THE POET’S HOUSE LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN ELY: A REVIEW

During our recent 2 night stay in this small city we chose to stay at Poet’s House luxury boutique hotel in Ely, with a very central location. It’s classy, peaceful, full of beautiful details, has a wonderful restaurant, is in the perfect historical location to explore the rest of Ely and a great base for day trips. Whether you’re considering a staycation, romantic weekend away or a solo getaway, we share our personal experience of what we loved about the hotel and what you can expect if you decide to stay here.

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How to Get to Poet’s House

Poet’s House Hotel is located on St. Mary’s Street, around a five minute walk into the heart of the city centre and around 100 yards to Ely Cathedral, that can be seen from the hotel’s beautiful sash windows. 

For those arriving by car then take the A10 to Ely and follow signs for Cambridge Street and St. Mary’s Street. The hotel is a mile up the street on the left hand side. We found it really easy to locate and the city centre is well signposted.

Ely Railway Station is only 0.8miles away and easy to grab a taxi or walk if you’re bags are pretty light. The closest airport is London Stansted, 46 miles away or London Heathrow, 105 miles. We’d suggest either getting on a Cross Country train or hiring a car if you fancy the flexibility.

A Word on The History of The Hotel

Although today Poet’s House looks like one big building from it’s exterior on St. Mary’s Street, it was actually built in the early part of the 1900’s and made up of three properties, which are Grade II listed and hence of historic importance. One of these buildings was the home of the local poet and novelist, Sybill Marshall (1913-2005). She is famously known for publishing her first novel when she was 80.

As the three buildings are Grade II listed, the front and back have been well preserved with some fine conversion work in order to retain many of the period features inside, including skirting, sash windows and coverings to mention a few. The interiors have been executed sympathetically whilst adding modern touches, which is what made these quite an attractive property for us. It’s perfect if you love the mix of old and new as we do and acts much like a quiet haven, even though it’s situated on a busy road to the front of the property. The property opened in 2013 and has to be by far one of the most relaxing places we’ve stayed.

Why We Think You Should Stay Here

In line with a historic, relaxed stay, away from the city, for a couple of nights, we wanted to combine a slice of luxury, with a tranquil base that’s easy to access all the points of interest such as the cathedral, museums, riverside walks, independent stores and of course all the great restaurants and cafes the city has to offer. Understated luxury, means different things to everyone but whatever your interpretation, the hotel translates this through beautiful yet not over the top decor, comfortable bedding, nice toiletries, deep cooper baths as well as rainfall showers. In our opinion, they have created a lovely intimate space that promotes relation and a feeling that time has been paused.

• Style & luxury – this is a characterful property, not a new build, modern shiny aesthetic. A fine mix of interiors fusing old and new effortlessly.
• Food & atmosphere – The dining room restaurant and sonnet bar have a relaxing laid back ambiance, serving locally sourced food and drinks at intervals throughout the day.
• Celebrations – from what we saw, the hotel is well versed in holding parties, weddings and corporate events in a charming setting which can be extended into the courtyard for guests to enjoy the whole property.
• Perfectly located – it’’s position close to Ely cathedral, city centre and other points of interest means everything is walkable and can be reached on foot so no other transport needed!

Guest Rooms & Decor

Poet’s House Hotel has 21 guest rooms ranging from deluxe, superior and suites. We were very lucky enough to be upgraded to a suite. We mentioned that we would be celebrating our anniversary here and the team kindly noted and even decorated our room with red rose petals scattered all over the bed. 

We were in Suite five which faced the front of the property and had view of Ely cathedral through the large sash windows as well as St Mary’s Church and Oliver Cromwell’s House. 

Our suite was on the second floor and upon entering there was a huge mirror right in front of you, a bedroom and seating area to the left, with the bathroom to the right.

Being a suite it was quite the spacious room and decorated in hues of grey, whites, some black in the form of bedside lampshades and a black velvet tall back sofa seater bench at the end of the bed. On here we appreciated the two fluffy white dressing robes that we could slip into later together with slippers. 

The king size bed was covered in Egyptian cotton linens and pale grey checked scatter cushions. 

There was a wardrobe in one corner with iron, ironing board, tea, coffee and hot chocolate making facilities as well as shortbread cookies, which were very much appreciated and replenished daily. Glass water bottles also were a great touch. The wardrobe had an array of hangers and a safe. 

In keeping with the old and new mix, our room has a fireplace with artwork hung above it and a silver framed full length mirror on one side. 

All 21 of the rooms come equipped with smart TVs, free WiFi, as well as amenities such as tea and coffee facilities, safe, hairdryer together with ironing appliances.

Another lovely feature the hotel has included in all rooms and not just the suites is a William Holland copper bath, either in the bedroom itself as we did in our suite, or in the bathroom. We had a little metal table beside our bath which had a stack of white fluffy towels and toiletries by Noble Isle.

The bathroom decor is in similar calming tones with grey walls and a white three piece suite. The vanita area has more toiletries, soaps, shower caps as well as extra towels. Last but not least, the rainfall showers are lovely to jump into on a morning following a good nights sleep. 

All rooms benefit from calm lighting mixed with the rooms colour palette, they represent a little sanctuary or retreat of your own.

Restaurant Bar & Dining 

The hotel maybe a relatively small hotel but there are a number of dining options to suit all, from indoors to outdoors on the courtyard to the rear, surrounded by plants and seasonal blooms. 

