It's been a while since I've stayed in a hotel in Glasgow so I asked a collegue for a list of recommendations and he listed this as one being 'cool and funky with an excellent bistro next door' so I thought I'd give it a go for a night

Check-in was friendly, helpful, efficient and personal which was why I elected to stay here (I had the budget to stay somewhere twice the price - e.g. Mariott/Hilton but you get sick of chain hotels and non descript service after a while). I was upgraded at check-in and stayed in room 303 for £55 incl breakfast (my travel people booked it so I don't know what they booked originally)

The corridors are a bit faded but it's superficial and nothing a coat of paint won't sort. The room itself was in good decorative order, spacious, well laid out and comfortable: I've paid over 5 times the price for something similar in London. The bathroom is also of a good size: no danger of tripping over the toilet trying to get out of the bath/shower (another of my gripes with chain hotels). There's even a proper ironing board and iron! Downside: no hairdyer but after a quick call to reception I had one delivered to my door within 5 minutes: and it was a good one (again better than the rubbish bathroom fixed one's you usually get). Shower is excellent. And the whole hotel is exceptionally clean.

A big selling point is the bistro next door: exceptionally good quality, incredibly reasonably priced food and excellent service. I can't praise it enough and even if you're not staying recommend a meal there. The owners were milling about and chatting, all the staff were very relaxed and happy: this is *the* sign of a well run establishment - happy staff that aren't on edge despite the boss being there. Being away alone as I was working it was a very relaxing, friendly place to be.

The downside... there's a club in the basement, and it can be noisy. And room 303 faces the front... The problem isn't folks sitting outside smoking and talking (due to Scottish Exec smoking ban indoors) as the door staff for the club keep this well under control and do an excellent job. The issue is the bass of the music from the club - even on the 3rd floor. Despite having the window closed and earplugs in it was still audible. I drifted in and out of sleep until 2am when it shut (this was a Thursday night and there was a private 21st birthday party on downstairs).

(On a side note: the other thing was that the bed seemed a bit short - my toes dangled off the edge - which they don't do at home or other places I've stayed and I'm only 1.72m/5'8". That said the bed was very comfortable)

I did ask in the morning if the rooms at the back of the hotel were quieter. They were extremely apologetic and reckoned that they might be but they'd been fully booked the night before anyway - i.e. even if I'd tried to change at 1am it wouldn't have been possible.

Breakfast is perfectly adequate and catered perfectly to the needs of the clientelle - if you're up before 10 you're wanting to grab a croissant/toast and a coffee (which is excellent and the real espresso variety fresh from a proper machine). If you are the type who has the time to get up early for a huge expanded breakfast buffet because you were in bed with a book at 9pm I don't think this wouldn't be your place anyway

So would I stay there again? Definitely! There's much to be said for atmosphere and it scores top marks there. However if I was there again and working the next day I'd try and get a room on as high a floor as possible at the back of the hotel. If I had a *really* big meeting I'd might be tempted to stay somewhere more business orientated (as I'd be needing an early night and no temptations!)

All told though I think it's excellent value. Recommended.

Read the previous couple of reviews which were not very good and I suppose I know where they are coming from. This is a hotel that would not suit everyone. However, like comedian performer Billy Connolly, England footballer Steven Gerrard and hosts of other A-list personalities I thought this was a great special little hotel with a lot to commend it.
The bar downstairs would also not be to everyones taste but during the day and weekday evenings it is one of the best places in Glasgow to hang out in and at weekends - if you are either young or young at heart - even more so. Reminded me of a bar on the canals in Amsterdam
First the cafe bar. The food here is exceptional value, fresh mainly Italian food in huge portions absolutely delicious, especially the wide variety of salads and the home made burgers. Everything is freshly cooked in front of you usually by the excellent French chef. The service is impeccable and usually very glamorous (male or female version). Staff are courteous and chatty. The bar has a huge selection of lagers, beers and spirits at excellent prices. This is a magical place for a single person to stay as you would never be lonely.
There is undoubtedly a strong gay and lesbian scene here but it integrates well with the other guests and is not at all self conscious. Just a great lively scene and it is like that all day.
The hotel itself? Well I said this is a one off.
Our room 402 is the biggest double and at £95 a night is excellent value (we paid a tenner less). Huge Queen size bed nice open views from the 4th floor position over towards the Merchant City. Apparently room 401 at the same price is similar. However the other double rooms are quite small as previously stated, though they have huge beds. The facilities are limited - for instance no mini bar - but most things are there and work well. Television is not satellite but there is wi-fi in all the rooms. The most impressive room is the Penthouse, where all the stars stay and which has a rack rate of £390 per night but they can be negotiated with over the price, depending how many nights you want it for and how far ahead you book it. It is sensational. On two floors (they let me have a peek: they are very proud of it) it has everything ,including magical design features two huge double rooms and one twin room all en suite with jacuzzi and sauna plus loads of other features. Fantastic views over the city's rooftops. Very light and airy and incredibly spacious, I got the impression they might have upgraded us for free as it was empty on our second night but we would have rattled around in it.
Their is a negative to this hotel. It is in dire need of a refresh.
And I include our room. The dramatic looking public areas are very tired and from what I could see so also are the bedrooms (with the exception of the Penthouse Suite) . They just about get away with it and it remains very good value and the reasons given for not refurbishing are not convincing - they say they are just too booked up for the immediate future. That may be the case but it would serve them well, to close for a week or two and get some decorating done and maybe replace some of the otherwise interesting furniture that is now looking a bit wearworn in places.
The second possible negative is that their is a popular noisy nightclub at weekends only in the basement and the thumping vibrations of the music might bother you on the first three floors. The club stays open till about 4am. It was not a problem for us.
Breakfast is perfectly ample but perhaps they might consider a little more variety. It struck me that they miss out on an opportunity to parade in a small way the fantastic products they serve up later in the day.

In conclusion , book a room on the 4th floor or higher and try for room 402 if you can get it. Don't be put off by the previous two reviews unless you are looking for a conventional hotel like the Holiday Inn Express or Travelodge.

My boyfriend and i stayed in this hotel for 2 nights when visiting Glasgow for a family wedding. Upon arrival the hotel looked inviting and modern, however we were soon to be disappointed. The corridors look like they are straight out of a nightclub and i dont mean that in a good way (very random). The room we stayed in (standard double) was SO small we laughed when we opened the door. The queen bed takes up the whole room and the bathroom is tiny. there is a small table with a mirror but the strong lack of light made it an almost impossible task to put on make up without ending up looking like a clown.

To put into perspective just how small the rooms actually are, we were travelling with other family and my uncle who is slightly claustrophobic actually took a panic attack when he saw his room.

all in all if you like small spaces and loud music (the nightclub thump ends at 4, lucky we didnt get home till 3.30) this is the hotel for you!!

Do not stay at this hotel. It is above a nightclub which ensures that
you do not get a good night's sleep.

The hotel boasts a "contemporary and minimalist accommodation" i.e. there is no room to swing a cat. Our double bed room was little more than a cupboard.

Next time I'll bring my own cardboard box and sleep outside.