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The Cross Keys

3.0 star property
Inn in Saffron Walden with free breakfast and a restaurant

Choose dates to view prices

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.

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Housekeeping
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 6 of 6 rooms

View all photos for Double or Twin Room, Ensuite (Dbl_Twn)

Double or Twin Room, Ensuite (Dbl_Twn) | View from property

Double or Twin Room, Ensuite (Dbl_Twn)

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Separate bedroom
Hair dryer
Coffee/tea maker
Digital channels
Daily housekeeping
Desk
Iron/ironing board
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds OR 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Double Room, Ensuite (Dbl)

Double Room, Ensuite (Dbl) | View from property

Double Room, Ensuite (Dbl)

7.8 out of 10
Good
(10 reviews)

Highlights

Separate bedroom
Hair dryer
Coffee/tea maker
Digital channels
Daily housekeeping
Desk
Iron/ironing board
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Double Room, Ensuite (DblL_Eesbath)

Double Room, Ensuite (DblL_Eesbath) | View from property

Double Room, Ensuite (DblL_Eesbath)

7.0 out of 10
Good
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Separate bedroom
Hair dryer
Coffee/tea maker
Digital channels
Daily housekeeping
Desk
Iron/ironing board
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Superior Double Room, Ensuite (Sup)

Superior Double Room, Ensuite (Sup) | View from property

Superior Double Room, Ensuite (Sup)

Highlights

Separate bedroom
Hair dryer
Coffee/tea maker
Digital channels
Daily housekeeping
Desk
Iron/ironing board
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Double Room, Ensuite (King)

Double Room, Ensuite (King) | View from property

Double Room, Ensuite (King)

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Separate bedroom
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
Coffee/tea maker
Digital channels
Daily housekeeping
Desk
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Superior Double Room, Ensuite (King_Sup)

Superior Double Room, Ensuite (King_Sup) | View from property

Superior Double Room, Ensuite (King_Sup)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Separate bedroom
Hair dryer
Coffee/tea maker
Digital channels
Daily housekeeping
Desk
Iron/ironing board
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

About the neighborhood

Map
32 High Street, Saffron Walden, England, CB10 1AX

What's nearby

  • Market Square - 1 min walk - 0.1 miles
  • The Common - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Bridge End Gardens - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Fry Art Gallery - 3 min walk - 0.2 miles
  • Audley End House - 2 min drive - 1.5 miles

Getting around

  • Elsenham Station - 13 min drive
  • Stansted Airport (STN) - 36 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Temeraire - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪the Railway Arms - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪The Curious Goat - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Waffle and Coffee - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪The Cross Keys Hotel - ‬1 min walk

About this property

The Cross Keys

Property highlights
You can look forward to free breakfast, a bar, and a restaurant at The Cross Keys. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas.
Other perks at this inn include:
  • An outdoor tennis court and smoke-free premises

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Limited onsite parking

Food and drink

  • Free breakfast available
  • A bar/lounge
  • A restaurant

Things to do

  • Outdoor tennis court

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Accessibility

  • No elevator

More

  • Smoking not allowed

Policies

Check-in

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 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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The Cross Keys Reviews

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 98 out of 173 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 51 out of 173 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 12 out of 173 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 5 out of 173 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 7 out of 173 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Krystyna

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Room was spacious and clean. Staff in the pub were lovely and very welcoming. A great place to stay. Would highly recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Keith

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

8/10 Good

STACEY

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great place to stay

We loved Saffron Walden, the hotel location and staff. We will definitely return.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

ROBERT

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

1 night away in Saffron Waldren

Great 1 nighter Very quirky pub hotel with bags of character
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

A fabulous place to stay

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.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nigel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Terry

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A fantastic property in the heart of Saffron Walden with bags of charactrr and friendly staff.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

8/10 Good

Kerry

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice and comfortable
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Extremely nice hotel with a lot of character. One of our top hotels in our 30 trip to England
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Very good all round

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.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Karen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Perfect Stay in a Beautiful Town

Fabulous stay , friendly staff , nothing was too much trouble. Food was beautiful at reasonable prices. Room was warm and very comfortable bed. Facilities good , the only thing that would improve is maybe a little redecoration , not to take the originality out of this historic building but just to freshen up a bit and a mirror on the wall under the television for ease when styling hair etc whilst sat at the desk. This would not stop us staying again though - perfect stay
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Philip

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Does the job. Beds are nice. A little dated buts it’s not an issue.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Penny

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
I wish
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Loraine

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?
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff very friendly and helpful; clean and quiet and very good breakfast. Beautiful town with plenty to do.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Amylouise

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Amazing Will be back again soon
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Antony

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great pub atmosphere

Great little place to stay with a lovely pub atmosphere. Food and drink were bith excellent, as well as the breakfast, and the staff very friendly.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Excellent character and restaurant
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Jacqueline

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
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.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Alan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Nice hotel/inn with comfortable rooms

A lovely hotel/inn with quite small but very comfortable rooms. Service was a little slow, particularly at breakfast, but was delivered with a smile.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kenneth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great find, would highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karmel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Highly recommended

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.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Old style pub with rooms

Old style pub with rooms.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

Edward

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very old building, in keeping with the town itself. Friendly, efficient staff, nice room and cooked breakfast. Very easy to find, on main through road. Cheap parking nearby.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

6/10 Okay

David

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.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025
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