Holiday Inn London Gatwick – Worth: the complete traveller's guide
A £9 million refurbishment turned this into one of the best-rated hotels in Crawley — with family rooms sleeping five, pool access next door and 16 EV chargers. An honest rundown, including the parking problem that stops guests giving it full marks.
Hotel overview
The Holiday Inn London Gatwick – Worth sits at Crabbet Park on Turners Hill Road, in a quiet setting a little over three miles from Gatwick. It's had a £9 million refurbishment and extension that transformed nearly every area — reception, restaurant, event suites — and added 40 new bedrooms, most of them family rooms sleeping five, which makes it one of very few hotels in the area able to take a family of that size in one room.
It shows in the ratings. This is ranked #7 of 25 hotels in Crawley on TripAdvisor with 4 out of 5, and 8.2–8.4/10 on other platforms — a striking contrast with some of its neighbours. Rooms were renovated in 2022 and include air conditioning, a separate sitting area, connecting-room options and free cots. There's the Meadow restaurant, a bar, a coffee shop, a terrace and garden, and 24-hour room service.
Two features stand out from everything else in this series: discounted access to the adjacent Nuffield Health & Fitness Centre, with a swimming pool, sauna and steam room, and 16 Pod Point EV charging points including four rapid chargers — comfortably the best electric-vehicle provision at any Gatwick hotel we've covered. The one consistent complaint is parking capacity, covered honestly below.
| Official website | ihg.com |
|---|---|
| Address | Crabbet Park, Turners Hill Road, Worth, Crawley RH10 4SS |
| Star rating | 4-star |
| TripAdvisor | #7 of 25 hotels in Crawley; 4 of 5 (1,964 reviews) |
| Distance to Gatwick | ~3.2 miles (~13 min drive) — not walkable |
| Check-in / check-out | 3:00 PM / 11:00 AM |
| Family rooms | Rooms sleeping up to 5 — rare in this area |
| Leisure | Discounted access to adjacent Nuffield gym, pool, sauna & steam room |
Star rating and what it means
A 4-star Holiday Inn, recently and substantially refurbished — comfortable, well-equipped rooms with a restaurant, bar, 24-hour room service and event facilities.
| Level | What it broadly means in the UK |
|---|---|
| ★★★★★ Five-star | Luxury: extensive facilities, near-flawless service |
| ★★★★ Four-star (this hotel) | Upscale: spacious refurbished rooms, restaurant & bar, 24-hr room service, meeting & event suites |
| ★★★ Three-star | Mid-range comfort: en-suite rooms, a restaurant, decent service |
| ★★ / ★ Budget | Simple, functional accommodation |
The ratings here are genuinely good by local standards — #7 of 25 in Crawley, 4 of 5. Guests consistently praise cleanliness, spacious rooms, attentive service and the value of the stay-and-parking packages. The main criticism is specific and recurring: not enough parking spaces for the number of long-stay guests.
Brand, ownership & business profile
A Holiday Inn, part of IHG — here operating at the upper end of the brand following major investment.
- Holiday Inn — IHG's full-service mid-market brand; this property is 4-star rated and recently refurbished.
- IHG One Rewards — earn and redeem points; free to join.
Disambiguation: IHG runs several similarly named hotels around Gatwick, and they're materially different:
| Hotel | Where | Key difference |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday Inn London Gatwick – Worth (this one) | Crabbet Park, Worth, Crawley | 4-star, £9m refurb, family rooms for 5, pool access next door |
| Holiday Inn London Gatwick – Airport | Povey Cross, Horley | Closer to terminals; paid Hoppa shuttle |
| Holiday Inn Express London Gatwick – Crawley | Crawley town centre | Budget; breakfast included; £9 parking; no shuttle |
| Crowne Plaza London – Gatwick Airport | Langley Drive, Crawley | 4-star; ~3.5 miles out; cheap parking |
Business profile
| Category | 4-star full-service hotel (off-airport, countryside setting) |
|---|---|
| Primary market | Families, park-and-fly drivers, weddings & events, business travellers |
| Brand / loyalty | Holiday Inn (IHG); IHG One Rewards |
| On-site | Meadow restaurant · bar/lounge · coffee shop · terrace & garden · 24-hr room service · business centre · event suites |
| Signature | Family rooms for 5; Nuffield pool & gym access; 16 EV charge points |
Takeaway for travellers: the strongest all-round choice in the Crawley belt — genuinely refurbished, well-rated, excellent for families and EV drivers. Book parking early and arrange your own airport transfer.
