London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday – Historic hotel at the former Croydon Airport — the world's first airport hotel, blending 1920s heritage with modern Croydon hospitality
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday sits at 680 Purley Way, Croydon CR9 4LT, just a short drive from Croydon Airport and well-connected to Gatwick via the surrounding road network. Travellers with early morning departures can check in the night before, avoid a pre-dawn journey from central London, and start the day rested rather than rushed.
Free breakfast is included with every stay at London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday. Breakfast runs from 7:00 AM on weekdays and from 7:00 AM at weekends, making it a practical option for travellers who need to eat before heading to the airport without the added cost of an external café.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday offers free parking for guests. This is a significant cost saving compared with official Croydon Airport parking rates, and is particularly useful for travellers driving to the area and leaving a car while they fly.
The hotel is on Purley Way in South Croydon, with direct road access to the A23 and subsequently to Gatwick Airport. Guests can arrange transport through the hotel or use rideshare services; there is no dedicated airport shuttle, but the surrounding road network makes self-drive or taxi straightforward.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday provides spacious rooms and free parking, making it practical for families driving between South London attractions. The hotel's location on Purley Way gives straightforward access to the A23 and surrounding road network without requiring navigation through central London.
The hotel's guest rooms at 680 Purley Way can accommodate different group sizes. Families should contact the hotel directly or check booking platforms for specific room configurations, as bed setups vary by room type.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday includes both free breakfast and free parking with every stay — two expenses that quickly add up for families at comparable London hotels. This makes the hotel a budget-conscious option for family travel in the South London area.
Nearby attractions include Kidspace Croydon and The Wandle Trail, both within a short drive. The hotel's location on Purley Way provides easy access to these family-friendly sites without requiring a lengthy journey from central London.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday is located at 680 Purley Way, one of Croydon's main commercial corridors, and offers free parking for guests. This makes it practical for business visitors who need a car while working in the area, eliminating the cost and inconvenience of local car parks.
The on-site restaurant and bar at London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday provide a convenient setting for informal business meetings or post-work drinks without requiring a journey into central London. The bar overlooks the main entrance, giving the space a distinctive character.
Purley Way is a established commercial area in South Croydon. London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday functions as a base for professionals working in Croydon's business districts or passing through the area, with straightforward road access to the A23 and surrounding commercial zones.
Room rates at London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday are positioned at a moderate price point with the added value of free breakfast and free parking included. Solo business travellers can check current pricing directly on the OYO website or through major booking platforms.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday occupies the exact site of Croydon Airport, which operated as London's primary international airport from 1920 to 1959. Croydon Airport was the city's first purpose-built airport and handled flights including the first scheduled commercial air services. The hotel itself was purpose-built in 1928 as an integral part of the airport complex.
Yes. The hotel was opened in 1928 as the Aerodrome Hotel and is widely documented as the world's first airport hotel, purpose-built as part of the Croydon Airport complex. It was conceived to give arriving and departing passengers — as well as aircrew — a dedicated place to rest, dine, and socialise within the airport grounds.
During the Croydon Airport era, the hotel hosted King George VI, aviator Amy Johnson, Douglas Fairbanks, and Charlie Chaplin. These guests reflect the hotel's role as a gateway for high-profile travellers passing through London's principal airport in the interwar and wartime periods.
Yes. The Croydon Airport Visitor Centre is located near the former airport terminal and is open to the public. The historic terminal building — a notable example of 1920s airport architecture — still stands in the area. The Wandle Trail, which passes nearby, also provides a pedestrian route through the surrounding landscape of the former airfield.
Croydon Airport ceased operations on 30 September 1959 when traffic was redirected to Heathrow and Gatwick. The terminal building and surrounding infrastructure were gradually repurposed. The site of the former airport — including the hotel — transitioned to civilian and commercial use, with the hotel continuing under various operators as Aerodrome Hotel and subsequently under the Hallmark and Sunday Hotels brands.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday is on Purley Way in South Croydon with road access to the A23 and A22, providing routes toward central London. It is not within walking distance of a tube station, so guests travelling into the city centre should factor in the time and cost of a taxi or bus connection to the nearest rail station.
