Denver Union Station and the Crawford Hotel

Denver Union Station is the main railway station and central transportation hub in Denver, Colorado. It is located at 17th and Wynkoop Streets in the present-day Lower Downtown (LoDo) district and includes the historic terminal building, a train shed, a 22-gate underground bus facility, and light rail station,

The station was first opened on the site on June 1, 1881, but burnt down in an electrical fire in 1894. The current structure was erected in two stages, with an enlarged central portion completed in 1914. In 2012, the station underwent a major renovation transforming it into the centerpiece of a new transit-oriented mixed-use development built on the site's former railyards.  

Please click on photo collage to enlarge

During World War II eighty trains passed through Union Station daily, but by the 1980s train travel had decreased and there were only two trains passing through daily.  Now, Union Station is also the transportation hub for The Mile High City, offering access to RTD's front-range bus route, the free 16th Street Mall shuttle, the free Downtown Denver Circulator, the FasTracks light rail line, and Amtrak trains.  Rail Service is available between Union Station and Denver International Airport (DEN) with six stops in between. It takes about 37 minutes to get from the airport to downtown at a cost of $10.50 each way (with discounts available).

In 2012, the station underwent a 54 million major renovation transforming it into the centerpiece of a new transit-oriented mixed-use development built on the site's former railyards. The station house reopened in the summer of 2014, hosting the 112-room Crawford Hotel, several restaurants and retailers, and a train hall.

The main Great Hall is very impressive in its romanesque revival style.

It is filled with comfortable couches, benches, tables, and chairs for train travelers.  A florist, bar area, many retail shops, and eateries and fine restaurants.  It is a destination for many locals as well as travelers and is affectionately referred to as "Denver's Living Room."

Also, inside the center of Union Station's Great Hall is The Shuffleboard Platform. The Platform holds two beautiful handcrafted “Fritzi” Shuffleboards that may be rented individually for small groups up to 30 or in addition to a larger event taking place in the Great Hall.

Some of the many beautiful architectural details inside Denver Union Station

The Crawford Hotel's main desk is located within the Great Hall.  The hotel offers tours of Union Station on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 1 p.m. and most other days at 4 p.m. Tours are $20 per person and a portion of the proceeds benefit The Crawford’s Dollars For Dreams non-profit partners. Tours last one hour and showcase Union Station’s history, art, transportation, restaurants, retail space, and The Crawford Hotel’s luxury guest rooms. Each tour is followed by a complimentary Union Station Kolsch, house red or white wine, or non-alcoholic beverage at the Terminal Bar.

We took the tour last fall and enjoyed a glimpse into many of the different beautifully styled style hotel rooms.

We saw original framed blueprints for Union Station on one staircase, and an interesting framed collection of vintage artifacts found in the original Great Hall's waiting benches. Click on the photo collage to enlarge it to see more detail.

Situated in the mezzanine of Denver Union Station, the Cooper Lounge offers inspiring views of vibrant downtown Denver as seen through soaring 28 foot high cast-iron windows on one side, and the panorama of the Great Hall on the other. The Cooper Lounge provides an elegant, intimate setting for cocktails and a bite to eat and is open to the public although reservations are strongly advised.

I enjoyed seeing all the wonderful and fun "Art Deco" style details of Cooper Lounge.

The lower level of Denver Union Station features 4,300 square feet of conference and function space. There are four well-appointed meeting rooms and a unique event venue set in the foundation of the historic building featuring beautiful exposed original stone.

Our tour guide also showed us the Webb Gallery which has a rustic, 20s-era feel with custom artwork created just for Denver Union Station. This private space offers a built-in bar, granite top sideboard, and two 80” HD monitors. The space is ideal for private events for up to 100 guests seated; cocktail parties and reception style events up to 150 guests.

The black and white vintage photos of Union Station in the gallery were fascinating.

Union Station is lite and decorated for the seasons and is a delight to visit any time of the year.  

My husband and I are looking forward to taking an Amtrak ride west from Union Station to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, to enjoy the views over the Rocky Mountains. It is something we look forward to doing when life gets back to normal after this Novel Coronavirus pandemic--hopefully not too far in the future. In the meantime, we are staying safe at home. Stay healthy everyone!

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