Cool and hip boutique hotels for your city break in Glasgow

On a smart, tree-lined avenue in Glasgow’s fashionable West End, this luxury boutique hotel boasts sumptuous style – think opulent chandeliers, stained-glass windows, sweeping staircases and oak-paneling. Occupying a terrace of five, Grade II Victorian townhouses its 49 rooms and suites (doubles from £175, room only) feature high ceilings and grand windows, fireplaces and enormous beds. Every room is individually designed with the décor ranging from rich, opulent Victoriana, to bright florals and foliage – inspired perhaps by the city’s Botanical Gardens, a short walk away.

On the ground floor, the award-winning bistro (open for lunch and dinner) serves contemporary Scottish fayre including riches such as Orkney Brown Crab and Highland Venison. An eight-course tasting menu costs a reasonable £69 per person and there’s vegetarian menu and vegan menu too, So very 2019!

A stone’s throw from the bustle of Glasgow’s Buchanan Street, Dakota Deluxe is a clever mix of luxury city style and modern, decadent elegance. Its 83 rooms and suites are light, airy and exude downtown chic – think large loft windows, calm, urban grey tones and crisp linen sheets. All the rooms have king size, or super king-size beds – ideal for bedding down after a night on the town – and feature either monsoon showers or roll-top bath. Prices start from around £125 per person, room only.

Downstairs there are private lounges with low lighting and leather sofas, corridors lined with fashion and photography books, and in the basement a private dining room, Champagne room and a relaxed restaurant. Choose from Asian style seafood and French classics to start, followed by fish, meat and game from a charcoal grill. For an after-dinner treat, relax in the bar surrounded by celebrity portraits from yesteryear.

With seven Scottish Hotel awards to its name this iconic hotel is a listed building and has been a Glasgow landmark since 1883. As the name suggests, Grand Central sits right next to the city’s main railway station – it’s literally 30 seconds from train to reception desk. The décor is an interesting blend of modern and contemporary and original Queen Anne style. Expect wildly grand and decadent one minute and pared back the next – the lobby has an intricate tiled floor and gold detailing and the Champagne bar boasts huge marble pillars and a domed ceiling, yet the rooms and suites are a mix of light and airy with a surprising dash of Hollywood chic.

For a quick bite or a snack head to, the hotel’s deli ‘Deli Central’. For something more formal, Tempus Restaurant serves a very decent steak and chips alongside interesting local fayre, such as Haggis bon bons with Johnnie Walker Black Label cream sauce.

Offering no nonsense affordable luxury in the heart of the city, Glasgow’s self-confessed ‘coolest hotel’ is an effortless blend of futuristic styling and modern Dutch décor, where guests can rest their heads in a contemporary, no frills kind of way. Its 198 rooms are minimally styled yet boast XL king-size beds with Frette linen and tech galore – from the bedside MoodPad you can control the TV, blinds, temperature and even the coloured lighting.

Don’t expect tea, coffee or a mini bar in the room – instead guests are encouraged to socialise in the contemporary living rooms, where the shelves are packed with beautiful books on photography, fashion, travel and design. There’s no dining room, instead a canteen open 24/7 serving sushi, signature sandwiches, an all-day bar and ‘really nice cushions.’

An oasis of calm amongst the city bustle, Grasshoppers Hotel is a beautiful home-from-home with a unique, relaxed vibe and a ‘help yourself’ attitude when it comes to coffee, cake and even ice cream. Its 30 rooms are all individually decorated with handmade wallpapers and wood-panelled walls. Add to that king size beds with luxury Egyptian cotton bed linen, bespoke handmade furniture and to die for Arran Aromatics toiletries. What’s more each room has views over the Glasgow’s city iconic skyline.

Eating at Grasshoppers means taking a seat in The Kitchen dining room where ‘unfussy’, deli-inspired and locally-sourced salads, pies and curries are served at the long, handmade wooden tables. Breakfast is a foodies’ delight – think creamy porridge, kedgeree, cold meats and freshly baked bread or scrambled local eggs on spelt toast.

If its convenience you’re after, Grasshoppers is hard to beat – the hotel’s a stone’s throw from the city’s Grand Central Station. And if everything is to your liking, guests are encouraged to leave their feedback by writing a review on an old school Contessa typewriter. An effortlessly cool abode.

This grand Georgian townhouse, once the 19th century childhood home of Prime Minister Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, is now a boutique hotel that makes a clever play on its past. A unique cage lift, elegant polished stone staircase and stained-glass windows are stunning features that set a grand first impression. And gold, ‘lion rampant’ etchings on the walls add to the Celtic charm. Yet Abode manages to be thoroughly modern too, the rooms are lofty and light with tartan notes and feature walls and come in three room categories – Comfortable, Desirable, Enviable and Fabulous, with prices ranging from around £64 a night to £194 a night.

For dinner there are two options. For pies, neeps and gravy and craft beer, get down to Pie & Brew in the basement, where you can tuck into the likes of Haggis & black pudding or Baked mac & cheese crumble made to order by the hotel’s pie masters. For smarter affair head to the brasserie for reasonably priced classics, club sandwiches and a half decent wine list.