Poets House Hotel and Restaurant
St Marys Street, Ely CB7 4EY England
Lowest prices for your stay
$244
Free cancellation until 03/31/23
$265
Free cancellation until 04/01/23
No prepayment needed
$265
$217
Free cancellation until 04/02/23
Hotels.com
Priceline$237
Travelocity$265
View all 16 deals
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Full view
View all photos (423)423
Room & Suite (174)
Dining (59)
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
#2 of 4 hotels in Ely
Location
4.8
Cleanliness
4.8
Service
4.5
Value
4.1
Travelers' Choice
Located in the heart of Ely’s historic city centre, Poets House commands superb views of the magnificent Cathedral, and having undergone a sensitive, design-led transformation is set to become one of the city’s premier Hotel, Restaurant and Event destinations.You can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner in The Dining Room, an elegant space where you’ll enjoy the perfect combination of a warm and friendly welcome, top-class service and traditional dishes served with a twist. Alternatively, The Study, overlooking the tranquil courtyard garden, is the perfect venue in which to enjoy an expertly-mixed cocktail, an informal platter, or an indulgent afternoon tea. If you want to stay over, each of our 21 guest-rooms consists of a spacious suite, in which period features and restful views blend seamlessly with the latest technology, elegant free-standing Copper baths and the last word in luxury beds. Whether you’re planning to stay, want to book a meal, or would just like to know more, we’re here to give you all the help you need and look forward to talking to you soon.
Read more
Anything missing or inaccurate?Suggest an edit
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Bar / lounge
Taxi service
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Baggage storage
Concierge
Wifi
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Breakfast in the room
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Kids' meals
Wine / champagne
Meeting rooms
Newspaper
Non-smoking hotel
Butler service
24-hour check-in
24-hour front desk
Express check-in / check-out
Ironing service
Show more
Room features
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Room service
Flatscreen TV
Walk-in shower
Bath / shower
Safe
Telephone
VIP room facilities
Bottled water
Iron
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
Show more
Room types
City view
Bridal suite
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian and 1 more
Location
89Good for walkers
Grade: 89 out of 100
30Restaurantswithin 0.3 miles
22Attractionswithin 0.3 miles
Contact
St Marys Street, Ely CB7 4EY England
Getting there
Rental CarsSee all Ely rental cars
975Reviews13Q+A100Room tips
Reviews
Traveler rating
- 594
- 218
- 94
- 50
- 20
Time of year
Traveler type
Language
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Most Recent
I booked the Friday deal which was D, B&B for my partners Xmas present and we use it yesterday, it cost £249 (including £30pp dinner allowance) We stayed last night. The setting is lovely, staff well trained and very attentive. All polite and helpful and were perfect with recommending things and serving drinks etc. I could not fault the service and would give this 5*! The room (suite 12) was initially very impressive, a beautiful copper bath in the bedroom with a beautiful view out over the cathedral and church. Bed linen lovely. At a closer look the ‘sofa’ at the bottom of the bed was very cheap and really shaky, I wouldn’t have dared sit on it incase it collapsed it was that bad, all of the furniture (tables and wardrobes) looked quite cheap and poor quality. It was a struggle to find somewhere to plug the kettle in to make a tea in the morning and there was no dressing table area at all. No place with a mirror above a table and a plug so doing hair/ make up was a challenge as you could either use bathroom mirror which was lit or near a plug but there was no mirror. They should have thought about this more. The bed was very comfortable! The skirting boards in the bedroom were dirty, very dusty. But that’s just nitpicking really, didn’t affect me, I just noticed it and would have expected it to be clean. The cocktails in the bar were nice, service excellent and the feel of the place was high end, they were £12 each so I guess you get what you pay for. The £30pp allowance didn’t cover our meal (we had to pay £25 extra towards it plus wine). We had starter and main each and one dessert between us. I had the chicken stuffed with ricotta and spinach. It was average. Carrots very undercooked. It was just chicken, carrots and beans. No potatoes (my partner gave me a few of his) The cheese sauce was disappointing. Seemed like it was made with milk, cornflour and a small amount of cheap mild cheddar. I literally made better myself for a week night tea. Presentation was very simple, like you would expect at home, chicken in middle with carrots one side and beans the other. There was nothing wrong with it, it was just very expensive for average food I could cook and present better at home. My partner had steak, that was £38 and included, steak, fries, tomato and mushroom. The actual steak was cooked perfectly how he requested (rare) and well rested. But it was very small. The other things on the plate were all ok, average. The wine was delicious and reasonably priced. Breakfast was back in the restaurant. Again average. Bacon delicious but underdone, home made sausage was dry and didn’t taste of much. Pea shoots plonked on top of egg which was a little strange. Black pudding was almost raw. Egg cooked perfectly. All in all, the sonnet bar for a nice cocktail was great, the room was initially impressive but not that practical and the food did not live up to expectations, the restaurant was nice looking. It felt a little style over substance really. All the staff were excellent which I was surprised about because I’d looked at some reviews before I went and the service had been slated. They have definitely sorted this out. I doubt we will go back, but if we do we will find somewhere else to eat! …
Read more
Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
A lovely hotel in a historic part of Ely. The staff were very friendly and attentive. The condition of the hotel is excellent considering we are still post Covid. Our evening meal in the restaurant was excellent and the breakfast was very well cooked and tasty. We would recommend the hotel as an ideal getaway. Would return too.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Lovely room (especially the bath!), perfect location in the centre of Ely , wonderful food, superb cocktail bar (lovely ambience and great cocktails) and really friendly and helpful staff. A perfect location for a special night away. It’s not a cheap hotel but it’s quality. Will be back.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Get a room at the front for a lovely view of the cathedral.
