Croydon Aerodrome hotel celebrates 75th birthday

07 May 2003 by
Croydon Aerodrome hotel celebrates 75th birthday

The world's first airport hotel, the Aerodrome in Croydon, Surrey, has celebrated its 75th anniversary. The 84-bedroom hotel was built in 1928 to serve the increasing number of air passengers using Croydon Airport, the world's first international airport.

In those early days, celebrities, royalty and film stars frequently stayed at the hotel before flying to distant lands. Rooms cost 12s 6d (63p) for a single and 25s (£1.25) for a double, and guests included the King of Afghanistan, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin.

Great aviators also stayed at the hotel before and after making their heroic flights into the record books. Australian pilot Bert Hinkler set off from Croydon in 1928 and became the first person to fly solo to Australia.

Last year the hotel, previously the Croydon Posthouse, was sold by Rocco Forte Hotels to Croydon-based business group Westmead for £5.25m.

It is undergoing a £2m refurbishment programme that will see its number of bedrooms increase to 149.

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking