Poetry in Motion in a Cambridgeshire Hotel

Every so often a rare treat comes along. You know the kind I mean – when you just can’t say no? So when the Poets House in Ely, Cambridgeshire asked Arianna and myself to visit for a couple of nights, of course we said yes. Yes, yes, yes.

A quick glance at the website told us all we needed to know. The hotel was originally three Grade-II-listed properties built in the early 1900s, and the home of a renowned local author. It looked beautiful. And promised original charm with stunningly innovative interiors. And, it was situated in the centre of Ely with a fabulous view of the famous cathedral. We had never been to Ely, and as it’s less than an hour from London we booked ourselves in.

The hotel itself is on quite a busy road, but once you drive through the arch into the pretty courtyard garden you feel yourself immediately unwind. The hotel really is charming, with honey coloured brick walls, tall sash windows and a large light, glass extension overlooking the garden. This is the bar. Valet parking is offered but interestingly, parking in the town is free. You really won’t need a car anyway, as everything is within walking distance.

The interior of the hotel is sympathetic to it’s period, with traditional features rubbing shoulders with plush velvet upholstery, crystal drop pendant lights, rococco mirrors and classic black and white tiled floors. It feels intimate though, due to it’s grey and black colour scheme. White gloss features, large mirrors and an abundance of mirrors keep it on the right side of dark. It’s cocooning and welcoming. Just the right feeling for a hotel to give. Our room didn’t disappoint either. Although we were a bit sad that the huge copper bath in our room would go unused for our visit. The air conditioning was welcome, as was the fruit and cakes left in our room.

We couldn’t wait though to explore the town and then sample the cocktails in the bar. It was a lovely cool place to relax and enjoy the breeze through the open doors. And after cocktails we were treated to dinner in the dining room. I have to say, all of the staff were lovely.

Fortified by breakfast on day two, we explored. Ely really is quite compact and everywhere you go you will be able to see the cathedral. The river Ouse is very pretty and you can take a short boat trip past the canal barges out to the Fens which is well worth doing. There are a couple of pubs and eateries along the river, but the draw of the cathedral is very strong. We decide against climbing the tower but that is certainly an option, and you can also visit Oliver Cromwell’s house and the museum. There’s also a circular walk around all of the places of interest and a smallish shopping centre. If you decide to visit, we do recommend this lovely hotel.

Arianna and I were guests of the Poets House but all views (and all images) are my own.

Get the Look for The Poets House

1. Vicenza Taupe Velvet Dining Chair with Lion Knocker, £179, Housing Units. 2. Faux Orchid, £3.99, TKMaxx. 3. Crystal Pendant Light, £66, Dar Lighting. 4. Miss Lala’s Gold Looking Glass Mirror, £399, The French Bedroom Co. 5. Pink Triple Potted Moth Orchid, £89, Bloom. 6. Wool Check Cushion, £29.50, M&S. 7. Dukes chair, £545, Furniture Village. 8. The Marseille Cyprium Copper Bateau Bath, £2,795, The Cast Iron Bath Co. 9. Ceramic Patterned Tile, Original Style.

 

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