Glasgow is a city of distinct neighbourhoods, and where you stay shapes your trip. The good news is that the best bases are close together and well linked by the Subway, so you cannot go far wrong. For most first-timers the answer is the city centre; for a romantic or slower stay, the West End. Here is how to choose.
The city centre around Central Station
The grid of Victorian streets between Central Station, Buchanan Street and George Square is the most practical base in Glasgow. You can walk to the shops, the Merchant City's restaurants and bars, Mackintosh at the Willow and the street art murals, and you have trains, the Subway and buses at the door. It suits first-timers, short stays and anyone planning day trips. Our picks here are voco Grand Central Glasgow, the 1883 railway landmark wrapped around Central Station, with Champagne Central overlooking the concourse, and Motel One Glasgow, the stylish budget choice right next door on Oswald Street, with compact rooms and a railway-themed lounge.
Blythswood Square and Blythswood Hill
Just uphill from the busiest streets, Blythswood Square is a quiet, elegant pocket of Georgian terraces around a garden square, a five-minute walk from Sauchiehall Street and ten from Buchanan Street. It feels calmer at night but keeps everything in reach on foot. This is where to splurge: Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel and Spa occupies a grand townhouse on the square, with the iasg restaurant, one of the best hotel spas in the city and pets welcome. It is our top choice for a celebration weekend.
Sauchiehall Street and the theatre district
The northern edge of the centre, around Renfrew Street, the Royal Concert Hall and the Pavilion Theatre, is lively in the evenings and handy for Queen Street station and Buchanan Bus Station, where the Highland day tours depart. citizenM Glasgow on Renfrew Street is the smart mid-range pick, with clever compact rooms and a lobby canteen and bar that run around the clock. It is ideal for concert-goers and anyone with an early tour departure.
The West End
Leafy, bohemian and full of cafes, the West End is home to the University of Glasgow, Kelvingrove, the Botanic Gardens, Byres Road and Ashton Lane. It is the most charming area to stay and feels like a village within the city, though you will take the Subway or a taxi into the centre. Hotel du Vin Glasgow at One Devonshire Gardens, in a Victorian terrace near the Botanic Gardens, is the romantic choice, with 49 individually styled rooms, a three-rosette restaurant and a Whisky Room. It also suits drivers heading out to Loch Lomond.
Finnieston and the river
Between the West End and the centre, Finnieston is Glasgow's food and drink strip, close to the SEC, the Hydro, the Clydeside Distillery and the Riverside Museum. It is a fun base for gig-goers and food lovers; we have not picked a hotel there for this guide, but any of the city-centre hotels above puts it a short taxi or Subway ride away.
How to choose
First visit, short stay or a day trip planned: the city centre. Special occasion or spa weekend: Blythswood Square. Concerts and early departures: the theatre district. Romance and a slower pace: the West End. Whichever you pick, budget for the 5 percent visitor levy now added to many Glasgow stays, ask for a quieter room in the busiest streets, and use the Subway rather than a car.
