The first face I see when I step into The Fellows House hotel in Cambridge is that of Davidson Nicol, the university’s first black African fellow. Not checking in himself, but an eye-catching portrait in the lobby, opposite a sculpture made from deconstructed bikes.
It’s a good introduction to the hotel, newly opened this summer, which prides itself on its unique and thought-provoking artwork, as well as for theming itself around the university’s most famous alumni.
Everything from room types to cocktails are named after some of the biggest names who studied here, from Kipling and Newton to Gormley and Turing.
Part of the Curio Collection from Hilton, one of around 100 across the world and the first in the city, it’s a 10-minute walk from the river and Cambridge’s historic centre — close enough to explore, but easy to escape the crowds into the small pool and courtyard garden.
And among the 131 rooms, a string of apartment-style options are perfect for a long stay or if you want to self-cater. Our Attenborough Apartment had its own well-equipped kitchen including a two-ring induction hob, microwave and dishwasher, plus a coffee machine (with compostable capsules).
The sofa in the living space transformed into a spacious sofa bed for my daughter, with my king-size bed and en-suite bathroom behind a sliding door.
Some rooms have bathtubs, along with toiletries from The White Company, while our walk-in rain shower was pleasingly powerful after a day exploring, .
Minimalist without being minimal, it’s decorated in restful greys and deep plummy browns, but with deliciously squidgy pillows, tactile cushions and strokeable leather alongside the artwork — a brightly-coloured retro-styled map of the city added a practical splash of colour.
If (like me) you’re looking for a break from cooking, breakfast felt like a return to the hotel buffets of pre-pandemic days, with pancakes and freshly cooked eggs accompanying the array of pastries, hot food, fruit and cereal.
You can stop into The Sage of Cambridge too, the coffee shop in the lobby selling smoothies and vegan salads during the day, wine and aperitifs after 5pm.
And for dinner, The Folio Bar & Kitchen has a menu of British comfort food and an impressive array of vegetarian and vegan dishes, from roasted cauliflower steak to baked aubergine or ‘tofish’ — beer battered tofu — and chips.
Decorated with fresh herbs, the mocktails are as tempting as the cocktails: it was hard to resist ordering The Double Helix, or one of the gin-based creations which promise to play with the laws of chemistry and physics (at least when it comes to your balance).
On the other side of the restaurant wall sits the bar itself alongside the velvet armchairs and squashy sofas of the lounge: there’s a pool table too (complete with highly competitive players challenging each other during our meal) and countless intriguing objects to spot, including what looked like an old chronometer, and books with titles like What is Life? sitting next to Winnie The Pooh.
It’s tempting to spend half your time in the public rooms seeing what you can spot next: artwork is locally designed and inspired, including an etching of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, its text reversed, by former university Chair CS Lewis.
Or behind the reception desk, a traditional pigeon-hole cabinet — once a common sight in the colleges — whose labels actually spell out the individual words of a poem.
Elsewhere you can make out the faded crests of the colleges on the exposed brick of a wall, or see displays inspired by the discovery of DNA or using scientific equipment which could have come straight from a centuries-old chemistry experiment.
Designed to pique your own curiosity while immersing you in some of the best of Cambridge’s history, this new hotel is one discovery we can all enjoy making.
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