Europe’s former railway stations have turn out to be the darling of the posh hotel scene

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Prior to now yr, I’ve lost count of the variety of friends who’ve regaled me with stories about stays in former train stations which were lovingly converted into hotels or self-catering holiday homes.

I used to be initially confused – my perfect hotel actually didn’t involve bedding down near rusting train tracks or in offices once utilized by train conductors, regardless of how progressive the transformation of the railway station in query may be.

But as a fan of each railway travel and lovely hotels, I couldn’t help but delve somewhat deeper. Jaunts on luxurious sleeper trains often include eye-watering price tags in any case, so an evening in a former train station, especially one full of reminders of its past, appeared like the potential next neatest thing.

And, dear reader, I struck gold. So, without further ado, listed here are my top recommendations for hotels in former railway stations, starting from five-star retreats that allow guests to sleep in former (very swanky) conductors’ offices to boutique hotels where you possibly can toast your love of trains on former station platforms.

The perfect bit? You possibly can drift off to the land of nod without worrying about missing a spectacular view – or, much worse, your stop.

Spain’s Canfranc Estación was opened by a former French president

This Pyrenees hotel, near the French border, is a lovingly preserved explosion of art deco fabulousness, with vast expanses of gold leaf and a backdrop of snowcapped mountains.

Canfranc Estación opened as a train station in 1928 when Gaston Doumergue, the previous president of France, cut the silk ribbon at its entrance. The railway was built to attach Spain with France, and the buildings that inspired its architecture include Paris’s Musée d’Orsay.

Essentially the most spectacular hotel areas are the spa, with its sculpture-like chandeliers and teal-hued ceramic tiles, and the Canfranc Express, a Michelin-starred restaurant tucked inside a former railway carriage. Don’t leave without trying the fragrant Aragonese cheese board!

A station hotel that housed servicemen in the course of the Second World War

Full disclosure: The Clermont London is one in every of the UK’s oldest still-functioning railway hotels, with a history spanning 150 years – but I feel its wealthy history justifies its inclusion.

The hotel residence is housed in the identical constructing as London’s historic Charing Cross train station. Actually, the bedrooms are positioned directly above it.

Reminders of its fascinating heritage include some exhibits on the primary floor, where visitors can take a look at handwritten letters from former guests, including US servicemen who stayed here in the course of the Second World War.

“The grand staircase within the lobby is such a showstopper,” says former guest Penny Broomfield. “I like how the owners have managed to preserve the unique features, reminiscent of the gold leaf, from when the hotel first opened.”

Dine on a disused railway platform within the Isle of Wight

Years ago, Whitwell Station Holiday Homes was a railway station on the Isle of Wight’s Newport, Godshill & St Lawrence Railway line.

Now, it’s been transformed into two gorgeous self-catering holiday cottages that incorporate the previous ticket office, porter’s office, and the women’ waiting room.

“I loved seeing the memorabilia,” says Simon Clark, who stayed at Whitwell recently. “For a railway fan like me, seeing the old station clock on the wall, the antique lamp hanging within the corner, and the railway truck plaques added to the fun.”

Guests are also free to enjoy gorgeous views over the island’s southern downs.

I suggest choosing Primrose Cottage, as you’ll give you the chance to sip sundowners on what was once the platform – all within the shadow of Whitwell’s original station sign.

Slumber in Britain’s beautifully restored nineteenth-century carriages

Stay at The Old Station, and also you’ll get to go to sleep in a vintage Pullman carriage outside what was once the grandest station on the Mid Sussex Railway Company.

Inaugurated in 1859 and closed within the Fifties, this former train station-turned-cosy hotel is just a brief walk from the attractive market town of Petworth in West Sussex. There are 10 rooms in total, including the sought-after King Pullman Carriage rooms, full of faded photos from the station’s heyday.

“Our latest addition, Pullman Princess Ena, is my favourite a part of the hotel,” says owner Jennie Hudson, referring to the vintage carriage that’s now the restaurant. “We spent three years restoring her, and he or she’s one in every of the last three Pullman carriages transported to the UK from America in 1906.”

A French boutique hotel for railway buffs and beach lovers alike

One other property inside a former rural train station (on this case dating back to 1870) is Hotel Estelou in Sommières, France. This lemon-yellow boutique hotel has 24 rooms surrounded by a wonderful Mediterranean garden.

Despite being within the centre of the gorgeous town of Sommières in France, it’s a splendidly tranquil base and excellent for families keen to examine out the gorgeous beaches between Montpellier and Nîmes.

I like to recommend one in every of the hotel’s ‘cosy suites’, which overlook the property’s gardens.

Party in a Pullman carriage near the Jurassic Coast

Say hello to what might just be one in every of England’s quaintest inns. The Avon Causeway Inn is a Dorset gem that dates back to the 1800s and was once the Hurn railway station.

Stay here, and also you’ll discover countless reminders of its past, together with a wonderful beer garden. Don’t pass up the possibility to try one in every of the ales from the award-winning brewery Butcombe! And when you’re planning an event, you possibly can consider booking the restored Pullman train carriage next to the hotel.