The Dining Room 

This is a more formal space, we’d say perfect for semi-formal meals. We had diinner on our first night at this restaurant.

The Dining Room a great selection of seasonal dishes using fresh and locally sourced ingredients. The wine list here is quite extensive and menus change seasonally and daily with Sunday’s incorporating a roast or nut roast option. The ambiance is quite and is perfect if like us you are staying at the hotel and fancy staying in. Portions are quite large for mains and bear in mind the restaurant is quite small so booking ahead is a good call. It does feel rather intimate at times with tables being quite close but the food is good and there are quite a few vegetarian and vegan options available.

We opted for the a la carte menu and started with a bottle of Malbec “La Vaca Gorda” from Mendoza, Argentina, then onto the cheese souffle to start, baked until golden and served with warm, herb-infused focaccia bread. As it was a Sunday, we opted for the nut roast with seasonal veggies and then onto a dessert to share of crushed meringue, chantilly cream and fresh strawberries.

The dining room restaurant also serves breakfast each morning, which includes cooked and continental breakfasts, porridge, fresh fruit, and cereal, accompanied by  Coffee, teas and a selection of fruit juices. Cooked items include a vegetarian/vegan breakfast, egg or sausage sandwiches, traditional full English, Egge Benedict and more!

The Sonnet Lounge & Bar

This has a little more relaxed atmosphere and is perfect for lighter meals and snack like sandwiches, afternoon tea as well as being perfect for cocktails pre and post dinner and other drinks, at anytime throughout the day.

The Courtyard Garden

When the weather is warm enough, there is the option to dine al fresco as well as have drinks in the garden amongst the plants and blooms.

Hotel Amenities You need to Know About 

There is complimentary Wifi throughout the hotel and they offer electric car charging. There are ground floor rooms that are wheelchair friendly and accessible. Many rooms are family friendly and cots on hand. Highchairs can be provided and requested at the time of booking. 

Guests can book private dining roms or room hire for events such as the The Writing Room, Boardroom which can also be used for parties, business corporate meetings and weddings.

Car Parking

We assumed that the hotel has on-site parking but learnt on arrival that this is not the case. We parked inside the courtyard, checked in and off loaded out bags and then were provided with the details of their small secure off-site car park, which is only a five minute walk away. They provide you with a phone number you call to release the barrier so you can get in and out with your car. It’s a very efficient system and secure as only hotel residents can park in this space. 

They also offer a valet system where hotel staff can park your car for you and bring it around when you’re departing.

In our opinion, this is a perfect solution as you really are very unlikely to need your car once in Ely as  everything is in walking distance that you’ll want to visit.

Sustainability

Although the hotel doesn’t have a robust policy in place it does take steps to ensure locally sourced ingredients are used in their dishes as well as giving guests the options to not have their rooms cleaned daily. Cards are placed in guest rooms so they can decide if they require new linens or towels. There are glass water bottles in rooms as opposed to plastic ones promoting less single-use plastic waste. Cooked breakfast options are made to order and not left to self-service buffets.

The fact the hotel is based in the heart of the city and with no on-site parking allows them to promote a greener way to explore Ely.

What We Loved About The Hotel

The biggest wow factor of the guest rooms have to be the copper baths. We particularly loved the old and new period features with the addition of the stylish modern decor. The hotel feels quite high end because of this without being too fussy.

The staff are very attentive and helpful and provide great recommendations to experience Ely. Finally we think the views from the property and it’s location really are second to none in the city. 

What You May Want to Think About

To be open and transparent, we have to say that this is not a budget option, of course this level of amenities that add the luxe factor do come at a premium. The Poet’s House is on the higher end of the spend than other hotels in the city centre.

Guests with mobility issues, or those with heavy luggage may not want to walk to the off-site car park, or find it inconvenient to move their car. We thought it was a reasonable trade off however for the location and beauty of the listed property.

If you think this is a hotel with facilities like a gym or a spa then you’ll need to bare in mind that this is a small boutique hotel which exudes period charm and can’t really be classed as a ‘resort style’ hotel. Things are not on a big scale here but everything from the service to the ambiance feels very personable. 

Who is This Hotel Perfect For?

• Couples staycations
• Solo trips
• Romantic getaways
• Family-friendly getaways
• Parties and wedding guests

Poet’s House Luxury Boutique Hotel in Ely FAQS

Final Thoughts on Poet’s House Hotel 

For us, Poet’s House manages to combine the elegance and luxury you expect of a boutique hotel with a warm ambience, great food, and a location that means you can explore Ely easily. It’s a hotel that makes you feel special and pampered without feeling stuffy and pretentious. If you’re looking to get away from the everyday and are looking to replace it for a could of days with some charm, beauty and excellent service, then Poet’s House is the place for you. It’s the perfect base for a weekend for 2 night stay in Ely, and a great location to explore the city as well as close proximity to the delicious restaurants and cafes a stones throw away.

The Details

• Location: 40 St Mary’s St, ELY CB7 4EY.
• Find it Here: Map Location.
• Reviews: See what other guests are saying about the hotel.
• Details: Check-in 15:00 Check-out: 11:00.
• Breakfast: Available with extra surcharge unless booked package directly through hotel.
• Pet Friendly: Unfortunately the hotel doesn’t allow pets.
• Price Range: £££

Other Ely Related Articles

• 15 Best Things to do in Ely. Cambridgeshire
• 18 of the best Vegetarian-Friendly places to eat in Ely

Travel Planning Resources

À bientôt

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