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from General Manager, General Manager at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear Andy, Thank you so much for your review of your stay at Poets House. We are so pleased that you found our location perfect, the food wonderful and the cocktails great ! The team enjoyed reading your comments and with regards to how friendly they are too! We look forward to welcoming you back to Ely soon! With kindest regards Christine
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Today, my friend, Michele (wheelchair user) and I visited the restaurant here for just the second time. Our previous visit was on 7th February and was such a treat. This time our waitress, Ruby, not only remembered us, but remembered that I have an egg allergy. This was especially useful, since I ordered the minestrone soup, which was not brought to me. Egg pasta within the soup would not have been good for me. The golden vegetable soup was excellent and beautifully presented. We had a delicious apple juice with added sparkling water to drink, plus a jug of cold tap water. We had two courses again and I did not find the price exorbitant, and the service was top notch. All in all, I would recommend this restaurant not only for its superb food, but also for its thoughtful, attentive and friendly service. Well done everyone, but especially Ruby!…
Read more
Date of stay: February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from General Manager, General Manager at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant
Responded 2 weeks ago
Thank you so much for you fantastic 5 star review! We are so pleased you enjoyed your lunch and your feedback has been given to the team who enjoy reading such comments! Thank you very much also for your comments regarding Ruby, she appreciated it very much and deserves a special mention! We very much look forward to seeing you again soon! With kindest regards Christine
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hello, starters of mackerel pate and chicken liver pate cold out of the fridge, not allowed to reach room temperature, knocks taste on the head. 8 oz rib eye smallest steak seen in a long time, if that started out as an 8oz steak either was full of water or someone’s scales need throwing. However guys in the bar good value and know their cocktails, real improvement there.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from General Manager, General Manager at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant
Responded Feb 7, 2023
Dear Stuart, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with regards to your dinner at Poets. I am disappointed to read that you were dissatisfied with your starters and steak and will of course discuss your comments with the team. We endeavor to offer the best quality of food consistently and am sorry that we did not on this occasion. I am pleased that you enjoyed your cocktails and the bar team will be thrilled to read your comments. I do hope that you will come back again to Poets and give us another try! With kind regards Christine
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A very warm welcome from the lovely lady on reception. Beautiful room with amazing view of the church and cathedral. The bath was amazing I could have stayed in it all night. Limited menu in the restaurant for dinner but the food we had was fine. Breakfast was lovely good produce and well cooked poached eggs were spot on. Staff friendly and attentive. Visit to the cathedral with tours of the towers is a must.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from General Manager, General Manager at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant
Responded Jan 29, 2023
Thank you so much for taking the time to review your stay at Poets House and your visit to Ely! Thank you for your lovely comments with regards to your welcome, and that you found the team friendly and attentive. Your feedback will be communicated back to the team, who enjoy reading such comments. We look forward to welcoming you back to Poets soon! With kind regards Christine
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The welcome is warm and the staff are very good. The sign on our bedroom door called it a suite but in reality it is just a nice spacious room which is light & airy with a stunning view of the majestic Ely cathedral . The bed is very comfortable and the bathroom OK except for the ludicrously shallow hand basin. However, the restaurant is a real disappointment. Both the starters of mackerel pate and celery soup were fine. The main courses were the big let down - it was as though it was the chef's night off and dishes had been prepared in advance. They just lacked a chef's finesse. The chicken cacciatore had very little sauce and what there was was cooked out. However, the chicken was tasty and the pasta base tender. The cod fish of the day consisted of a bed of couscous with two small cod fillets, skin side up, on top. Which should have been good but I always thought it was a golden rule of the kitchen that if you are serving cod skin side up then the skin must be crispy. This was soggy & unpleasant. And the wine list is overpriced with hardly anything under £30 yet the overall menu doesn't warrant spending heavily on wine. Our £35 bottle was a wine that had been shipped in bulk & bottled in UK. Breakfast was another disappointment. The sausage skin was almost impenetrable, the bacon tough and the tomato dried up. It was as though the food had been allowed to slow cook for far too long. We would happily stay at the Poets House again but definitely would chose to eat out next time.…