Rooms, beds & prices
Rooms were renovated in 2022 and are notably well-specified for a Holiday Inn: air conditioning and heating, a separate sitting area, a desk, a flat-screen TV, tea and coffee facilities, an iron, free cots and connecting-room options. Standards are around 172 sq ft; accessible rooms are larger at around 226 sq ft. The extension added family rooms sleeping five. Ranges below are indicative.
| Room type | Size | Beds | Sleeps | From (indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard King / Twin | ~172 sq ft | 1 king or twin | 1–2 | ~£60 |
| Standard, King + Sofa Bed | ~172 sq ft | King + twin sofa bed | 3 | ~£80 |
| Standard, Multiple Beds | Larger | 2 king beds | 4 | ~£95 |
| Family Room | Larger | Multiple beds | Up to 5 | ~£110 |
| Accessible Double | ~226 sq ft | 1 double | 2 | ~£65 |
Prices are per room, per night; breakfast and parking are extra. Guests describe rooms as clean, spacious and comfortable, with good WiFi and effective heating and cooling. Two small gripes from detailed reviews: pillows can be a little flat, and storage is a low cabinet with shelves rather than a chest of drawers — minor, but useful to know if you're unpacking for several nights.
- Families: rooms sleeping up to five, connecting rooms, free cots and kids' meals — a genuine local rarity.
- Comfort: air conditioning throughout, plus a separate sitting area in standard rooms.
- Accessible rooms are notably larger at ~226 sq ft and review very well.
What's in every room
| Category | Included in every room |
|---|---|
| Entertainment | Flat-screen TV |
| Connectivity | Free WiFi (guests report it works well); desk and chair |
| Hot drinks | Tea & coffee making facilities |
| Comfort | Air conditioning and heating; separate sitting area |
| Bathroom | Private bathroom, clean, with a well-functioning shower |
| Family | Free cots / infant beds; connecting rooms available |
| Practical | Iron & ironing board; 24-hour room service |
The 2022 renovation shows: air conditioning in every room and a separate sitting area are both above what you'd expect at this price near Gatwick, and the WiFi gets specific praise in reviews — worth noting if you need to work.
Dining
The Meadow restaurant serves breakfast and main meals with kids' options, alongside a bar and lounge, a coffee shop, a snack bar and a terrace overlooking the garden. Room service runs 24 hours.
| Venue / meal | What to expect | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Buffet breakfast | Good quality with cook-to-order items — but no cheaper light-eater option | ~£10 pp |
| Meadow restaurant | Refurbished dining room; kids' meals available | £13–£24 mains |
| Bar / lounge & terrace | Drinks and lighter dishes; garden terrace seating | £5–£12 |
| Coffee shop & snack bar | Coffee, snacks and deli items to go | £3–£8 |
| Room service | Available 24 hours | Varies |
Breakfast is well rated at around £10 per person — good value against the £16.95 charged at some rivals in this series. Two honest notes from guests: cook-to-order items can be slow at busy times, so allow extra if you have a flight to catch, and there's no cheaper option for a light eater — it's the full buffet price or nothing.
Pool & leisure access
The hotel doesn't have its own pool, but it has the next best thing: discounted guest access to the adjacent Nuffield Health & Fitness Centre.
| Swimming pool | Available at the adjacent Nuffield centre |
|---|---|
| Gym | Full fitness centre |
| Sauna & steam room | Both available |
| Access | Discounted rate for hotel guests — confirm current charge and opening hours when booking |
This is a useful distinction to understand when comparing hotels. Several Gatwick-area listings claim an on-site pool that doesn't exist; here the arrangement is stated honestly — the pool is next door at Nuffield, at a discounted rate, not free and not in the hotel. Worth confirming the price and hours in advance if swimming is part of your plan, especially with children.
Parking & EV charging
Parking is both the main reason people book this hotel and its most-criticised feature — so here's the full picture.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Park, Stay & Go | Room plus long-stay parking — leave the car while you fly; book in advance |
| Long-stay rate | Discounted rates reported at around £5 per night on packages |
| Capacity | The known weak point — guests report frequently struggling to find a space |
| EV charging | 16 Pod Point charging points, including 4 rapid chargers |
| Car park | Spacious, on site |
The honest catch. One detailed reviewer summed it up: they would have given the hotel five stars "was it not for the parking situation" — despite paying a discounted long-stay rate, they rarely found a space. The car park serves both overnight guests and long-stay flyers, and demand outstrips supply at busy times. Book your parking package in advance, arrive with time in hand, and don't plan a tight dash to the airport. On the plus side, the EV provision is the best of any hotel in this series — 16 charge points with four rapid chargers.
