Travelers fuel up with a hearty breakfast at this charming inn before hitting the tennis court or exploring the attractions of this perfectly positioned town
The Cross Keys, in the heart of town, offers breakfasts cooked to order. Enjoy a cozy bar, delicious restaurant meals, free WiFi, and an outdoor tennis court. Its central location makes exploring nearby attractions convenient.
Saffron Walden is home to The Cross Keys. Chilford Hall Vineyard and Bishop's Stortford Golf Club are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Red White and Blue Country Park and RSPB Fowlmere Nature Reserve. Bridge End Gardens and Lord Butler Fitness & Leisure Centre are also worth visiting. Be sure not to miss outdoor adventures like horse riding and cycling. Visit our Saffron Walden travel guide
Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM
Early check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Staffed front desk
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Property payment types
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit/debit cards
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
Property is also known as
Cross Keys Inn Saffron Walden
Cross Keys Inn Saffron Walden
Cross Keys Saffron Walden
Inn The Cross Keys Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden The Cross Keys Inn
Inn The Cross Keys
The Cross Keys Saffron Walden
Cross Keys Inn
Cross Keys
The Cross Keys Inn
The Cross Keys Saffron Walden
The Cross Keys Inn Saffron Walden
Frequently asked questions
Is The Cross Keys pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at The Cross Keys?
As of 2026/3/7, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Cross Keys on 2026/3/8 start from NT$3,353, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking?
Limited spots are available.
What time is check-in at The Cross Keys?
Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM.
What time is check-out at The Cross Keys?
Check-out is at 10:00 AM.
Where is The Cross Keys located?
Situated in Saffron Walden, this inn is steps from Market Square and Church of St. Mary. Fry Art Gallery and The Common are also within 5 minutes.
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Reviews
The Cross Keys Reviews
8.8
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
9.2
Cleanliness
9.6
Location
9.0
Staff & service
8.8
Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 101 out of 180 reviews
10 - Excellent
101
Rating 8 - Good. 53 out of 180 reviews
8 - Good
53
Rating 6 - Okay. 14 out of 180 reviews
6 - Okay
14
Rating 4 - Poor. 5 out of 180 reviews
4 - Poor
5
Rating 2 - Terrible. 7 out of 180 reviews
2 - Terrible
7
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Michelle
2025/11/17
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Fabulous room with a roll top bath that I took full advantage of! Sunday roast dinner and full English breakfast were great.
I've always wanted to stay here and it didn't disappoint. Really friendly service, comfortable room and had a great vegan option for breakfast which is usually very difficult to find! Thank you!
Amazing and great value lunch, a fabulous breakfast, staff were all lovely and helpful, car park not on site but this was not a problem as the nearest is a few minutes walk away and not too expensive ( download the app for ease) free WiFi and a comfortable bed with a lovely room.
Nice welcome by friendly team member. Imaginatively restored historic pub with a lovely room with a comfy bed, well furnished with a claw bath. Generous breakfast served by an equally friendly server. So enjoyed our stay. The town has a lot to offer with lovely buildings and shops. Quite a find.
It was really good. Stayed for a couple of weeks on business. Rooms were comfortable, staff were very friendly, WiFi worked great and the food was really good.
A return visit to this lovely old Inn. A different and larger room with a very comfortable bed, decent sized shower unit and good complimentary tray and toiletries. Great choices for breakfast and the evening menu was also varied with 'specials' evenings. Friendly and welcoming. Pretty town to explore with good architecture. Car parking a short walk but not extortionate. Have MiPark as your app so no need to get up before 8 am to feed the parking meter. Excellent value
Lesley
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025
10/10 Excellent
Loraine
2025/7/17
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
We got a room for us and our English friends. We loved it. The restaurant was great. That night we all had the carvery, I was impressed, for English food it was good. We stayed in room 9. I’ve been married 40-years, and that was the most fun, funky room, we loved. How often do you sleep in a room from 1569?
Lovely room and ensuite - very clean comfortable and beautifully decorated. The staff were very helpful and friendly. The breakfast was delicious. I would definitely stay there again.
Very historic place which dates back to the 1500's .
The character of the property has been largely kept, this does include sloping floor in the bedroom.
