Tattersalls has been at the centre of the bloodstock world for over two centuries. Every year, the sales calendar pulls buyers, breeders, trainers and agents into Newmarket from every corner of the racing world. If you’re heading there in 2026, where you stay matters more than you might think. After a long day on your feet in the ring, you want somewhere to actually switch off.
What Makes Tattersalls Special
Tattersalls isn’t just any auction house. It’s the oldest bloodstock auctioneer in the world, founded in 1766, and today it’s the largest in Europe. The story starts with Richard Tattersall, a wool farmer’s son from Lancashire. He arrived in London with little more than £200, worked his way up to stud manager for the Duke of Kingston, and eventually set up his own sales business near Hyde Park Corner.
Over the next two centuries, the business moved across London before settling permanently in Newmarket. It now sells around 10,000 horses a year. One tradition has survived every move: horses are still priced in guineas, a nod to racing history that has outlasted the currency itself by decades.
Today, the calendar runs across yearling sales, horses in training, breeze-ups and foal sales. It draws buyers from more than 50 countries to Park Paddocks. In the mix are serious money, serious history and a genuinely international crowd. That makes sales week feel different from an ordinary auction, and explains why so many visitors want somewhere restful to retreat to once the ring goes quiet for the day.
A Quieter Alternative to Staying in Town
That’s where Quy Mill Hotel & Spa comes in. Set in a converted watermill just outside Cambridge, it’s close enough to Newmarket for an easy commute to the sales. But it’s far enough removed to feel like a proper break at the end of the day.
Newmarket itself is buzzing during sales week, which is part of the appeal. But it’s not always where you want to lay your head. Stow-cum-Quy, the village where Quy Mill sits, offers something different: riverside grounds, a slower pace, and a bit of breathing room after hours spent inspecting horses and talking shop.
The hotel itself has plenty of character. Rooms range from classic doubles to four-poster suites, all en-suite, with free Wi-Fi and on-site parking sorted for you. There’s a health club and spa if you fancy unwinding properly. There’s also a restaurant and bar that make it easy to skip the drive back into town for dinner.
Good Food Without Leaving the Hotel
Speaking of dinner, Quy Mill’s restaurant has held Two AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence for 2025–2026. The kitchen leans heavily on locally sourced produce, cooked to order rather than sitting under a heat lamp. After a day of early starts and sales-ring adrenaline, being able to sit down to a proper meal on-site, or grab a drink in the bar with colleagues to talk through the day’s lots, is no small thing.
Making the Most of Cambridgeshire
If your trip allows for any downtime between sales sessions, the area around Quy Mill is worth exploring. Anglesey Abbey is a short drive away. Cambridge itself, with its colleges, river and history, is close enough for a half-day escape if you need one.
Planning Ahead for 2026
Tattersalls runs a busy programme through the year, yearling sales, horses in training, foals and the popular dates fill up fast, both at the sales and in nearby accommodation. If you know when you’re travelling, it’s worth booking your room early to get the type you want. Check the official Tattersalls sales calendar for confirmed dates before you finalise your plans.
Book Your Stay
Sales week goes by fast, the best rooms at Quy Mill won’t hang around for long, so it’s worth securing yours now. Book online or call the team directly on 01223 293383 to reserve your stay.
Quy Mill Hotel & Spa, Cambridge Road, Stow-cum-Quy, Cambridge, CB25 9AF
