Crawley hotels

Crawley is a large town in West Sussex, and the birthplace of several famous Brits, including Robert Smith of The Cure, English football manager Gareth Southgate and comedian Romesh Ranganathan. Just 15 minutes’ drive from Gatwick Airport and with a shopping mall, variety of bars and restaurants and beautiful parks, it’s well positioned for anyone looking to stay nearby for a flight.

The name Crawley is believed to have originated from the town’s beginnings as a Saxon village, where it was named Crow’s Leah, meaning a clearing filled with crows. The modern spelling first appeared around 1316.

Crawley is in West Sussex, directly south of London.

Absolutely! Crawley is home to beautiful parks, family attractions and plenty of shopping and dining options. Tilgate Park is a real highlight – it’s got lakes, gardens, woodland walks and a nature centre. The town’s location also makes it perfect for day trips to nearby spots like the South Downs or the Sussex coast.  

Crawley is more of a mid-sized town that feels somewhere between a bustling town and a quiet suburb. It’s grown significantly over the years and is actually one of the larger towns in West Sussex and offers all the essentials – shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. 

Crawley is around 30 miles south of central London and can easily be reached by train, bus or car. Regular trains travel directly from London Victoria to Crawley in under an hour and tickets cost from around £14 upwards, depending on time of travel. As the station lies in Special Zone 14, an Oyster card will take you from London to Crawley. Depending on traffic, by car you can expect a journey time of around an hour or more.

Crawley is around six miles from Gatwick Airport, so easily reachable by car and train. A car journey from the town centre should take around 10 – 15 minutes with a taxi costing in the region of around £10, or it’s just one stop by train, taking around 4 minutes. 

Around 20 miles south of Croydon, you can expect a 30 – 45 minute drive to Crawley, with taxis costing upwards of around £45. Alternatively, the journey takes just 20 minutes by train.

If you’re looking to head to the coast from Crawley or vice-versa, you’ll find Brighton just 20 miles south. To drive or take the train both take around half an hour, and a taxi will cost upwards of £40.

There are plenty of family-friendly things to do in Crawley! Tilgate Park is a must-visit – with its adventure playground, lake activities and nature centre full of animals. Kids will also love Go Ape Crawley, where older children can swing through treetop rope courses. For indoor fun, head to Cineworld Crawley for a movie or K2 Leisure Centre, which has a great swimming pool. Soft play centres and mini-golf venues nearby will also keep younger kids entertained. 

You’ll find a nice mix of outdoor and leisure activities in Crawley. Start with a walk or picnic in Tilgate Park, one of the top-rated green spaces in the region. For culture, check out a show at The Hawth Theatre, which hosts plays, comedy and concerts throughout the year. If you enjoy shopping or grabbing a bite, County Mall Shopping Centre is right in the town centre. Crawley also has easy access to countryside trails and historical sites in nearby villages. 

Yes, Crawley’s County Mall Shopping Centre is the main go-to spot, with a great mix of high-street brands. The shopping centre is covered and spacious, making it easy to browse in any weather. Around the town centre, you’ll also find independent shops, cafes and a regular market offering everything from street food to crafts. For everyday essentials and a bit of retail therapy, Crawley ticks the boxes without the hectic crowds of larger cities. 

Flex – Pay now or on arrival, fully refundable with free cancellation up to 1pm on the day of arrival. Our most flexible rate – you can cancel and get a full refund up to 1pm on the day of arrival. You can also amend your booking at the same hotel up to 1pm on the day of arrival (additional room rate charges may apply depending on your new stay date).

Semi-Flex – Pay now, fully refundable with free cancellation up to three full days before arrival. Fairly flexible rate – you can cancel and get a full refund up to three full days before arrival. No refunds after that date. You can also amend your booking date at the same hotel up to 1pm on the day of arrival (additional room rate charges may apply depending on your new stay date).

Advance – Pay now, fully refundable with free cancellation up to 28 full days before arrival, free to amend thereafter until the day of arrival. Fairly flexible rate – you can cancel and get a full refund up to 28 full days before arrival. No refunds after that date. You can also amend your booking date at the same hotel up to 1pm on the day of arrival (additional room rate charges may apply depending on your new stay date).

Standard – Pay now, non-refundable. Free to amend booking at the same hotel up to 1pm on the day of arrival. Slightly flexible rate – you won’t be able to cancel and get a full refund, but you can amend your booking at the same hotel up to 1pm on the day of arrival (additional room rate charges may apply depending on your new stay date).

Non-Flex – Pay now. No amends or refunds. Our least flexible rate – you won’t be able to cancel or amend your stay after booking.

Our standard check-in time is 3pm. For an additional fee*, you can start your stay sooner with early check-in from 11am. Add early check-in to your stay while making your booking, or afterwards by managing your stay in your Premier Inn account. Early check-in is subject to availability and not available at all Premier Inn hotels. 

Checkout is by 12 noon on your departure date. If luggage storage is available, our teams will be happy to store any bags for you if you’d like to check out before 12pm.

*Prices and times will vary depending on date and location. 

For an additional fee*, you can start your stay sooner with early check-in from 11am. Add early check-in to your stay while making your booking, or afterwards by managing your stay in your Premier Inn account. Early check-in is subject to availability and not available at all Premier Inn hotels. 

*Prices and times will vary depending on date and location. 

In 2020 we launched Premier Inn CleanProtect™, our rigorous, daily cleaning method that’s used throughout our UK & Ireland hotels. Developed in partnership with Diversey, a global leader in cleaning and hygiene products for the healthcare and hospitality industries, our promise seeks to give you extra peace of mind so you can always book and stay with confidence.

Check-in - minimising contact at reception and providing hand sanitiser in most public areas for peace of mind. 

Bed linen and towels - laundering all our linen and towels at over 60°C to thermally disinfect them, so you can enjoy a great night’s sleep. We’ve also placed spare pillows in a zip-up bag, for extra peace of mind.

Equipping our teams - providing our team members with all the equipment and sanitisers they need, as well as always operating in the safest way possible for our teams and guests.

A generous serving of safety - you can relax knowing that enhanced cleaning measures are in place throughout our restaurants. Tables are cleaned between visits and contactless payment is in place too, so you can dine safely and comfortably with us every time.

Clean on request - if you'd like your room cleaned during your stay with us, just let us know at reception and use the handy door hanger on the back of your door by 12pm each day.

Most Premier Inns have specially-adapted rooms allowing easier access for customers with disabilities. If there is no specially-adapted room available at the hotel of your choice, we will be happy to offer you alternative accommodation at a nearby Premier Inn. If you have difficulty walking, but do not need a specially-adapted room, please feel free to request a room near reception on the ground floor for easy access. 

If you'd like get in touch, you can reach out to our specialist team via email at pi.accessible@whitbread.com or call us on 0333 0919 817 between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday (calls charged at local rate).

Unfortunately, with the exception of trained assistance dogs, we don't allow pets to stay at our hotels.