DENVER, Colorado—Denver Union Station and The Crawford Hotel recently completed a refresh, including updates to the Great Hall and each of the hotel’s 112 guestrooms.
Originally opened in 1881, the Denver Union Station first reopened in July 2014 after a $54 million renovation that included the creation of The Crawford Hotel, which is named for urban preservationist and Union Station Alliance member Dana Crawford. The current renovation was led by Sage Studio, the in-house strategy and creative team at Sage Hospitality Group. Sage Studio partnered with global integrated design firm DLR Group, which specializes in adaptive reuse, for the redesign of the Crawford guestrooms. New York’s Goodrich reimagined and redesigned all public spaces, including the Great Hall and Cooper Lounge.
The Great Hall has been reconfigured to make the large space feel more organic, with curved lines that reflect the arches, plantings, and lighting designed by Goodrich. Banquettes, sofas, and furniture, created for the interiors, as well as custom carpets, create warmth and softness in the space. Denver’s Magik Studios hand-painted six large panels at the perimeter, each depicting a Colorado landscape. The Cooper Lounge has been refreshed with new furniture and lighting and now features banquette seating.
The Crawford Hotel has updated the guest arrival experience with the creation of a new lobby called The Parlour, which is separate from the Great Hall with private elevator access to the guest floors. The space has an upholstered reception desk and a fabric chandelier, along with new and vintage furnishings and artwork. The Crawford Parlour hosts a schedule of daily lobby programming, including live local music and welcome cocktails.
The Crawford’s room refresh was designed to embrace the architecture of Denver Union Station. Each guestroom has custom-made furniture and window treatments in jewel tones of emerald green, deep rose, cobalt blue, and burnt orange, with a mix of locally sourced art and floral ceiling coverings. Arched doorways were added to honor the Mizpah Arch that welcomed guests to Denver Union Station in the early 1900s. The guest beds are anchored by scalloped headboards with pearl-inspired sconces. Amenities include an in-room Cooper Lounge cocktail experience and Grown Alchemist bath products.
Technology upgrades include the addition of Loftie alarm clocks. The Crawford has partnered with Loftie to be the first hotel to share custom content with guests. Both adult and children’s bedtime stories will be available with each version celebrating Dana Crawford’s life and her legacy as a woman leader for downtown Denver.
Denver Union Station is owned by the Union Station Alliance, which is made up of Sage Hospitality, McWhinney, City Street Investors, Belz Associates, Larimer Associates, and Urban Neighborhoods.
Denver Union Station is home to several local shops and restaurants including Ultreia, created by Chef Jennifer Jasinski, and the Mercantile Dining & Provision created by Chef Alex Seidel. New food concepts now open in the Great Hall include Press, which serves made-to-order Latin-inspired tortas and tacos. Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, moved to a larger space inside Denver Union Station this fall. A new dessert bar and a café by Olive & Finch will open inside the transit hub in early 2025.
“We like to say that you can’t build history. Denver Union Station is the heart of downtown Denver and we are dedicated to its preservation,” said Denver Union Station Area General Manager Ed Blair. “We want to offer an elevated experience for all guests—from the commuter grabbing a coffee on their way to work to the overnight guest staying at The Crawford Hotel.”