The area around Purley Way offers retail options at nearby shopping parks. The Croydon Airport Visitor Centre, Wandle Trail, and surrounding parks provide outdoor and heritage interest. The hotel's on-site restaurant and bar are available in the evenings, though guests seeking a broader dining scene may want to travel slightly further afield.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday is among the limited number of hotels in the Croydon area that include both free breakfast and free parking in the room rate. This combination is particularly valuable for UK-based travellers who are driving rather than flying and want to manage their total trip budget.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday occupies a distinctive heritage site and a building that dates to 1928, giving it considerably more character than most chain hotels in the Croydon area. As the world's first airport hotel, it carries a specific and well-documented historic significance that makes it stand out for travellers who value story and atmosphere alongside practical accommodation.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday is located at 680 Purley Way, Croydon CR9 4LT, United Kingdom. The property sits on the site of the former Croydon Airport, on the southern edge of Greater London.
The hotel is on Purley Way in South Croydon, approximately 2–3 miles from Croydon town centre. It is accessible by car and is situated in an area with several retail and commercial amenities nearby.
The hotel's phone number is 0330 028 3403. International callers can use +44 330 028 3403.
Yes. The hotel has a wheelchair-accessible entrance, according to its Google Places listing.
The hotel provides guest rooms, an on-site restaurant, a bar, free breakfast for all guests, and free parking. Additional amenities include free Wi-Fi and accessible entrance features. The property dates to 1928 and retains period character alongside contemporary room furnishings.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday has an on-site restaurant. Dinner is served daily from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM. Breakfast is served Monday to Friday from 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM, with slightly later starts at weekends — Saturday 7:00–10:00 AM and Sunday 7:00–10:00 AM.
London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday holds a rating of 3.9 out of 5 on Google based on 1,421 reviews, and 3.7 out of 5 on TripAdvisor based on 1,226 reviews as of April 2026. Guest feedback commonly mentions the friendliness of staff, the quality of the breakfast, and the practical free-parking benefit, alongside occasional concerns about room size and noise from nearby function rooms.
Positive reviews highlight the welcoming and helpful nature of staff members, with specific mentions of Derek, Caroline, and Yazad. The breakfast receives consistent praise for variety and quality, and the free parking is frequently cited as a major advantage. Constructive feedback includes mentions of rooms being compact in some configurations, occasional noise from adjacent function spaces, and variability in the evening food quality.
Yes. The hotel's primary booking channel is the OYO Rooms website at https://www.oyorooms.com/gb/356592. It is also listed on major third-party platforms including Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, and Agoda.
Yes. Free breakfast is included for all guests at London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday, regardless of booking channel.
Guests should refer to their booking confirmation for specific check-in and check-out times, as these can vary by rate type and booking channel. The hotel's front desk is staffed during standard hours.
Cancellation terms are set by the booking channel used. Direct bookings through OYO Rooms are subject to that platform's cancellation policy. Third-party bookings are governed by the relevant platform's terms. Guests are advised to review the specific conditions at the time of booking.
The hotel was originally opened in 1928 as the Aerodrome Hotel. It later became the Hallmark Hotel Croydon Aerodrome during Hallmark Hotels' ownership. It subsequently joined the Sunday Hotels Group — a subsidiary of OYO — and operates today as London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday. It was also previously known as London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel BW Signature Collection during a Best Western partnership period.
The hotel now operates under the Sunday Hotels Group, which is a subsidiary of OYO. Prior ownership included Hallmark Hotels, which acquired the property in 2011 from the administrators of Mainwalk Ltd. The Hallmark acquisition was backed by Palatine Private Equity, with Bank of Ireland providing debt funding.
The hotel was placed into administration before its sale in 2011. It was offered for sale by Christie + Co on behalf of Joint Administrators David Chubb and Mark Shires of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, acting for Mainwalk Ltd. Hallmark Hotels purchased the property and subsequently refurbished it.
Hallmark Hotels acquired the hotel in 2011 and operated it as Hallmark Hotel Croydon Aerodrome during their ownership period. The property later transitioned to Sunday Hotels Group — a brand under OYO — and now carries the name London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel by Sunday. The Sunday Hotels Group manages a collection of UK properties under this brand.
Yes. At one point the property was branded as London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel BW Signature Collection, indicating it was part of Best Western's Signature Collection affiliate programme. It no longer carries that branding.
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