When we say you can sleep inside a train station, we don’t mean curled up on a bench, freezing and surrounded by drunk revellers because you’ve missed the last train home.
What we actually mean, is you can have the luxury hotel experience but inside a former station, with decades of history within its walls.
From London to Japan, abandoned railway stations across the globe have had fresh life breathed into them as they’ve been transformed into opulent, unique hotels.
While their original charm and architectural grandeur have been preserved, they’ve been eased into the 21st century thanks to the addition of modern-day amenities.
This offers guests the best of both worlds: a getaway lost in a time before TikTok could capture the beauty of these buildings and share them with millions, but also a luxury stay where contemporary comforts aren’t compromised.
We’re rounding up some of our favourite railway station revamps—all aboard! It’s time to get booking.
The Clermont
Where? Charing Cross, London
Room rates starting price: £269.10
Situated just steps away from central London with easy access to the capital’s top attractions, The Clermont is almost a time capsule within a bustling city.
While its rooms now boast free Wi-Fi and coffee machines, it originally opened as Charing Cross railway station in 1864.
In the 1800s, the hotel’s grand buildings served as status symbols for the wealthy as guests travelled far and wide into the Big Smoke.
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Its name deriving from the original heart of London, the hotel first opened on May 15, 1865, with most rooms with balconies overlooking the main station concourse.
Prices have increased considerably since then, as you’d expect, as servants were once offered accommodating rooms for just 2p per night.
But despite the makeovers it’s had in 160+ years, The Clermont has maintained its authenticity.
Clearly proud of its heritage, the hotel includes exhibits where visitors can read handwritten letters from former guests, including those who stayed there during WWII.
Whitwell Station Holiday Homes
Where? Isle of Wight
Room rates starting price: £396 (3 nights min)
If you’re looking to escape the city for a more rural retreat, Whitwell Station Holiday Homes could be just the ticket.
With two inviting cottages on offer, these holiday homes allow for independence with self-catering while still ensuring total serenity and comfort.
The Newport, Godshill and St Lawrence railway station first opened in 1897, its line weaving through the south of the island through to the coastline with captivating sea views.
Gradually, passenger numbers decreased, and keeping the station open created financial hardship, resulting in its eventual closure in 1952, when the last-ever trip was made.
Fast-forward to now, and the station master’s office, ticket hall, and waiting room have become Primrose Cottage. Meanwhile, the ladies’ waiting room and parcel office have become Bluebell Cottage.
Guests can still admire the building’s heritage by sitting underneath the station canopy, which offers especially spectacular views as the sun sets.
Hotel Estelou
Where? Sommières, France.
Room rates starting price: £70
Located in a historical district and just 0.6miles from the Castle of Sommières, Hotel Estelou also dates back to the 1800s.
The French boutique-style establishment, which first opened in 1870, has replaced the rails with a ‘green route,’ allowing for walking and cycling.
In what guests have hailed as a ‘top-quality restoration,’ the former rural train station has been painted lemon yellow and divided into 24 rooms surrounded by terraces, an outdoor swimming pool, and a bar.
Book a cosy suite overlooking the Mediterranean garden for a dose of tranquillity, or venture out in the daytime to nearby attractions.
Roc de Massereau Adventure Park is just a 12-minute walk away, while Château de Villevieille is a three-minute drive.
St Louis Union Station Hotel
Where? Missouri, United States
Room rates starting price: £196
Across the pond, St Louis Union Station Hotel came to fruition after the station ceased operating as an active train terminal in 1978.
In fact, the final passenger train departed on October 31, 1978, at 11:38pm, to be exact. The station then remained dormant for a while.
The building reopened in 1985, welcoming guests from all over into its doors and becoming the largest adaptive reuse project in the United States of America.
In 2007, the hotel was given another modern refresh, ensuring its history was not erased but that 21st-century travellers didn’t want for anything, whether it be access to a fitness centre or an on-site restaurant.
If you’ve ever stayed at a Hilton, you’ll likely be familiar with this hotel collection, which dates back to the early 1900s and grosses billions annually.
The Crawford
Where? Denver, Colorado
Room rates starting price: £238
The Crawford Hotel proudly offers guests a chance to ‘step back in time to the golden age of railway travel’.
Its sophisticated and spacious interior had a vintage-inspired makeover in one of the most expensive renovations of former railways in the States.
Originally, the structure was built in 1881 in the wake of the Colorado Gold Rush. It was then remodelled twice: firstly in Dana Crawford’s £30million revamp in 2014, followed by another £8.6million revitalisation in July 2024.
Now, it ensures guests feel connected to the Denver station’s history while still indulging in modern-day dining, entertainment, and shopping, having enticed both tourists and locals back for a stay in the city centre.
The vast multi-storey structure offers space for creatives to do their thing on laptops while getting a caffeine fix from a coffee shop, or foodies the luxury of tucking into top nosh at an acclaimed restaurant.
One of its stand-out features is said to be the Cooper Lounge which, located on the second floor, has a birds-eye view of the extravagant 1900s glass chandeliers.
Canfranc Estación, a Royal Hideaway Hotel
Where? Huesca, Spain
Room rates starting price: £168
A once abandoned railway, Canfranc Station is now a five-star hideaway.
Its opening was celebrated with an inauguration ceremony in 1928, attended by both the King of Spain and the President of the French Republic, as its location is not far from the French border.
The station played an active role in WWII, bearing witness to moments of hope and victory, but also arrests, espionage, and gold trafficking. The latter was a rumour for a long time, but it was officially confirmed in 2000 that the Nazis did indeed traffic gold through Canfranc Station.
Before the Nazis took over the Canfranc municipality, the station helped bring persecuted Jews to safety as they fled from Europe. From 1940 to 1942, it’s said thousands of Jews escaped via the railway to Lisbon and the United States.
By 1970, however, doors had closed, and it remained inactive until work began to revive it.
The Barcelo Hotel Group salvaged the station from neglect and spent years on renovations, with Canfranc Station first inviting guests not so long ago in January 2023.
It was a welcome transformation, according to the mayor, who said locals greeted it ‘with enthusiasm,’ with railway and history fanatics now able to add somewhere new to their bucket lists.
As expected, the former station is unrecognisable these days, but its DNA is still woven through the structure, highlighting its legacy and key role in major historical events.
Oozing with character, the hotel has tasteful decor and modern interiors, with facilities including a pool, bars, and restaurants.
The Tokyo Station Hotel
Where? Tokyo, Japan
Room rates starting price: £589
Tokyo Station Hotel has a deep heritage within its iconic red bricks.
The hotel first opened in 1915, just one year after the opening of Tokyo Station, and featured 56 rooms.
In 1923, when the Great Kanto Earthquake struck, it provided shelter for many people affected by the disaster. Then, at the end of WWII, business resumed.
However, the hotel failed to fully recover financially from both the hits of the earthquake and the war, meaning it was considered more of a coffee bar.
In 2003, a grand renovation was undertaken, and reconstruction started in 2006. On October 3, 2012, the hotel reopened with a new lease of life.
Famous writers and public figures from around the world have stayed there for years since, spoiling themselves in luxury guestrooms.
Proudly designated an Important Culture Property of Japan, the central hotel overlooks the Imperial Palace and is directly connected to the JR Tokyo Station Marunouchi, ensuring it is still convenient for travelling throughout the country.
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