As myself and my partner approached The Cambridge Belfry Hotel & Spa, we almost instantly felt like we had just escaped all of lives worries.
Our eyes immediately became fixated on the beautiful building and picturesque lakes surrounding it before we headed on through the grand entrance doors.
Once inside, we were greeted by an approachable member of staff, who checked us in and gave us all of the information we needed for our stay.
We visited the hotel for an overnight stay on August 31, and my goodness what a relaxing time we had.
Located just 20 minutes out of Cambridge city centre, The Cambridge Belfry is a calming retreat where guests of all ages (whether that be couples, families, or friends) can take life at a much slower pace.
As soon as we arrived, we noticed the variety in the ages of people who were staying at the hotel – it really gave it that community feeling.
We stayed in one of the hotel’s penthouse suites on the third floor and both agreed that it really did feel like a home from home.
The room was modern, spotless, and well-equipped with everything you need for an overnight stay (and much longer really!) as it came with its own living room and dining area.
The beds are extremely comfy, the TV is a much bigger size than you’d normally get in a hotel room, there were lit-up touch sensitive mirrors in the bathroom, a coffee machine, and the view from the windows was idyllic.
Our favourite part though was the jacuzzi spa bath that came with our room type – we felt like we were actually in the spa downstairs when we were in fact enjoying this amenity from the comfort of our own room.
Days at the hotel and health club can be spent chilling out at the spa with luxury Elemis treatments and taking time out in the steam room or sauna.
If you’re the sportier type, you can spend some time at the on-site gym (which is a good size), enjoy a game of tennis, or go for a peaceful walk around the lakes and the hotel’s grounds.
There’s also the chance to get some lengths in at the swimming pool which has motivational poems on its walls to get guests in the right mindset.
The pool has adult-only times later on in the day, so guests are free to pick a time that suits them.
The stylish restaurant and breakfast area, which has been decorated in a way to calm the minds of customers, looks out onto the tranquil lake and really gives you that in-the-moment feeling while you are dining there.
We both had a three-course meal and felt that we were eating at a Michelin star restaurant – we could not fault the food or the service at all.
The food was cooked completely fresh for each individual table, something we were happy about.
For starters, I went for the cherry tomato and basil focaccia while my partner chose the BBQ glazed meatballs. These really tickled the tastebuds before our main meal arrived.
My partner had the rib eye steak which was pleasing on the eye (and tasted amazing too).
I opted for the chargrilled chicken supreme and was happy with my choice – it was very filling.
We just about had enough room for desserts. After reading them on the menu, our mouths were both watering.
I chose the chocolate ganache tart and my partner went for the baked blueberry and sour cream cheesecake.
Following our three-course meal the night before, we were up bright and early the next day to sample the breakfast menu.
It had everything you’d hope for your morning fuel; nobody would go hungry!
From a traditional fry up of bacon, sausages, eggs, hash browns, mushrooms, tomatoes and fried bread, there’s also cereal, yogurts, toasts and a selection of pastries – what more could you want?
After our breakfast, we spent time in the hotel’s health club and spa; both of us left feeling more relaxed than we’d ever felt before.
I went for the relaxing face and back ritual while my partner chose the fit for business back ritual.
The beauty therapists made us feel extremely relaxed and comfortable while performing our massages; we both commented afterwards on how at ease we had felt throughout.
Tranquil music was playing in our treatment room and the room was also dark and calming which helped us to experience the full spa feeling.
As well as The Cambridge Belfry being a hotel, it also caters for day guests, spa guests as well as being a wedding venue.
Upon our departure, I spoke to general manager Jon Nield who, having worked at The Cambridge Belfry for the past two months, is hoping to drive the hotel forward with a new energy, focusing on customer experience and the local community.
“For me, the hotel is very much about the community,” he said.
“We’re the biggest businesses on this development and would like our hotel to be part of the backbone of the community; supporting them in other things we can do too.”
He added: “We are a corporate hotel but are also for leisure with our facilities such as the spa and health club that guests at the hotel can use as well as those who’d like to attend just for the day.”
If you’d like more information on The Cambridge Belfry Hotel and Spa, you can visit www.thecambridgebelfry.co.uk.
To book a stay at the hotel, Jon says it’s best to book directly through their website as they regular have offers on such as 10-25% off of the booking of your stay.
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