Hotels in Cambridge

Cambridge is small enough that no part of it is genuinely far from the colleges, so choosing where to stay is really a question of what you are willing to trade. Stay inside the historic core, within the triangle formed by the market, Parker's Piece and the Backs, and you can walk out of the door into King's Parade in three minutes, come back for an afternoon rest, and never once think about buses or parking. That convenience is priced accordingly, and the buildings tend to be old, which means charm alongside narrow stairs, uneven floors and occasional street noise from a city that stays lively until late.

North of the river, the run of Victorian villas along Chesterton Road and the streets behind Castle Hill is where most of the city's independent guest houses and family-run hotels sit. The walk into the centre crosses Jesus Green or Midsummer Common and takes ten to fifteen minutes through parkland rather than traffic, which is no hardship at all. Rooms here are commonly a third cheaper than the equivalent in town, breakfasts are cooked to order rather than laid out in a buffet, and - crucially in a city where a central car park can cost more than a pub lunch - free parking is often part of the deal.

Arriving by train changes the calculation again. The station sits a mile south of the centre, and the CB1 development around it has filled with modern hotels aimed at people down from London for a day of meetings. They suit late arrivals from Stansted and early departures.

If you are driving and want space, look at the villages. Grantchester, Madingley, Comberton and Great Shelford all lie within twenty minutes and give you a country pub on the doorstep and easy access to a park and ride site. Whatever you choose, book early for late June, when the May Balls and graduation ceremonies fill every room in the city, and for the Folk Festival weekend in late July. January and February are the cheapest months by a wide margin.