Rating : . Poets House is a swish new hotel in Ely , a three-minute walk from the cathedral , offering terrific value . It 's quite a venture - and must have been a huge investment . There are 21 rooms , all with copper standalone baths placed near luxurious double beds . I keep thinking about Phil Neville , the former England footballer whose home once appeared in Hello ! and which forever more is held as the gold standard for unadulterated bling . Which is to say that Poets House is glossy and lavish , but manages to stay on the right side of kitsch , not least because the finish is so good . There is n't a scuff in sight . State of the art : Poets House is as much a Sex And The City retreat as a hideaway in genteel Ely . No , it might not be to all tastes ( there are mirrors everywhere with poetry written on them , such as lines from Kipling : 'Since my house to thy house no greater can send than thy house but my house , friend comforting friend ' ) and the floors are given over to black-and-white squares with embedded stars . But you would be hard pressed not to have a good time here . We arrive on a wet blustery evening . I pop into reception and ask where we can park and am told to leave the car exactly where it is . Valet parking will sort it at no extra charge . Then a man who says he has a Hungarian father and German mother escorts us purposefully to our room , opens the door and says : 'You have every shade of grey in here . ' He must have used the line dozens of times , but still gets a kick from it . We unpack our whips ( sorry , wash bags ) before hurrying down to the shiny , funky bar and order two glasses of bubbly . Black and white : Poets House incorporates smart , clean lines , elegant décor and crisp white tablecloths . We 're in the zone , sitting on stools at the flashy bar as if auditioning as extras for a Sex And The City sequel , and have to pinch ourselves that this is Ely . The main dining room is a more formal , carpeted affair with crisp , white tablecloths and huge , bulbous wine glasses . There 's an amuse bouche ( naturally ) , followed by impressive , but over-elaborate , scallops and then perfectly cooked steaks . Back in our room , there are gadgets galore : a TV that connects to the internet , a Bose sound system accessible via Bluetooth , a tablet computer playing the role of the hotel directory . The carpet is thick , the shiny bedhead and curtains so over the top they make us chuckle . After breakfast , we tell a member of staff that we want to visit the cathedral . 'Just leave everything packed in your room and we will put it all your car , which will be waiting for you when you return . ' It is , too . Poets House used to be an old people 's home . For any lingering ghosts from those days , it must seem like a thousand years ago . Poets House . St Mary 's Street Ely . Cambridgeshire . CB7 4EY . 01353 887777. www.thehousecollection.com . Doubles from £159 B & B . Rating : .
Poets hotel is a swish new hotel in Ely , three minutes from the cathedral . It is complete with 21 chic suites - and complimentary valet suites . It used to be an old people 's hotel , but is a significant building from this period .