Graduate by Hilton Cambridge

You're walking past the Mill Lane car park towards the Backs when you spot this converted Victorian mill, all exposed brick and clever redesign. Graduate Cambridge is the kind of hotel that doesn't feel like a hotel at all—more like the cool older sibling just moved back to town with excellent taste. The ground floor bar and restaurant draw plenty of Cambridge regulars who aren't staying overnight, which says everything. There's a proper buzz here, especially evenings, where you can actually get a decent cocktail and the food doesn't feel like obligatory hotel fare.