Tucked just off Ermine Street South in Papworth Everard, Cambridgeshire, Stay Inn Express is a budget-friendly inn positioned as a convenient base for travellers heading to Cambridge and the surrounding area. Around 18 km (roughly a 19-minute drive) from Cambridge city and Cambridge Airport, it markets itself primarily to road travellers, business visitors, and guests looking for an affordable alternative to pricier city-centre hotels.
Location and Accessibility
The hotel sits on the A428 corridor, making it a practical stopover for anyone travelling between Cambridge, St Neots, and Huntingdon — all reachable within about a 20-minute drive. The St Neots Road bus stop is right outside, offering a direct link into Cambridge for guests without a car. There’s also free private parking on site, a meaningful perk given how expensive parking can be in central Cambridge.
Nearby points of interest include:
- Caxton Gibbet — just a short walk away
- Cambourne Nature Reserve — a 90-hectare reserve about 2.7 km from the property
- Byron’s Pool — roughly 3 km away
- Cambourne Church and Holy Trinity Church — both within a 15-minute drive
For quick bites, a McDonald’s sits about 350 metres from the hotel, and there’s a 24-hour Shell garage close by — useful for late arrivals or early departures.
Rooms and Facilities
The property has around 19–20 rooms, each furnished simply with:
- A flat-screen TV with satellite channels
- Ironing facilities
- Carpeted flooring
- Wardrobe or cupboard storage
- En-suite bathroom with shower, separate toilet, and bath sheets
The hotel is entirely non-smoking. On-site, guests will find a lounge bar with an attached terrace, free Wi-Fi, and a garden area. Accessibility features include wheelchair access and a disabled toilet, and the property is noted as dog-friendly.
Dining
The in-house restaurant, Spice Kitchen Flavour, serves an international and Indian-inspired menu — think freshly prepared curries, grilled lamb dishes, fast-food favourites, bakery items, and vegetarian options. Breakfast is served daily from 7am to 11am, with some listings noting a complimentary or vegetarian breakfast included in the room rate.
What to Know Before Booking
Online listings often describe Stay Inn Express as a “4-star” property, but it’s worth treating that label with some caution — aggregator sites frequently assign star ratings that don’t reflect independent verification. On Tripadvisor, the hotel currently holds a notably modest 2.5 out of 5 rating from a small number of reviews, with feedback that’s genuinely mixed: some guests have praised it as clean, quiet, and excellent value for the area, particularly for its proximity to Cambridge, Godmanchester, and Huntingdon. Others have reported concerns about cleanliness and overall upkeep.
Given that spread, it’s sensible to:
- Read recent reviews carefully before booking, rather than relying solely on the hotel’s own description
- Check what’s included (breakfast, parking, Wi-Fi) directly with the property, since this varies across booking platforms
- Compare against nearby alternatives — including the Premier Inn often mentioned by guests as a point of comparison — if reliability is your top priority
Practical Details
| Address | Ermine Street South, Papworth Everard, Cambridgeshire, CB23 3PB |
| Check-in | From 15:00 |
| Check-out | Until 11:00 |
| Typical rate | From around £69/night (varies by platform and season) |
| Payment | Visa and Maestro accepted |
| Parking | Free, on-site |
The Bottom Line
Stay Inn Express works best as a no-frills, budget-conscious option for travellers who need a well-located bed near the A428 and don’t require a polished, full-service hotel experience. Its location is genuinely convenient for Cambridge-area road trips, and the on-site restaurant and free parking add real value. That said, the mixed review history means it’s worth setting expectations accordingly and checking the latest guest feedback before you book.
