Curio – A Collection by Hilton Checks into the Gateway City

By Adriana Pop

St. Louis—St. Louis Union Station, one of the city’s landmarks, is now home to the latest addition from Curio – A Collection by Hilton. This is the collection’s first hotel in St. Louis.

St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton

The refurbished St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton at 1820 Market St., offers 539 guestrooms and suites, some of which were designed and furnished with a railroad theme.

Built in Indiana limestone and reminiscent of a French Castle, Union Station was once the largest and most ornate railway terminal in the United States. The facility, now a National Historic Landmark, opened in 1894 and closed in 1978 when Amtrak relocated. At its height, the station combined the St Louis passenger services of 22 railroads, the most of any single terminal in the world.

Lodging Hospitality Management purchased the property in 2012 for $20 million and invested more than $40 million into the station’s hotel, meeting rooms and vaulted Grand Hall, which features an award-winning 3-D projection mapping light show and a 65-foot-long bar.

Other attractions at Union Station include a seasonal outdoor swimming pool and surrounding courtyard, 24-hour fitness center, and easy access to a variety of nearby restaurants, galleries and nightclubs such as the Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium and Peabody Opera House. What’s more, the 2016 winter holiday season will bring more family-friendly activities and experiences, such as the Santa Express Train Ride.

“Across the Curio collection, we take pride in offering guests unique hotel experiences that exude local flavor, so we welcome the landmark St. Louis Union Station Hotel to Curio,” Mark Nogal, global head, Curio – A Collection by Hilton, said. “With its luminescent Grand Hall and eclectic amenities, this iconic property allows guests to discover all St. Louis has to offer and enriches our growing global brand.”

Earlier this summer, the company announced plans for the development of a $45 million aquarium at Union Station, which is set to include one of the largest collections of sharks in the Midwest. The 75,000-square-foot St. Louis Aquarium is scheduled to open in 2018.

“St. Louis Union Station perfectly blends sophisticated historical features with modern conveniences and family-friendly activities, for a hotel experience unlike any other,” added Steve O’Loughlin, president & COO, Lodging Hospitality Management,  which is the property owner. “We are delighted to join the Curio collection of hand-picked upscale and luxury hotels that blend authenticity with Hilton’s global reputation and award-winning services.”

Image courtesy of St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton