I noticed that views seem polarized on this hotel, love it or hate it. Well, I've come down in the middle.

Downsides:
The paint and carpets in the corridors are tatty.
Likewise in the rooms - there was serious mildew in the window frames too and stains around the coffee making facilities and a low stain under the desk where a previous guest had hurled a teabag into the bin and missed.
The room was cleaned every day, pretty well and I'd been going to leave a tip for the maid, as I generally do - until, hitching up the sheet on the bed I found a small, round plaster (band-aid) on the floor. I didn't use any plasters, so it was a previous guest's.
It's hard not to flood the floor when taking a shower.
The hot water in the basin is Dangerously hot, scalding.
I Did know it was a breakfast only hotel but even a wee packet of biscuits by the kettle would have been nice. When you arrive after dark, in the rain, as a solo female traveller the last thing you're going to do is go hunting for a restaurant.
Hygiene: on the 2nd morning I saw a member of staff sneeze into his hands and then carry on sorting out plates. The same guy this morning was setting up tables by putting out the cutlery blade/prong/bowl first, i.e. not by the handles.
The heating in the bedroom didn't work - although it was mild enough, so I was only cold the last night, to late to bother mentioning it.
Being asked to pay in advance for the first night. There had been no mention of that when I booked, good job I had money on me.

Upsides:
Friendly and obling staff, always had a smile.
On my last day I asked the receptionist where I could buy a stamp and she gave me one - gave, not sold!
The bed - nice and firm, excellent. Room 47.
The bathroom scrubbed and re-towelled every day.
The breakfast: a good effort! Plenty of cereals, tinned fruit, a machine that generated a lovely cafe au lait, then the cooked breakfast. Again, friendly staff, especially the cheery chef - cheery despite his father having just died (Wednesday) and having been mugged (Friday) and sporting several stitches.
OK, it's not the most sophisticated breakfast I've ever had but dmmit, this was £35 a night for sole occupancy of a double room, I'm not complaining!
Location: not on a bus route but great for getting to theatreland. It was 10 minutes walk downhill to theTtheatre Royal - although I've got to admit it was 7 minutes walk back uphill, I wasn't quite as happy walking home alone!

So, neither a dive nor a home from home. I probably won't stay there again until it's been done up. Shame though, the staff were lovely but were let down by the state of the building.

Hotel was horrible, staff were unfriendly, cooked breakfast disgusting. Do not stay here

Unlike other reviewers I found the staff very helpful in every way-but then I suppose that as in most areas of life the treatment that you receive from people is largely detemined by the way you treat them.
O.K. the hotel is a little dated and could do with a lick of paint and a general spruce up, but my room was clean, spacious enough and the shower worked-so in my book your half-way there already.
Now add to that a pretty decent buffet breakfast offering full cooked Scottish breakfast (haggis, eggs, bacon, mushrooms etc), kippers, smoked haddock, toast fruit and more.
Finally add a superb location a short walk from the town centre and I reckon that for the 39 pounds per night I paid per night for a single room including breakfast I got a great deal.
Of course you can, if you wish, pay 3or 4 times as much for somewhere better but I doubt very much you will get 3 or 4 times the value for your money.
I would look no further than this hotel if I came to Glasgow again

I stayed at The Victorian with my sister for a week in late January 2006. After dragging our exceedingly large luggage from Buchanan Street bus station, up the rather hilly Renfrew Street, we laughed when we saw the steps outside; we laughed more when we saw the staircase inside (there isn't a lift), but then we saw our room and couldn't believe our eyes!!! It was absolutely HUGE with a full bathroom and it was extremely clean, bright and charming. The staff were wonderful; extremely helpful and friendly and I can't fault them. The chef was a hoot; so charming and entertaining (although I had some problem understanding his very strong accent but I think this only added to his charm). The breakfasts are truly excellent - buffet-style for cereal, fruit, juice, jams, toast, coffee/tea etc but you order a cooked breakfast from the Chef. The cooked brekkie was beautifully cooked and plenty of it! I think I rolled away from the table each morning and wasn't hungry until dinner that night. We received an excellent rate (46GBP a night). I'd stay at the Victorian again, in a heartbeat!

This place has charm and character - the very high ceilings and thick walls made it very quiet. We found the central heating throughout the UK to be too hot for us, so we loved that we could open the windows wide and let the breeze in (even at night in January!). The polished wooden floors were lovely too. Excellent hotel, excellent staff, wonderful holiday there!