A Two-Night Break at Poets House, Ely
With the understated elegance of its classical townhouse façade, Poets House proudly stands overlooking the home of Oliver Cromwell and Ely Cathedral – fitting splendidly into the historic atmosphere of one of the UK’s smallest cities (beaten only by Wells in Somerset, fact lovers!)
Just a short walk from many of Ely’s city centre attractions, Poets House is a modern and super stylish hotel, while still retaining the townhouse’s most beautiful original features such as its columns, fireplaces and staircases.
Our suite
Happily surprised by a tray of pastries and sweets welcoming us to our room, Poets House made me wish I had some tiny speck of interior design aptitude, as I absolutely loved how our beautiful suite was decorated in decadent shades of silver, grey and black and was desperate to copy its luxurious style in my own home (sadly, probably never to happen)!
Instead I focused on enjoying the opulence of our room for the length of our stay. The suite itself is grand in size, with a soft, inviting bed, chaise lounge, lots of open space and its impressive centrepiece – a freestanding copper bath. The bathroom was also surprisingly large; with a roomy rain shower for those times you want a quick wash rather than a long soak.
The room came with a smart TV on the wall, which you could watch comfortably from the bed or the bath, and with our suite being at the front of the hotel we also had a wonderful view of the cathedral, making the location feel even more special.
When it comes to amenities, oddly the room didn’t have a minibar, but it did have a kettle and so I was more than content. For those that prefer a cold beverage however, the hotel’s bar is just a short walk away, so it’s not too much of an ordeal! I did feel though, that the storage space was quite sparse for a room of this size, with just one wardrobe. But to be fair, this was more than enough for us to store everything we’d packed for our two-night stay, which is about the right length of time needed to see the city’s main sights.
That bath
Eager to try out the bath, which wouldn’t be out of place in a Game of Thrones palace, within an hour of arriving at our room I had the hot water running.
Filling quicker than my own bath at home, I discovered it surprisingly easy to get in and out of, and was the most comfortable, and deepest, bath I’d ever had. In a nutshell, it was bathing bliss and I’d recommend a stay at Poets House for this alone!
Dining at Poets House
Invited for pre-dinner drinks in the bar, we found some cosy looking chairs looking out over the courtyard and perused the cocktail menu. Poet’s House has its own mixologist in the bar, so Justin had to try out the ‘cocktail of the month’ while I went for my favourite, a kir royale.
Open to the public, in the day the bar was bustling with people partaking in its popular afternoon tea, however, in the evening, it was much more peaceful, with just a few guests enjoying drinks whilst listening to the perfect lounge music – Postmodern Jukebox.
After enjoying our drinks we were then ushered into the dining room, where the beautiful grey and silver styling continues, and began to choose what we wanted to eat.
Poets House offers some great affordable luxury dining options, with a great à la carte menu on offer for a set price of £20, £25 or £30 depending on how many courses you choose. The food itself was both beautifully cooked and presented, with highlights including the seared cod and warm rabbit terrine.
Breakfast was equally enjoyable, with a good continental spread (including Parma ham – win!). But the best part had to be the hot food cooked to order, which included a full English, eggs benedict and the pièce de résistance – smoked salmon and scrambled egg on toasted brioche! A great start to the day.
The service
Service at Poets House is impeccable. The front desk staff are always happy to help, and if there’s anything you need in your room, a member of staff will quickly bring it to you. This level of quality continued in the bar and dining room, with attentive and knowledgeable staff happy to answer questions or help with any dietary requirements. Everyone we interacted with at the hotel was courteous and welcoming.
Poets House – what we thought
If you’re after a quiet, relaxing break in a luxurious setting, Poets House should definitely be on your list. The service – and my beautiful suite – left me feeling like a classic Hollywood star escaping the limelight for a weekend of relaxation and good food.
Perfectly placed to walk into the city centre, the Cathedral or down to the river (all less than a 10 minute walk away), the hotel manages to balance being in the heart of the city whilst feeling like you’re out in the country. Plus once you’ve had your fill of Ely, it’s an easy drive to take a day trip to another beautiful British city, Cambridge, just 17 miles away.
Of course few places are perfect – here the lack of on-site parking lets it down, but if you don’t want to pay the £15 valet fee, it has a small car park stuck away a few streets from the hotel and there’s many free city car parks very close by. But this aside, Poets House offers luxurious accommodation at a price that doesn’t break the bank and is perfect for a special break, such as a birthday or anniversary.
Bed and breakfast at Poets House starts at £160, with our suite (room 12) costing £280 per night.
My stay at Poets House was complimentary for the purposes of review but as ever, all views are my own.
20 Comments
Emma Raphael
This place looks stunning. Forward to my husband as we speak. We are currently living in Cambridge for a little while, and this looks like the perfect getaway! 🙂 #mondayescapes
Keri
Oh excellent – hopefully he’ll take you there for a lovely break, it’s such a pretty little place!
Mini Travellers
Oh gosh what an amazing place that looks. I’d love to have a quiet weekend there and have some real catch up time with hubby! Thanks for sharing with us at #MondayEscapes
Keri
Pleasure! Yep def a good choice if you just want to unwind and spend some quality time together x
Anisa
What a lovely place. You are right about that bath, that looks amazing. Do all the rooms have it or just the suite? I haven’t heard of the town Ely, but sounds like it is definitely worth checking out. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.
Keri
Hi Anisa, sadly I don’t know if all the rooms do have the copper baths, I’m the hotel would be happy to let you know if you contacted them directly? Ely is small but def worth a visit, perfect for a weekend break!
jo
What a beautiful hotel and how lovely to be able to stroll out to the city in the evening. The breakfast looks awesome. The bar looks stunning what a great place to start the evening with a cocktail. I’m personally not a fan of the bath in the bedroom trend but it seems to be the in thing – I’m just a fuddy duddy!
Keri
Ha ha, it’s not for everyone Jo. Didn’t really bother me where they put them, it’s just that I love a freestanding bath! Reminds me of the old Cadbury Flake adverts I used to watch as a kid lol.
Sarah Christie
Oh wow I want to go it looks utterly stunning, and that bath although the food and cocktails sound great too, thanks so much for linking up #mondayescapes x
Keri
Pleasure! Hope you get to visit one day 🙂
Ruth
The decor in this suite feels modern. That is why I am surprised of how well that bathtub goes with the other elements of the room. Well, the designer know what they were doing. Beautiful place!
Keri
So true Ruth, wish I had the skill to be able to put things together like that!
Lolo
Ooooh I love the look of the bathtub and the room!! And you caught my attention when you said it was in one of the smallest cities in the UK! Saving! Thanks for linking up with #TheWeeklyPostcard
Keri
you a fan of small cities then? If so, add Wells to your list, lovely place with Glastonbury on the doorstep too…
Anda
Very beautiful hotel. That bathtub looks quite luxurious. #TheWeeklyPostcard
Keri
It really was Anda!
Rob+Ann @TravelLatte(.net)
You’re right – that tub! I may not have gotten back out. Except…that breakfast looks pretty good, too. Definitely taking note of this one, as we really enjoy historic locations and that bit of affordable luxury. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard!
Keri
Sounds like this place is right up your street! 😉 Hope you get to visit one day x
Elizabeth (Wander Mum)
This looks like a fab place to stay for a weekend getaway. I’ve never been to Ely either. Looks like a quiet city. Thanks for linking #citytripping
Keri
It is a really peaceful place Elizabeth, well worth a visit if you want a relaxing break!