Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel

Character and identity

Set in the former Royal Scottish Automobile Club, this 113-room hotel occupies one of Glasgow's grandest Georgian addresses, facing the private gardens of Blythswood Square. The location balances seclusion with city access: Central Station and the Buchanan Street shopping run are both five minutes on foot. Rooms lean classic and comfortable with marble bathrooms (garden-facing ones are the ones to request), while the ground-floor restaurant, anchored by a striking green tiled bar, runs busy from breakfast through late drinks. The recently renovated spa is the showpiece, with a snow room, multiple saunas, steam room, hot tub and a proper-sized pool, reserved for residents twice daily.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The spa and the building are the reasons to book here: few city hotels in Scotland combine a heritage shell on a garden square with a full thermal circuit and pool. Spring for a garden-view room, time your spa sessions for the resident-only windows, and expect lively bar and restaurant scenes rather than a hushed retreat.