The Blue Ball Inn

Recently, my partner and I travelled to Grantchester UK to visit friends and stayed in the Blue Ball Inn. Fans of Masterpiece will know that Grantchester is the setting for the PBS series of the same name. A lovely village just a walk across the meadows from the City of Cambridge, staying in Grantchester allows you to enjoy the architectural beauty of Cambridge University's colleges, visit the museums, and tour to your heart's delight but return each evening to a homey pub. The Blue Ball includes a traditional pub downstairs and features a beer garden in the back with fairy lights and comfortable seating, including the "shed" stocked with books and cricket photos should you need to stay out of the rain or while away an hour or two in relaxation. Upstairs there are three bedrooms - each with its own bathroom - and a lovely sitting room from which you can look out over the meadows to the river beyond. The rooms feature all of the modern amenities, including wifi, new and very comfortable beds, and excellent showers. The rooms are well sound-proofed. On the Thursday of our visit, the Pub hosted live music (super musicians!). We went to bed before the pub closed at 23:00, however, and didn't hear a thing in our room of the festivities below. Each morning we were served what is honestly the best bed & breakfast meal we've ever had. Fresh home-baked bread, an assortment of artisan cheeses and meats, seasonal fruits, Greek yoghurt, and French-pressed coffee were the stuff of the continental breakfast. This was so good that we never tried the full breakfast but that's definitely on the to-do list for our next visit. There is a very nice restaurant in Grantchester (the Rupert Brooke) as well as terrific food to be had at both the Red Lion and the Green Man pubs. But don't forget to have dinner one night at the Blue Ball as well, because their evening fare is fabulous! The owners of the Inn are delightful and you can count on making new friends among the pub's regular customers. Really, I can't recommend the Blue Ball highly enough. The best bed & breakfast experience we've ever had! Just don't book it up for years in advance because we count on staying there again soon! Visited August 2017

Wow, came here for the first time this past weekend on a sunny day and the experience was phenomenal. Adorable little restaurant and their lentil soup was among the best I’ve ever had. Seriously delicious. I was skeptical this place could live up to its very high ratings but it definitely does, and I love how dog friendly it is! The patio is so pleasant!

Really nice traditional pub with a gorgeous little garden out the back. As it was a hot day we sat outside and had a cold lunch which was fresh and tasty. The salad was just as if it had been freshly picked! Staff are welcoming - will definitely be back when we are in the area.

Lovely little pub - the staff were extremely welcoming, the food was very delicious and the prices were reasonable. Parking was a bit of a nightmare, so expect to drive along the country road looking for a parking spot and walk back towards the pub! Great little location - there's a small hiking trail just over the road with some geocaches also nearby.

Stopped here for lunch. Ate in their beautiful garden. Food was delicious, service friendly. And you might bump into some stars from the TV show Grantchester.

Great local pub. Can fill up in peak times. Excellent atmosphere.