Review of Jurys Inn, Croydon

Visitors to London are, arguably, unlikely to find a more convenient and value-for-money location in which to base themselves than Croydon. This self-contained metropolis-within-a-metropolis, seventeen minutes from Gatwick Airport on the train (South Western line), has numerous connections to central London (trains to Victoria and London Bridge run all day) - and is also a great base from which to explore South and Southwest London, and Surrey. Jurys Inn, a short walk from both East Croydon Railway station and West Croydon Tube station, is therefore an ideally-located hotel for visitors arriving at Gatwick, though it’s also convenient for Heathrow, 45km away. 

A large modern building off the busy Wellesley Road, the hotel, with its wide glass doors and chrome fittings, has a swish Seventies-look entrance. Inside, there are 240 air-conditioned and spacious guestrooms, all of which contain the staples of the Jurys Inn chain: Dream beds, chic purple and yellow furnishings, wide-screen TVs, complimentary refreshments, free Wifi etc. 

The hotel’s restaurant, “The Kitchen”, which serves both breakfast and dinner (there’s also a bar offering a range of bar food and Costa coffee), offers a broadly international menu: pizza, burgers, salads, and fine desserts, too. (There’s also a great selection for vegetarians.) The buffet breakfast is the piece de resistance, however, offering guests a range of cereals, the full English, croissants, pastries, yogurts and a large selection of fruit juices, teas and coffees. Such a generous breakfast is especially welcome if guests have have had a long flight the night before. And the fact that The Kitchen is on the ground floor (to the left of the hotel’s beautiful wood-pannelled lobby) is an added bonus as from here there are great views to the street where you can people-watch at your leisure. Room service is also available until 10pm after which a reduced service is in place.

This calm and orderly hotel is particularly suited to the business community. There are several meeting rooms in the building, and, as Croydon is the headquarters of many UK businesses, there are regular conventions and conferences occurring in the area. During my stay, there were several groups attending business meetings etc. If remaining local is a preferred option, there are plenty of nearby shopping outlets such as the Whitgift Centre and the Purley Way. For more cultural pursuits - 2017 saw the inaugural Croydon Literary Festival at the David Lean Cinema in Katherine Street, and this looks set to continue. Also, a five-minute walk from the hotel is the Clocktower Complex, a cultural centre and museum, and there’s a range of cinemas, theatres and art galleries (such as Turf Projects, Rise Gallery etc) in the vicinity, too.

If this hotel were located in central London, prices would be astronomical. Jurys’ prices are extremely reasonable in comparison though they can vary; on some "last-minute" websites, rooms are advertised for as little as £60 per night. 

Details:
Jurys Inn, Wellesley Rd, London CR0 9XY, UK
Phone: +44 20 8448 6000
www.jurysinns.com/croydon