Going Up To The Varsity

Its name may take us back to college days, but The Varsity Hotel & Spa is no dormitory. This Cambridge hotel is every bit as sophisticated as its urban counterparts, and so fetching that you may be tempted to recreate its look at home. And for this, we’ve called in the experts at mydeco.

First, a little on the hotel: the Varsity is set on the banks of the River Cam, the aquatic avenue that bends through this university town, around ancient architecture and many a grassy lawn. While the safe bet would have been to attempt to blend in with the venerable surroundings, the Varsity’s architects chose a different path, using modern elements to achieve a resolutely 21st-century feel. Most noteworthy are the upper rooms, with their floor-to-ceiling windows, creating a viewing platform effect that might have earned a nod of approval from Philip Johnson.

Your attention may be turned outward to the sweeping panoramas, but not without some competition from the urbane loft-style interiors. Bold patterned wallpapers, playful Union Jack ottomans, and soaking tubs with modern fixtures all speak to the unfussy, chintz-free side of English style.There’s no room that shows off this winning look better than the St. John’s Penthouse Suite, named for Wordsworth’s old college. Its four-poster bed defines the vertical space in a vaguely regal way, and bright accents like red velvet pillows and the aforementioned ottomans give the room a youthful zing.

For guests interested in bringing a bit of the Varsity home, the designers at mydeco are your guides in shopping the look. You can shop, explore and even create designs for your own interiors using their website’s 3-D planning tools. To achieve the modern monarchy look, mydeco recommends a black mahogany bed from Juliette Interiors and a wooden Union Jack trunk from Artisanti. As for accessories, how about a mirrored silver lamp from Barker & Stonehouse or a punchy red velvet cushion from Jim Lawrence? We’ll leave it to you to procure the picture windows (and your own Gothic spires). For more ideas, check out the Varsity folder that mydeco has put together.

Finally, a word to our UK readers — mydeco and Tablet have teamed up to give away a spa break for two at the Varsity, which includes one night in a penthouse suite and massages at Glassworks, their Conran-designed spa. Click this magical link and you could be punting your way to the Varsity in no time.