The Castle Cambridge

The courtyard was a great spot for evening drinks and food, and the price for a central Cambridge stay felt like really good value. We stayed one Friday night in the week before Christmas. The new Hobson Hotel has a modern, thoughtfully designed feel. Our room had a comfortable bed, a roomy bathroom with the toiletries we needed, and a kitchenette with plenty of utensils and space to make a snack. It did get very warm, though. Even with the setting at 18 and cool air coming through, we had to open the window. We'd happily come back.

The location made it easy to get around Cambridge, and my room was quiet, clean, and had everything I needed for a comfortable stay. This newly opened hotel is beautifully put together, with modern touches but still a welcoming feel. The staff were friendly and keen to help, although some routines were still being worked out. I was really pleased with my visit.

Breakfast was a real highlight, with fresh food, lovely bread and yogurt in the continental selection, plus a tasty hot option. The restaurant setting felt like an arboretum, with comfortable chairs and sofas that made it easy to relax. The Hobson Hotel is a beautiful building, and the rooms have smart decor, high-tech lighting and controls, and a rain shower with an extra handheld head. My room temperature was just right, and the windows and curtains kept outside noise and light down. It's right in central Cambridge, near the Grand Arcade, where parking is easy. Queen Anne's car park is a cheaper option, about a 10-minute walk away, with free overnight parking. Some reception staff seemed to still be learning and didn't know much about the area yet, but that may improve with time. We stayed over the holidays and had a wonderful time. I can definitely recommend the Hobson Cambridge.

The most worrying part of our stay happened after we came back from an evening out and went to the bar for a drink. There was nobody on staff, so we tried to leave, but the door we'd come in through, which was also a fire door, wouldn't open. None of the phone lines worked when we tried calling for help. In the end we had to go through the kitchen to another exit, which brought us to the delivery courtyard at the back. Luckily its gate hadn't been chained yet. Otherwise, we could have been stuck in the restaurant and bar for who knows how long. It was stressful. I've emailed the hotel several times asking for a response about this and the other problems, especially how they planned to fix the fire doors, but nobody has replied. We stayed soon after the Hobson opened. The building looked stunning and had clearly been finished to a high standard, but there were also arrival problems: we were given wrong directions to our room, then the manager got lost trying to show us there. The room itself was lovely, though the TV didn't work properly and had no radio channels. The door was also very hard to open.