Dolphin Hotel St Ives

Hotels
7.4 (735 reviews)
London Road , St Ives , gb

Free
Children allowed
Pets allowed

Facilities

Offsite parking discounted rates available
Electric bicycle charging station
Non-smoking rooms
Terrace
Family rooms
Pets allowed
Express check-in/check-out
Safety deposit box
Facilities for disabled guests
Darts
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Location
Spacious rooms
Friendly staff
Cons:
Poor food quality
Cleanliness concerns
Closed restaurant

Categories

Cleanliness
5.9
Concerns about the cleanliness and safety standards raised in the reviews.
Service
8.4
Staff were friendly, but issues with management and safety protocols detracted from the experience.
Location
9.4
Perfect location for visiting St Ives, repeatedly praised across reviews.
Room Quality
7.9
Nice decor and spacious rooms, but concerns about bed quality and temperature control.
Amenities
6.9
Amenities like the restaurant were closed during the stay, impacting overall experience.
Value for Money
8.4
Good value for money for short stays, though some dining aspects fell short.
Food and Beverage
4.4
Buffet breakfast was described as inedible and fell significantly below expectations.
Overall Experience
7.9
Mixed experience with good points but significant issues that impacted satisfaction.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-06 09:42

Property Description

Riverside Location
Enjoy picturesque views of the Great Ouse river from select rooms and balconies.

Convenient Amenities
Take advantage of the 24-hour front desk, restaurant, bar, and free parking during your stay.

Easy Access to Attractions
Explore nearby cities like Cambridge and Peterborough, or catch a flight from London Stansted Airport.

To book your stay at Dolphin Hotel Cambridge, visit our website now!

Important information:

When traveling with pets, please note that an extra charge of 25 GBP per pet, per night applies. The property only allows small dogs. Please contact the property as pets are only allowed in certain rooms.Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 11:00 AM

Property Policies

  • Pets

    Pets are allowed on request. Charges may be applicable.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    You haven't added any extra beds.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.

  • Parking

    Free public parking is possible on site (reservation is not possible).

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge.

  • Groups

    When booking more than 9 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

Location

Guest Reviews

7.4
Based on 735 reviews
Cleanliness: 5.9
Service: 8.4
Location: 9.4
Room Quality: 7.9
Amenities: 6.9
Value for Money: 8.4
Food and Beverage: 4.4
Overall Experience: 7.9
A
ANDREW solo_traveller gb
9
Nice place to stay
Pros:

Very nice stay and lots of places to eat across the bridge.

2026-04-18 via Nuitee
M
Michael couple gb
4
Disappointed on arrival expected much more from the information available when booked the hotel
Pros:

Good location
Plenty of parking

Cons:

Renovation work in progress
No dining facilities available
Limited access to parts of the premises
Bar didn’t open until 5pm limiting the recreational use of the facilities
Areas need cleaning and tlc

2026-04-17 via Nuitee
B
brian couple gb
8
Pros:

Good quality breakfast with plenty of choice

Cons:

Nothing

2026-04-12 via Nuitee
C
Catarina couple gb
8
2026-04-11 via Nuitee
A
Ash solo_traveller gb
8
Pros:

The location is absolutely superb.

Cons:

It would have been nice control the temperature in the room. The water pressure in the shower was weak.

2026-04-10 via Nuitee
W
wendy couple gb
6
How stay was ok just to get a sleep for the night bar was always closed reception was a total mess.
Pros:

The location was great.

Cons:

well it was just ok room was supposed to be superior but to me there wasn’t any difference to a standard room shower was so hot had to go get that sorted out the sink didn’t get hot at all everything thing was done to a cowboy workman.

2026-04-07 via Nuitee
M
Mielczarek couple gb
5
2026-04-06 via Nuitee
K
Kirsten Voller couple gb
5
We did nothing in the hotel, as we thought leaving all the breakfast stuff outside all day/night was
Pros:

Location of hotel to town

Cons:

Very run down hotel, needs much improvement

2026-04-05 via Nuitee
M
Mark couple gb
9
2026-04-05 via Nuitee
D
Dennis family_with_children gb
7
Pros:

Great location

2026-04-03 via Nuitee
K
katielJ9542DQ Couples
2
Disappointing
Pros:

We brought a night away on Wowcher (who they have also ignored ) and after being promised a hotel in which offered pressecco and food none were available due to undergoing refurbishment which wasn’t staged anywhere at all. As well as this the fire alarm went off early hours and being pregnant this was a massive inconvenience in which no sorry was offered. After a restless night and struggling to find food we were then told we need to book a time for breakfast in which was not necessary as it was out all day anyway from the day before & wasn’t busy at all. So after a restless night we then felt we had to get to breakfast early- you don’t have to.

When getting in touch to ask for some sort of compensation for being missold and let down we have been ignored numerous of times.

Nice location- not a lot around
I was looking forward to spending a night in the hotel which was a disappointment. I’m not one to write reviews however the unprofessionalism and the empty promises (Prosecco& food ) was comepeltly misleading and a waste of money. Could’ve went somewhere better.

2026-04-02 via Tripadvisor
R
Rachel couple gb
8
Just perfect location. Rooms beautiful
Pros:

Central clean and beautiful location

Cons:

Nothing

2026-03-30 via Nuitee
9
926vickyq Couples London, England
6
Fine for a short stay
Pros:

This hotel benefits from an excellent location, with the added convenience of plenty of secure, gated parking—definitely a strong plus. The rooms are clean and functional, but they feel quite dated, with a distinct early-2000s grey aesthetic that could really use refreshing.

There are signs of improvement, as the terrace area is currently undergoing a facelift. Given its riverside setting, the hotel has great potential to become something special, but it’s not quite there yet. The breakfast was passable, though the dining area itself is in urgent need of an upgrade to match modern expectations.

Overall, it’s perfectly adequate for a one-night stay, but the property would benefit greatly from a full modernisation throughout. With its prime location and nearby selection of excellent restaurants—particularly Indian options—it has all the ingredients to be a standout destination with a bit more investment.

2026-03-29 via Tripadvisor
I
I8388VJianm Family London, England
10
Can’t wait for the renovated area to be open
Pros:

Great location with lovely view of the river, the room was spacious and clean with a balcony over looking the fields. The restaurant didn’t appear to be open and we were the only ones in the bar. All the staff were friendly and helpful, will definitely return when the bar renovations are complete. Had a great nights sleep as the area is so quiet.

2026-03-29 via Tripadvisor
A
Amar couple gb
5
Not great, but it will do for one night
Pros:

Location was great, walking distance in to town and also plenty of parking on site. The staff I did encounter at reception during my stay were helpful, friendly and engaging

Cons:

Terrible smell in my room. It wasn’t clean, it looked quite old and run down, especially the bathroom! It definitely wasn’t a clean room and I wouldn’t stay here again unless there was absolutely no other choice in the local area.

2026-03-29 via Nuitee
M
Mollie couple gb
2
Pros:

View outside was nice and rooms were good size

Cons:

Fire alarm went off intermittently for over an hour keeping us awake

2026-03-28 via Nuitee
P
Paul couple gb
8
2026-03-26 via Nuitee
A
Anne couple gb
7
2026-03-16 via Nuitee
S
Samantha couple gb
6
Pros:

Size of room

Cons:

Parking paid extra on booking.com for guaranteed parking with the room choice which I didn't get all cars were crammed in double parking and got called before check out to move my car which made me leave earlier than expected.

2026-03-15 via Nuitee
D
David couple gb
8
2026-03-15 via Nuitee