Is this hotel pet friendly?
Yes. Dogs (and sometimes cats) are welcome for a fee. Being adjacent to Parker’s Piece, walking your furry friend couldn’t be easier. It’s probably one of the best locations in Cambridge to have your pet stay with you.
The University Arms
The Radical Truth
As Cambridge’s undisputed “Hero” hotel, the University Arms’ architecture and presence represent the high end of what Cambridge offers.
Room Reality
The University Arms sits on one of the most congested pedestrian corners in Cambridge. Because the grand entrance is flush with a narrow, high-traffic pavement, arriving during peak hours (3 PM – 6 PM) is a chaotic experience. You are essentially fighting a tide of students, commuters, and language school groups. If you are arriving by car, the valet area is a tiny, high-pressure loop, if there are several taxis already there, the whole system grinds to a halt, forcing you to unload your bags in a flurry of "sorry" and "excuse me" to the passing public.
Local Insider Hack
The University Arms valet is a high-pressure bottleneck, and the Regent Street buses make calling an Uber to the front door a nightmare of cancellations and "where are you?" calls. If you need a car, don’t fight the valet loop. Walk 60 seconds out the side exit to the Park Terrace entrance on the edge of the green. It’s a wide, quiet stretch where a driver can actually pull over easily.
The Vibe
Ceremonial Grandeur
The Neighbourhood Reality
The University Arms doesn't just sit in Cambridge, it anchors it. Located on the edge of Parker’s Piece, this is the hotel for those seeking the "Grand Narrative" of the city. It is the architectural equivalent of a deep breath. It is stately, historic, and unashamedly premium. If your visit is about graduation, Cambridge luxury, or simply wanting to look out over one of the most famous greens in England, this is the one. However, that prestige comes with many of the hurdles that guests even deeper in the city centre have to endure.
Arriving to this hotel from the station is best by taxi. Walking here (~15 to 20 minutes) with any sort of luggage would be inconvenient at best. The pavements are narrow, busy and has multiple busy road crossings. The high-density foot traffic of Regent Street would not make this arrival pleasant. By contrast the taxi ride would be inexpensive and only a few minutes and, except for the busiest commuter hours, it should be quick to find the ride you need immediately outside the central train station. If you're arriving by car, there's a small but very useful drop off spot directly outside the front door. Be careful of the pedestrians though, it's a busy foot path immediately outside.
The energy here is "Town meets Gown." The town are the locals, the gown are the acedemics. You have the sprawling green of Parker’s Piece on one side and the bustling, narrow commercial arteries of the city on the other. It is vibrant, academic, and feels expensive. Because it sits on a major crossroads, the area is always active. It’s the safest-feeling spot in the city, but it never truly goes quiet until late at night.
Top Tip: for those looking to spend their Marriott Bonvoy points, this is the only Marriott affiliated hotel in Cambridge and is under the Marriott Autograph Collection.
Caution: Most bus gates in UK cities have "peak hours." The one past this hotel on Regent Street does not. If you arrive and overshoot the hotel, the fine is £70.