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Book Your Perfect Christmas Break in Cambridge

Stay from 24th - 26th December and enjoy a relaxing festive break where you can curl up by the fire in the library, play games with your loved ones and enjoy decadent feasting. Full details can be found in our 2025 Christmas Brochure.

Christmas in Cambridge

From the carolling that rings out from the great chapels of Cambridge to the frost that covers the city parks, there is no finer English city to spend Christmas in - nor a hotel more inviting than University Arms. Enjoy festive dining in Parker’s Tavern, relaxing by the fire in the Library and beautiful city walks in the crisp winter air.

This will be a winter experience full of memories, when seasonal fog wraps the dreaming colleges, the pubs are cosy, and the walks along the River Cam are full of soul.

Your Christmas itinerary

Our flexible itinerary will work for however you and your family want to spend your festive period.

Christmas Eve

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    Check-in anytime from 4pm

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    Canapés & sherry at 5PM in the Drawing Room

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    Carol Singers from Clare College accompanying the canapés

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    Festive Dinner in Parker’s Tavern between 7PM and 9PM

Christmas Day

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    A lazy buffet breakfast in Parker’s Tavern between 7AM and 10.30AM

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    Christmas Day Lunch will be served in Parker’s Tavern

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    Walking tours available at either 10AM or 2:30PM

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    Televised King's Speech at 3PM

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    Christmas Cold Cuts will be served at 7PM in Parker’s Tavern

Boxing Day

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    Leisurely Boxing Day Breakfast will be served in Parker’s Tavern

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    Plenty of time to curl up in front of the fire and relax in the library before checkout

A two night Christmas break in comfort

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Terrace Suites

Enjoy Christmas morning on your private terrace overlooking Parker's Piece, or soak in a bubble bath whilst gazing out of the large windows.

Christmas at University Arms, Cambridge

24th - 26th December 2025

There will be feasting throughout Christmas Day at University Arms, beginning with a long, lazy buffet breakfast. The day’s highlight: Christmas lunch showcasing our chef's festive flair and the finest local ingredients. After lunch, settle in for an evening of games in the Drawing Room.

After a day of revelry, wind down with a leisurely Boxing Day breakfast and time spent curled up by the fire in the wood-panelled library. We can also make recommendations for the best Boxing Day walks around the city and further afield, in the Cambridge fens.

Book early to avoid disappointment, with free cancellation until the 3rd of December.

Christmas Parties

University Arms and Parker’s Piece have been the location of choice for great feasts and celebrations throughout Cambridge’s history. The same celebratory spirit that brought 15,000 people onto the green for Queen Victoria’s Coronation in 1838 remains to this day. Few halls in Cambridge can compete with the grandeur, elegance and history of the University Arms Ballroom, especially during the festive season as it becomes adorned with decorations. Whether you are looking for a space for an intimate reception or festive feasting, the Ballroom offers a unique and memorable setting for your Christmas celebration.

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Tucked away on the ground floor, guests can relax on velvet chaise lounges, tea or juice in hand, as they decide on their treatments and consult with the in-house therapists in a quiet, decadently designed relaxation room.

Julia O'Driscoll, The Week