Facilities & services
| Parking | Spacious on-site car park; Park, Stay & Go packages; spaces can be scarce — book ahead |
|---|---|
| EV charging | 16 Pod Point points including 4 rapid chargers |
| Leisure | Discounted access to adjacent Nuffield Health & Fitness Centre (pool, gym, sauna, steam room) |
| Dining | Meadow restaurant, bar/lounge, coffee shop, snack bar, terrace; 24-hour room service |
| Airport transfer | No free hotel shuttle — arrange a car or taxi |
| Events | Refurbished event suites including the Sussex Suite with private bar and banqueting kitchen for self-catered weddings; meeting rooms; business centre |
| Grounds | Garden and terrace; quiet setting away from airport noise |
| Services | 24-hour front desk, daily housekeeping, laundry, multilingual staff |
| Rail & nearby | Three Bridges station ~6-min drive (London Victoria ~40 min); Tulley's Farm ~1.8 mi; Hawth Theatre ~2.5 mi; Brighton ~35 min drive |
Accessibility & suitability for elderly guests
One of the better options in the area for accessibility — the accessible rooms are larger than standard and review particularly well.
Accessible strengths:
- Accessible rooms at around 226 sq ft — larger than standard rooms — rated 8.8/10 by guests
- Recently refurbished throughout (2022), so fittings are modern
- Air conditioning and heating in all rooms; separate sitting area
- On-site parking with level access; 24-hour front desk and room service
- All dining on site, plus coffee shop and terrace
Worth confirming first:
- Book the accessible room directly and confirm its specific features
- Ask about accessible parking and arrive early, given the capacity issue
- Confirm step-free access to the adjacent Nuffield centre if you plan to use the pool
- No shuttle — arrange a door-to-door car for the airport
Suitability verdict for elderly & less-mobile guests: very good — modern refurbished facilities, unusually large accessible rooms, air conditioning, 24-hour room service and everything on one site. The two things to plan: reserve parking in advance because spaces are tight, and book a door-to-door car for the airport leg.
Insider details
Family rooms sleeping five — a genuine local rarity
The £9 million extension added 40 new bedrooms, most of them family rooms sleeping five, and the hotel notes this makes it one of very few in the area able to do so. If you're a family of five flying from Gatwick, this solves a problem that usually means booking two rooms. Connecting rooms and free cots are also available, and the restaurant does kids' meals.
The parking crunch — book ahead and allow time
The one consistent complaint, and worth taking seriously. Guests report that even with a paid long-stay package (around £5 a night discounted), finding an actual space can be difficult. One reviewer said this alone cost the hotel a five-star rating. The practical response: book your Park, Stay & Go package in advance, arrive with time to spare rather than immediately before you need to leave, and if you're on a tight schedule consider a door-to-door car instead of driving.
Best EV charging of any Gatwick hotel we've covered
If you drive an electric car, this is the standout choice in the area: 16 Pod Point charging points, including four rapid chargers. No other hotel in this series comes close. Charge overnight before you fly, or top up on arrival.
The pool is next door, not in the hotel
An honest distinction that matters when comparing. There's no pool inside the hotel — instead, guests get discounted access to the adjacent Nuffield Health & Fitness Centre, which has a pool, gym, sauna and steam room. That's a good arrangement, but it's a neighbouring facility at a discounted charge, not a free hotel amenity. Confirm the rate and opening hours before you rely on it.
Quiet setting — no aircraft noise
A real benefit of being at Crabbet Park rather than beside the runway: guests specifically note the hotel is well away from airport noise, in a somewhat isolated countryside setting. If you're trying to sleep before an early flight, that's worth more than a few minutes' extra driving.
Allow extra time at breakfast
Breakfast is good value at around £10 and well rated, but two practical points: cook-to-order items can be slow when the restaurant is busy, and there's no cheaper option for a light eater — you pay the full buffet price regardless. If you have a flight, go early rather than at the peak.
WiFi coverage & signal strength
Free WiFi is provided throughout, and guests specifically describe it as good. Signal-strength-by-area detail isn't published — confirm with hotel, or share guest reviews and we'll add specifics.
General guidance for a recently refurbished IHG hotel: connectivity should be reliable for work and streaming, and IHG One Rewards enrolment typically includes free WiFi as a member benefit.
Practical information
| Check-in / check-out | 3:00 PM / 11:00 AM |
|---|---|
| Address | Crabbet Park, Turners Hill Road, Worth, Crawley RH10 4SS |
| Parking | On-site; Park, Stay & Go packages (~£5/night discounted on packages); spaces limited |
| EV charging | 16 Pod Point points, 4 rapid chargers |
| Airport shuttle | None — arrange a car or taxi |
| Breakfast | Buffet ~£10 pp; no reduced light-eater rate |
| Leisure | Discounted access to adjacent Nuffield pool, gym, sauna & steam room |
| WiFi / room service | Free WiFi throughout; 24-hour room service |
Getting to Gatwick
At around 3.2 miles out with no hotel shuttle, the airport leg needs arranging.
