Union Station / LoDo

The Crawford Hotel

★★★★★

The Crawford Hotel is the most Denver place to sleep. It occupies the upper floors of Denver Union Station, the 1914 Beaux-Arts landmark reimagined in 2014, and its rooms line the station's Great Hall and look out over LoDo and the train hall. The hotel takes its design cues from the golden age of train travel, and its room categories make that literal: the Pullman rooms are inspired by sleeper railcars, with rich wood and compact, clever layouts, while the larger rooms and LoDo suites mix art deco furnishings, scalloped headboards and high ceilings with modern comforts. The real amenity, though, is the building itself. Step out of the elevator and you are in the Great Hall, Denver's favorite indoor public square, with its long tables, shuffleboard and buzz from morning coffee to late-night cocktails; guests get priority seating at Snooze, the breakfast spot downstairs, and room service draws on the station's restaurants, including the Terminal Bar and the kitchen behind Mercantile Dining, led by chef Alex Seidel. The location could not be better for a first visit: the A Line train to the airport departs from the platforms behind the hotel, Larimer Square and Coors Field are minutes away on foot, and RiNo and Meow Wolf are a short ride. A nightly destination amenity fee covers perks including a welcome cocktail, Wi-Fi, an in-room Nespresso maker, gym access at a nearby club and a courtesy car within two miles. The hotel is pet-friendly, and valet parking is available at a steep downtown rate.

The hotel is named for Dana Crawford, the preservationist and developer credited with saving Larimer Square and kick-starting the revival of LoDo, and it carries her mission into the station she helped champion. The 2014 redevelopment kept the station's grand public spaces open to everyone while turning the upper floors into hotel rooms, a rare and successful mix of civic space and private hospitality. The result is a hotel where you can sit in a historic waiting room with a cocktail, watch commuters stream to the trains, and then take the elevator to bed.

Choosing a room matters. Pullman rooms are the most atmospheric and compact, ideal for solo travelers or couples who want the railway romance; classic rooms are larger, with views into the Great Hall or out across the city; and the loft-style rooms and suites suit longer stays and families. Rooms facing the Great Hall can catch some noise when the station is lively, so light sleepers should ask for an outward-facing room. Service is personal and knowledgeable about the city, and the hotel's courtesy car is handy for dinners in the Highlands or Golden Triangle.

As a base, the Crawford is hard to beat for first-time visitors and short stays. Arriving by the A Line from the airport means stepping off the train and into the lobby; LoDo's restaurants, Larimer Square and Coors Field are all walkable; and the free MallRide connects you to the Capitol and museums. Rates sit in the upper tier and the amenity fee adds up, so book directly with an eye on packages. For a Denver trip that centers on the city itself rather than the mountains, this is our top pick.