Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic
\n Fancy sleeping in a Pullman carriage or a former ticket office? Hop on board Europe\u2019s luxurious train hotels.
\n ADVERTISEMENTIn the past year, I\u2019ve lost count of the number of friends who\u2019ve regaled me with stories about stays in former train stations that have been lovingly converted into hotels or self-catering holiday homes. I was initially confused \u2013 my perfect hotel certainly didn\u2019t involve bedding down near rusting train tracks or in offices once used by train conductors, no matter how innovative the transformation of the railway station in question might be.But as a fan of both railway travel and gorgeous hotels, I couldn\u2019t help but delve a little deeper. Jaunts on luxurious sleeper trains often come with eye-watering price tags after all, so a night in a former train station, especially one filled with reminders of its past, seemed like the potential next best thing. And, dear reader, I struck gold. So, without further ado, here are my top recommendations for hotels in former railway stations, ranging from five-star retreats that allow guests to sleep in former (very swanky) conductors\u2019 offices to boutique hotels where you can toast your love of trains on former station platforms. The best bit? You can drift off to the land of nod without worrying about missing a spectacular view \u2013 or, much worse, your stop. Spain\u2019s Canfranc Estaci\u00f3n was opened by a former French presidentThis Pyrenees hotel, close to 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 Estaci\u00f3n opened as a train station in 1928 when Gaston Doumergue, the former president of France, cut the silk ribbon at its entrance. The railway was built to connect Spain with France, and the buildings that inspired its architecture include Paris\u2019s Mus\u00e9e d’Orsay. 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\u2019t leave without trying the fragrant Aragonese cheese board!A station hotel that housed servicemen during the Second World WarFull disclosure: The Clermont London is one of the UK\u2019s oldest still-functioning railway hotels, with a history spanning 150 years \u2013 but I feel its rich history justifies its inclusion. The hotel residence is housed in the same building as London\u2019s historic Charing Cross train station. In fact, the bedrooms are located directly above it. Reminders of its fascinating heritage include some exhibits on the first floor, where visitors can check out handwritten letters from former guests, including US servicemen who stayed here during the Second World War. \u201cThe grand staircase in the lobby is such a showstopper,\u201d says former guest Penny Broomfield. \u201cI love how the owners have managed to preserve the original features, such as the gold leaf, from when the hotel first opened.\u201dDine on a disused railway platform in the Isle of WightYears ago, Whitwell Station Holiday Homes was a railway station on the Isle of Wight\u2019s Newport, Godshill & St Lawrence Railway line. Now, it\u2019s been transformed into two gorgeous self-catering holiday cottages that incorporate the former ticket office, porter\u2019s office, and the ladies\u2019 waiting room. \u201cI loved seeing the memorabilia,\u201d says Simon Clark, who stayed at Whitwell recently. \u201cFor a railway fan like me, seeing the old station clock on the wall, the antique lamp hanging in the corner, and the railway truck plaques added to the fun.\u201d ADVERTISEMENTGuests are also free to enjoy gorgeous views over the island\u2019s southern downs.I suggest opting for Primrose Cottage, as you\u2019ll be able to sip sundowners on what was once the platform \u2013 all in the shadow of Whitwell\u2019s original station sign.Slumber in Britain\u2019s beautifully restored nineteenth-century carriagesStay at The Old Station, and you\u2019ll get to doze off in a vintage Pullman carriage outside what was once the grandest station on the Mid Sussex Railway Company. Inaugurated in 1859 and closed in the 1950s, this former train station-turned-cosy hotel is just a short walk from the beautiful market town of Petworth in West Sussex. There are 10 rooms in total, including the sought-after King Pullman Carriage rooms, filled with faded photos from the station\u2019s heyday. ADVERTISEMENT\u201cOur latest addition, Pullman Princess Ena, is my favourite part of the hotel,\u201d says owner Jennie Hudson, referring to the vintage carriage that is now the restaurant. \u201cWe spent three years restoring her, and she\u2019s one of the last three Pullman carriages transported to the UK from America in 1906.\u201dA French boutique hotel for railway buffs and beach lovers alikeAnother property inside a former rural train station (in this case dating back to 1870) is Hotel Estelou in Sommi\u00e8res, France. This lemon-yellow boutique hotel has 24 rooms surrounded by a beautiful Mediterranean garden. Despite being in the centre of the pretty town of Sommi\u00e8res in France, it\u2019s a wonderfully tranquil base and perfect for families keen to check out the gorgeous beaches between Montpellier and N\u00eemes. I recommend one of the hotel\u2019s \u2018cosy suites\u2019, which overlook the property\u2019s gardens.ADVERTISEMENTParty in a Pullman carriage near the Jurassic CoastSay hello to what might just be one of England\u2019s 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 you\u2019ll discover countless reminders of its past, along with a beautiful beer garden. Don\u2019t pass up the chance to try one of the ales from the award-winning brewery Butcombe! And if you\u2019re planning an event, you can consider booking the restored Pullman train carriage next to the hotel. \u201cI love the fact that it\u2019s so close to the amazing Jurassic Coast but also that it still feels very much like an old railway station,\u201d says former guest Neil Whitehead. \u201cThe Pullman carriage is beautiful \u2013 it will transport you straight back to the elegance of the 1920s.