In the guest rooms located upstairs in Union Station’s old attic and offices, designers with DLR Group and Sage Studio added new jewel-toned decor meant to evoke the golden era of train travel, including scalloped headboards, vintage-inspired sconces, heavy drapes, and eclectic, locally sourced art. Bold, floral wallpaper now covers the ceilings, and newly built arched doorways pay homage to the “Mitzpah Arch” that stood in front of the station from 1906 to 1931. But, by far, my favorite new addition to the guest rooms are the Loftie alarm clocks, which are pre-loaded with bedtime stories about Dana Crawford, the trailblazing preservationist who helped save Union Station, whom the hotel is named after.
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Another major change was the addition of the Crawford Parlour, a dedicated lobby offering private elevator access to the guest floors. Prior to the renovation, travelers checked into the hotel while standing in the lively Great Hall. Now, they enter a quiet, separate space with plush seating, welcome cocktails at the ready, and a large painting that incorporates a black-and-white photograph of Dana Crawford. The new lobby also makes it possible for The Crawford to host private experiences, like caviar and oyster tastings, as well as live musical performances. (After checking in for my stay a few weeks ago, I sipped a glass of sparkling wine to the tunes of an elegant harpist.)
In the Great Hall, designers added new furniture and light fixtures, improved the flow, and added features to make the space more conducive to private events—like hip-high metal gates that can be extended to close off seating pods. They also preserved many architectural details, like the circa-1914 terrazzo flooring, the 2,300 plaster columbines decorating the surrounding arches, and the gold sconces (which they retrofitted to accommodate LED bulbs).
The Cooper Lounge, a sultry cocktail bar perched above the Great Hall on the open-air, second-floor mezzanine, has also updated its decor and furnishings. The bar’s food and drink menu got an overhaul, too, and now features dishes like short rib hummus, duck croquettes, and mushroom ravioli. My favorite cocktail from the new menu was the Smoke and Spades, a zippy drink made with Japanese whiskey, lapsang souchong tea, lemon, ginger, honey, and soda.