| To… | Best way | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gatwick (either terminal) | Pre-booked private car — door to door, any hour | ~13 min | Fixed fare |
| Gatwick — alternative | Taxi arranged via reception | ~13 min | Metered |
| Between terminals | Free 24/7 inter-terminal shuttle at the airport | ~2 min | Free |
| London Victoria / Brighton | Train from Three Bridges (~6-min drive) / ~35 min drive to Brighton | ~40 min / ~35 min | Rail fare / driving |
With no shuttle and a countryside setting, a pre-booked car is the sensible default — particularly given the parking congestion, since being collected at the door means you don't need to hunt for a space on the morning of your flight. A fixed-fare RushXO car covers both terminals 24/7.
Customer reviews
Well rated by local standards — #7 of 25 hotels in Crawley on TripAdvisor with 4 of 5 from 1,964 reviews, and 8.2–8.4/10 elsewhere. Cleanliness, spacious rooms, attentive staff and package value are the recurring positives; parking capacity is the recurring negative.
| Theme | What guests say |
|---|---|
| Rooms | Clean, spacious, comfortable; good WiFi and heating/cooling; refurbished 2022 |
| Service | Attentive and helpful; management responds to reviews |
| Value | Stay-and-parking packages repeatedly called good value |
| Setting | Quiet, away from airport noise |
| Main complaint | Parking capacity — spaces frequently hard to find; slow cook-to-order breakfast; flat pillows |
Confirm current ratings on your preferred platform. Share specific reviews and I can add a scored breakdown.
Pros & cons
Pros
- #7 of 25 hotels in Crawley (4 of 5) — among the best-rated in the area
- £9 million refurbishment; rooms renovated in 2022
- Family rooms sleeping up to 5 — rare locally; connecting rooms and free cots
- Air conditioning and a separate sitting area in every room
- 16 EV charging points including 4 rapid chargers — best in the area
- Discounted access to adjacent Nuffield pool, gym, sauna and steam room
- 24-hour room service; well-priced breakfast (~£10); coffee shop and terrace
- Quiet countryside setting away from aircraft noise
- Unusually large, well-rated accessible rooms (~226 sq ft)
Cons
- Parking spaces frequently hard to find, even with a paid long-stay package
- No airport shuttle — you must arrange a car; ~3.2 miles out, not walkable
- Pool is next door at Nuffield (discounted), not in the hotel
- Cook-to-order breakfast slow at peak; no cheaper light-eater option
- Minor room gripes: flat pillows, limited drawer storage
Best way to book online
| Book via | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Official site (ihg.com) | Best rate, IHG One Rewards points, Park Stay & Go packages | Book parking in advance — capacity is genuinely tight |
| Phone | Family rooms for 5, accessible rooms, Nuffield access details | Worth calling to confirm the specific room configuration |
| Park-and-fly specialists | Room + long-stay parking bundles | Confirm the parking is guaranteed, not just discounted |
| Major OTAs | Comparing dates; refundable rates | Several IHG hotels serve Gatwick — confirm it's Worth, RH10 4SS |
In short: book direct with IHG, reserve your parking package well in advance, and call if you need a family room for five or an accessible room. Confirm the Nuffield access charge if the pool matters. Then book your airport transfer with RushXO — which also neatly sidesteps the car-park scramble on the morning of your flight.
Book your transfer → · Call the 24/7 team
FAQs
Is this a good hotel?
Yes — it's one of the better-rated options in the area, ranked #7 of 25 hotels in Crawley on TripAdvisor with 4 out of 5 from nearly 2,000 reviews, following a £9 million refurbishment. Rooms were renovated in 2022 and guests consistently praise cleanliness, space and service.
Does it have family rooms for five?
Yes — the extension added 40 new bedrooms, most of them family rooms sleeping five, which the hotel notes makes it one of very few in the area to offer this. Connecting rooms, free cots and kids' meals are also available.
Is there a swimming pool?
Not inside the hotel — but guests get discounted access to the adjacent Nuffield Health & Fitness Centre, which has a swimming pool, gym, sauna and steam room. Confirm the current charge and opening hours when you book.
What's the parking situation?
This is the hotel's main weak point. Park, Stay & Go packages are good value with discounted long-stay rates around £5 a night, but guests frequently report struggling to find an actual space. Book your package well in advance and allow extra time rather than arriving in a rush.
Can I charge an electric car?
Yes — and better than anywhere else in the area. There are 16 Pod Point charging points, including four rapid chargers.
Is there an airport shuttle?
No. IHG confirms there's no free airport shuttle. The hotel is around 3.2 miles from Gatwick, roughly a 13-minute drive, so arrange a pre-booked car or a taxi through reception.