“I like the proven fact that it’s so near the amazing Jurassic Coast but in addition that it still feels very very similar to an old railway station,” says former guest Neil Whitehead. “The Pullman carriage is gorgeous – it can transport you straight back to the elegance of the Nineteen Twenties.”

England’s Alton Station is packed to the brim with original features

Craving a more intimate getaway? Consider this beautiful four-bedroom self-catering property, a former train station in a leafy Churnet Valley, Staffordshire.

There’s an abundance of original features. My favourite spaces include the attractive kitchen that’s tucked inside what was once the women’ waiting room, and the library, which is positioned in the previous station master’s house.

“Our conservation work included preservation of the unique Minton geometric floor tiles,” says Fiona Bullock, property manager on the Landmark Trust. “A team of specialists surveyed, repaired and – only as mandatory – replaced tiles throughout the waiting room. The substitute tiles were manufactured in what’s prone to be the identical factory that produced the unique ones from the 1800s.”

Want to travel further afield and get the identical train stay vibes?

Within the late 1800s and early 1900s, railways played a vital role in connecting the broader world, so it’s hardly surprising that there’s no shortage of lovely hotels in former railways beyond Europe, too.

Why not hover over Kruger National Park in South Africa?

Trust us – all safari lodges will seem fairly plain after a stay at Kruger Shalati, where the luxurious rooms are beautifully restored train carriages perched on a historic railway bridge high above Kruger National Park. Within the early 1900s, that is where trains would pause overnight before entering the park. Be certain that you squeeze in a dip within the hotel’s pool, which you’ll find within the centre of the bridge.

“The ground-to-ceiling glass windows within the train carriage rooms permit you to feel completely immersed within the natural environment while still having fun with five-star comfort,” says former guest Adele Cutler. “Staying here gave me an actual feeling of nostalgia for the heyday of rail travel – albeit with a splendidly contemporary tackle Nineteen Twenties glamour.”

Meet me in St. Louis – in one in every of the USA’s national historic landmarks

St. Louis’s Union Station in Missouri first flung open its doors in 1894, but it surely’s now the house of St. Louis Union Station Hotel. Its most spectacular architectural features include the Grand Hall, with a design inspired by France’s medieval castles, and comes with vast expanses of gold leafing, stained glass, and Indiana limestone.

By the Nineteen Sixties, the station had fallen into disrepair, although salvation got here in 1985 when design firm HOK spent €143 million transforming the positioning into one in every of America’s most luxurious hotels.

“One among my personal highlights is the mesmerising 3D lights show, which takes place within the Grand Hall, designed to mix the station’s magnificent past with the longer term,” says general manager Tim Cooper. “I also love the stained glass next to the important staircase – it’s truly a sight to behold.”

Fancy a high-altitude station hotel? Head to Colorado, USA

Crawford Hotel Denver lies in town’s old Beaux-Arts Union Station. The arrival of the Transcontinental Railway within the 1800s called for a much bigger, more beautiful railway hub, which was unveiled in 1914.

100 years later, the station became a public space that included Denver’s most luxurious hotel, perched atop the constructing. An intensive renovation last yr has still retained reminders of the constructing’s past. You’ll find vintage trunks changed into coffee tables and framed train tickets from the early 1900s, although my favourite perk is the complimentary tipple you possibly can enjoy on the Terminal Bar, once the station’s ticket booth.

Rock out in a former baggage room in Nova Scotia, Canada

Fancy sleeping in restored boxcar carriages outside a rural Nineteenth-century train station? Head on over to the quaint Train Station Inn in Nova Scotia, which is an awesome base for ramblers wishing to walk along the previous railway route, now the favored Trans Canada Trail mountain climbing and cycling route.

By way of which carriage to decide on, I like to recommend Jimmie, which sleeps three people and has a comfortable loft space perfect for teenagers. Don’t forget to examine out the inn’s café within the important train station, and the Baggage Room Bar for live music.

One other fun fact: this inn doesn’t just appear like the previous train station but in addition smells prefer it, too.

“It truly seems like you’re in a railway yard – we’ve used creosote sleepers, in order you’re walking down the platform, you get a whiff of that railway smell,” says general manager Ryan Duggan.

Look as much as the Roman god of travellers in Tennessee’s luxury train hotel, USA

The Union Station Nashville Yards was once Tennessee’s important railway hub – but is now one in every of town’s most luxurious hotels. It’s full of original features, including a spectacular 65-foot barrel-vaulted stained-glass ceiling, marble floors and limestone fireplaces.

Attempt to bag the Conductor’s Suite, with its original ornate pillars and views of what was once the station’s grand hall.

For general manager Esther White, the pièce de résistance is the feature found on the hotel’s exterior. “I like the 17-foot statue of Mercury which crowns our clocktower,” she says. “Mercury is the Roman God of travellers, and it’s a nod to each the wealthy history of this former train station and the legacy of those that once passed through this station.”