Read more
Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Eat out
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from General Manager, General Manager at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant
Responded Jan 29, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to review your stay at Poets House. We pride ourselves in offering the highest quality of standards and I was disappointed to hear that you felt let down by our food offering and the dishes produced. We will take on board all comments and will address any improvements that can be made. I am please you found the team very good, a received a warm welcome on arrival too! Once again, please accept our sincere apologies and do not hesitate to contact me directly should you want to discuss your experience further. With kind regards Christine
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The highlight for us was the young and energetic staff, all of whom were delightful. We were greeted warmly by Reception who checked us into our room early and directed us to the nearby offsite parking once our luggage was unpacked. The bar in the lounge serves snacks all day so we had a freshly made seafood sandwich as a late lunch. Our two-night package included dinner the first night. My filet steak was excellent. Room 7 was a large, light and airy bedroom with all we needed. The Poets House hotel is only a few minutes’ walk from the cathedral and the centre of Ely. We enjoyed our visit and will return.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from General Manager, General Manager at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant
Responded Jan 25, 2023
Thank you so much for your fantastic 5 star review of your stay at Poets! We are so pleased you found the team delightful and energetic too ! They are a fabulous team and make a stay at Poets such a lovely experience! We look forward to welcoming you back to Poets soon! With kindest regards Christine
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Pre-Christmas lunch with extended family. Lovely atmosphere in the bar upon arrival, and a good sized private room for lunch for a party of 18. Lovely food and good service. Also good decor and gardens, perfect for photographs. Recommended.
Read more
Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from General Manager, General Manager at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant
Responded Jan 25, 2023
Thank you so much for your fabulous review of your Christmas lunch at Poets. It is lovely to see families get together, exchanging presents and stories of the year. Poets is certainly the ideal venue for such an occasion and I do hope that we are able to welcome you back to Poets again soon! With kindest regards Christine
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We called in on the off chance of getting a table as we found ourselves in the area. We were offered both the bar and restaurant menus. We chose the restaurant. It did not disappoint but o have a feeling the bar would have been equally good. The food was absolutely delicious and the staff couldn’t have been more attentive. The choice of food on the set menu was really good - it was difficult to choose! Quality and value was excellent. As we were doing dry January we chose mocktails which were a rival to any alcoholic version. What an absolute gem! We will be back and hopefully soon.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from General Manager, General Manager at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant
Responded Jan 25, 2023
Thank you so much for your fabulous review of your lunch at Poets ! The team have enjoyed reading your comments, especially with regards to the mocktails, which they worked very hard creating! They have been very popular! Thank you again, and I do hope that we have the pleasure in welcoming you both back to Poets soon! With kindest regards Christine
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
$235 - $305 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandCambridgeshireEly
NUMBER OF ROOMS
21
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your ListingPOETS HOUSE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT - Updated 2023 Prices & Reviews (Ely, England)
Frequently Asked Questions about Poets House Hotel and Restaurant
Which popular attractions are close to Poets House Hotel and Restaurant?
Nearby attractions include Ely Cathedral (0.2 miles), The Stained Glass Museum (0.2 miles), and Oliver Cromwell's House (0.06 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a desk.
What food & drink options are available at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Poets House Hotel and Restaurant?
Conveniently located restaurants include Old Fire Engine House, Marmalade & Jam, and Prince Albert.
Is Poets House Hotel and Restaurant located near the city center?
Yes, it is 0.2 miles away from the center of Ely.
Does Poets House Hotel and Restaurant offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers meeting rooms, a banquet room, and conference facilities.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Poets House Hotel and Restaurant?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian, and Slovak.
Are there any historical sites close to Poets House Hotel and Restaurant?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Ely Cathedral (0.2 miles) and Oliver Cromwell's House (0.06 miles).
Does Poets House Hotel and Restaurant have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the city view available here.