\u201dEngland\u2019s Alton Station is packed to the brim with original featuresCraving a more intimate getaway? Consider this beautiful four-bedroom self-catering property, a former train station in a leafy Churnet Valley, Staffordshire. ADVERTISEMENTThere\u2019s an abundance of original features. My favourite spaces include the beautiful kitchen that\u2019s tucked inside what was once the ladies\u2019 waiting room, and the library, which is located in the former station master\u2019s house. \u201cOur conservation work included preservation of the original Minton geometric floor tiles,\u201d says Fiona Bullock, property manager at the Landmark Trust. \u201cA team of specialists surveyed, repaired and \u2013 only as necessary \u2013 replaced tiles throughout the waiting room. The replacement tiles were manufactured in what\u2019s likely to be the same factory that produced the original ones from the 1800s.\u201dWish to travel further afield and get the same train stay vibes?In the late 1800s and early 1900s, railways played a crucial role in connecting the wider world, so it\u2019s hardly surprising that there\u2019s no shortage of beautiful hotels in former railways beyond Europe, too.Why not hover over Kruger National Park in South Africa?Trust us \u2013 all safari lodges will seem rather 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. In the early 1900s, this is where trains would pause overnight before entering the park. Make sure you squeeze in a dip in the hotel\u2019s pool, which you\u2019ll find in the centre of the bridge. ADVERTISEMENT\u201cThe floor-to-ceiling glass windows in the train carriage rooms allow you to feel completely immersed in the natural environment while still enjoying five-star comfort,\u201d says former guest Adele Cutler. \u201cStaying here gave me a real feeling of nostalgia for the heyday of rail travel – albeit with a wonderfully contemporary take on 1920s glamour.\u201dMeet me in St. Louis \u2013 in one of the USA\u2019s national historic landmarksSt. Louis\u2019s Union Station in Missouri first flung open its doors in 1894, but it\u2019s now the home of St. Louis Union Station Hotel. Its most spectacular architectural features include the Grand Hall, with a design inspired by France\u2019s medieval castles, and comes with vast expanses of gold leafing, stained glass, and Indiana limestone. By the 1960s, the station had fallen into disrepair, although salvation came in 1985 when design firm HOK spent \u20ac143 million transforming the site into one of America\u2019s most luxurious hotels. \u201cOne of my personal highlights is the mesmerising 3D lights show, which takes place in the Grand Hall, designed to blend the station’s magnificent past with the future,\u201d says general manager Tim Cooper. \u201cI also love the stained glass next to the main staircase \u2013 it\u2019s truly a sight to behold.\u201dADVERTISEMENTFancy a high-altitude station hotel? Head to Colorado, USACrawford Hotel Denver lies in the city\u2019s old Beaux-Arts Union Station. The arrival of the Transcontinental Railway in the 1800s called for a bigger, more beautiful railway hub, which was unveiled in 1914.One hundred years later, the station became a public space that included Denver\u2019s most luxurious hotel, perched atop the building. An extensive renovation last year has still retained reminders of the building\u2019s past. You\u2019ll find vintage trunks turned into coffee tables and framed train tickets from the early 1900s, although my favourite perk is the complimentary tipple you can enjoy at the Terminal Bar, once the station\u2019s ticket booth.Rock out in a former baggage room in Nova Scotia, CanadaFancy sleeping in restored boxcar carriages outside a rural 19th-century train station? Head on over to the quaint Train Station Inn in Nova Scotia, which is a great base for ramblers wishing to walk along the former railway route, now the popular Trans Canada Trail hiking and cycling route. In terms of which carriage to choose, I recommend Jimmie, which sleeps three people and has a cosy loft space perfect for teenagers. Don\u2019t forget to check out the inn\u2019s caf\u00e9 in the main train station, and the Baggage Room Bar for live music. ADVERTISEMENTAnother fun fact: this inn doesn\u2019t just look like the former train station but also smells like it, too. \u201cIt truly feels like you\u2019re in a railway yard \u2013 we\u2019ve used creosote sleepers, so as you\u2019re walking down the platform, you get a whiff of that railway smell,\u201d says general manager Ryan Duggan.Look up to the Roman god of travellers in Tennessee\u2019s luxury train hotel, USAThe Union Station Nashville Yards was once Tennessee\u2019s main railway hub \u2013 but is now one of the city\u2019s most luxurious hotels. It\u2019s packed with original features, including a spectacular 65-foot barrel-vaulted stained-glass ceiling, marble floors and limestone fireplaces. Try to bag the Conductor\u2019s Suite, with its original ornate pillars and views of what was once the station\u2019s grand hall. ADVERTISEMENTFor general manager Esther White, the pi\u00e8ce de r\u00e9sistance is the feature found on the hotel\u2019s exterior. \u201cI love the 17-foot statue of Mercury which crowns our clocktower,\u201d she says. \u201cMercury is the Roman God of travellers, and it\u2019s a nod to both the rich history of this former train station and the legacy of those who once passed through this station.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Fancy sleeping in a Pullman carriage or a former ticket office? Hop on board Europe\u2019s luxurious train hotels. ADVERTISEMENTIn the past year, I\u2019ve lost count of the number of friends who\u2019ve regaled me with stories about stays in former train stations that have been<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":208510,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-208509","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=208509"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208511,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208509\/revisions\/208511"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/208510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globetimeline.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}