposed brickwork which makes for a pleasant design touch. The en-suite comes complete with a wonderfully deep free-standing bath and large separate ‘monsoon’ shower. Flatscreen television and blackout curtains mean you can watch a film or doze off completely in the dark.
The Restaurant: The bistro is an exceedingly welcoming space with attentive staff, comfortable leather chairs and decorative hops adorning the windows. As the first Hotel du Vin to have an open-style kitchen, witnessing the cooking is an extra bit of fun. Scallops with garlic and gruyere and the selection of cured meats come highly recommended, the former utterly faultless. Main courses sadly were a little on the dull side; the seared hake tasted of very little, but the purple potatoes as an accompaniment did well to make up for it and the rib-eye steak was a hefty portion but could have done with a little more pizzazz. The sticky toffee pudding was superb.
The Upside: Modern-day frescos on the walls are a stunning addition to the interior design and the outdoor terrace with ‘Cigar Shack’ is perfect if you happen to be a smoker. Snuggling up on sofas with cushions under a wooden roof, protected by blasts of warm air is a great way to have a cigarette and not be cold or indeed, breaking the law.
The Downside: Unless you arrive early and get one of the hotel’s parking spaces, you must either park along Trumpington Street (up to two hours at a time only) or pay £12 for 24 hours and park in the nearby Cambridge Royal Hotel. Don’t forget to ask for a token on exit…
The Extras: Glass doors lock you out of the wine cellars but they make for a welcome addition to the design of the building and allow you to see old and new vintages in all their glory. The hotel is positioned perfectly for the much-pedestrianised town centre, very close to the museum, the market and many independent shops. Walking past Corpus Christi college finally gives the oft-hailed University Challenge team a building to associate them with and the bicycles that go past add that hint of quaintness to a town already abundant with irresistible charm.
The Details: Standard doubles from £135, suites from £225
Hotel du Vin & Bistro, 15-19 Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QA, 01223 227330
www.hotelduvin.com