08-08-08 - The (newly-wed) McCullochs!
We chose this hotel for our wedding reception for several reasons - great location, great rooms, great staff and were certainly not disappointed on any level.
We stayed from 6-9 August 2008 and were treated like royalty all the way from champagne at breakfast to a wedding card from the hotel staff. Everyone was fantastic from the Reception Staff
(especially at tackling traffic wardens ...) to Laura (Sales Manager) whose organisation, attention to detail and wedding co-ordination were second to none and helped to make our special day run to perfection. Another member of the Carlton staff well worth a mention is Allessandro (F&B Manager) whose attention, professionalism and attitude are superb. The F&B staff in general were amazing. Our Club Room was lovely and we probably would have spent more time on the balcony if the rain would have allowed! Our guests did not believe us when we mentioned the complimentary mini-bar, decanters and executive lounge but, like us, were overwhelmed by these excellent touches. We would have no hesitation in recommending this well positioned, beautifully appointed and well-ran hotel. We will most certainly visit again.

We had taken the overnight sleeper from London to Glasgow and arrived at the hotel just before 9am, hoping to deposit our bags before heading off to take in some culture. We were welcomed by Graeme on Reception who was extremely helpful and attentive. Our room was ready - and we had been upgraded - and so we were given the keys. It was a lovely room overlooking the main street. Clean, tidy and well equipped with the wonderful, free, mini bar. At night there was some noise from the street but we chose to have all our windows open (rather than use the air-con) and were not overly disturbed - maybe because we are used to London noise! We also had access to the Executive Lounge (with free internet access and complimentary bar) on the seventh floor. And we had tokens for four free drinks in the Bar next door. Our booking had included breakfast. The breakfast was excellent, with a choice of cereals, fresh fruit, juices, pastries and cooked breakfast. One morning we had the smoken finian haddock with poached egg. It was delicious. Kirsty, on the restaurant floor did a great job, as did every member of staff who meeted, greeted or assisted us. We were dismayed to overhear someone making a complaint about a member of staff that we thought was completely unwarranted but it seems there is no pleasing some people. Professional complainers some folk! We paid £230 for two nights including breakfast booking direct on the hotel's website. This was brilliant value for money. I would definitely recommend this hotel.

Our stay in the Carlton George was even better second time around than the first time we stayed last year and we were suitably impressed then.

Receptionist who checked us in gave a wonderful first impression of the hotel. Very friendly and exuded an air of being competent and professional.

We had booked into a Club Room this time and it was definitely worth the small supplement. We were able to open the windows (4 in total) and this kept the room nice and fresh. The room was large and well laid out and looked out over the front of the Hotel. The extra touches such as cafetiere and fresh coffee, chocolate wafers and kettle crisps were great. The complimentary mini bar and decanters of Gin, Whiskey and Sherry were there too and of course we had access to the Executive lounge with its selection of comfy seating, refreshments and free internet access.

The food was so good in Windows restaurant on the first night that we ate there the second night too. The Cauliflower Mousse and Cullen Skink Terrine were outstanding, the Curly Kale Canneloni which accompanied the Salmon was wonderful and the Chocolate Coulant to die for. Our waitress, Toni, was outstanding. She attended our every need and was so pleasant and professional. If I was a manager in the Hotel I would give her a pay rise to make sure she stayed! What was also nice to see was that there were still familiar faces in the staff from last year which means that the Hotel must be good to work for. Breakfast had a great selection of fresh fruit, cereals, cheeses, smoked salmon and of course you could have a cooked breakfast if you preferred. I ordered poached eggs on toast and the toast had been cut in circles to mirror the shape of the eggs.

We weren’t leaving Glasgow until 4 pm and had to check out at 12 noon. The Hotel kept our luggage and when we came back to wait for our taxi they gave us access to the Executive Lounge and phoned up to us there when our taxi arrived. Again we thought this a really nice touch.

I have stayed in other Hotels in Glasgow but I would never ever consider staying anywhere else after staying in Carlton George for three main reasons, the professionalism of the staff, its warm, friendly atmosphere and its central location.

Firstly I must say that the location of this hotel is fantastic. Whatever your reason for coming to Glasgow this is the place to stay. The staff at reception were very professional and welcoming, and got our stay off to a really good start. The rooms are nice, but far too hot! This is because the windows don't open properly and this is a real disadvantage especially in summer. The food in the top floor restauant was fantastic, but service wasn't quite so good. We were served by lots of different staff throughout the evening, including the manager who stood at our table and spoke to us about wine for ages, even though we had already decided what we wanted and he had no idea what he was talking about! My partner also felt that he was a little too friendly for comfort, and was a little intrusive throughout our meal. Service from the rest of the hotel staff was really amazing though, and all in all we felt that we got very good value for money. I would definitely recommend it!