This is the place if you want to stay in an historic hotel. Expect it to be charming but also expect stairs and off site parking. But the staff is wonderful, the pub is a joy and the food very good. And the whole area is walkable.
Just great.
Very unique and pleasant hotel/pub. Very comfortable and clean bed and bedding.
Enjoyed the Sunday roast dinner specials.
Breakfast was very good. Central location in a very walkable village. Transportation by local bus to Stansted airport was quick (about 1 hour), stop just down the street and cost was 2£ each. Great way to get to the airport, scenic drive in the countryside.
Very old historic building with lots of character. Room large, bed comfy, coffee machine and biscuits but no bottled water. Good shower, good breakfast included cooked to order. Staff friendly and helpful. WiFi rubbish, TV not great but was cool that it was hidden in the panelled wall. Short walk to paid parking. Overall a positive stay, would stay again.
Verified traveler
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024
6/10 Okay
David
2025/7/26
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Avoid the rooms facing the centre.
Very old hotel, room was ok, bed really comfortable, very small TV, hot water for the sink took ages to come through.
My room was at the front of the hotel very noisy with the traffic and people and the road sweeper at 6am.
Food was average, no fish & chips as the fish was defrosting 😂, only had all day to sort that, had the burger and asked without sauce and came with sauce.
Finally, chargeable car park which is a 5 minute walk away.
I love the Cross Keys. This was my third time staying here... room 2 is my go-to room. I could hear the traffic late and early- but I knew that before I requested room 2. The room has old charm and a comfy bed. The breakfast is excellent- I get the "full English breakfast" of course. The host or hostess always had a smile or laugh- a good way to start the day. The background music seems to fit the personality of whichever employee was there that day... the young man who I gifted a bottle of hot sauce or the more mature hostess who liked music from my era (60's and 70's) ... she would sing from one end of the pub to the other. Made me smile. I absolutely recommend the Cross Keys for any overnight stays. Clean, inviting, and happy!!! Of course the pub aspect is an added plus! CHEERS... I will be back.
Terry
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
8/10 Good
Mark
2024/9/13
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Staff members excellent.
Lighting in bathroom was poor 2 lights not working did report this.
Cups in bedroom not changed or cleaned over 3 day stay.
Food was good
The location is excellent but remember there is no parking at the hotel and hard to drop off your bags in the car as narrow street right outside. Keep this in mind if you have a lot of luggage or disabled. Hotel and food great. Getting a coffee or drink when breakfast was busy proved hard and we had to ask 3 times and took longer than it took to eat breakfast. Over all a great location and so don’t be put off. Maybe have a filter coffee machine and then could top up yourself
Craig
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
8/10 Good
Barbara
2024/8/13
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Ideal quiet position in town centre so easy to walk or use buses nearby.Very old building so stairs awkward (There could be a reminder on website when booking).
Shower easy to use; ceiling above showing water damage stains. It was useful to have a stand for unpacking suitcase.
Bed comfortable; bed linen crisp, clean and ironed. Lighting good; a welcome tray of teas, coffees, biscuits topped up daily. TV set on a slant on wall due to structure of building?
Breakfasts good, portions generous; vegetarian options tasty; I would welcome some fruit and yoghurt choice too.
Checked in ok but felt slightly strange that I had to approach the bar staff to check in, when the pub was busy. Barman had to stop serving at the bar to give me keys and take me to the room. Felt a bit rushed .
On the hotels.com website I was led to believe parking was available - however the staff said they didn’t know why it said that, and I had to pay for parking at the town car park 5 mins walk away. No real concerns, but please make this clearer.
Breakfast is included as was very good .
Colin
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
6/10 Okay
Mark
2024/7/15
Liked: Room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service
Shame
Check in was poor, got ignored by staff gossiping, looked at me 5 times and decided ignoring me was the best so I stood there for about 5minutes. When a waitress already running around after clients saw me she came over and got someone to help me, she was helpful, manager came over and they had computer issues which apparently I wanted to know all about. Just very unprofessional. Room was adequate but small and not value , price is only for the old building. Room was adequate but bathroom wasn’t that clean. All toiletries were one use which isn’t green.
Best experience was breakfast where young guy on duty was very good with all the guests.