Morland

I don't remember seeing bottled water, I did see a water dispenser encouraging you to fill your own bottles, so I assume that's still the case. Got two small bottles of water in the room each day.

nequine

Yes they had changed to that when we were there the last time. I wasn't sure if in these times they'd gone back to bottles or not. I will take my water bottle with me just in case the bottles in the room don't appear.

jayer

Has the club remained open, and were you impressed (or at least reasonably satisfied)?

Where is breakfast these days? Club or restaurant?

The general reviews of the hotel are "mildly dated but clean". Would you concur?

nequine

The lounge is open for food/drink (wine/beer) at nights. They don't do breakfast there now, you get it in the restaurant instead.

Yes the rooms are needing spruced up as furniture etc is definitely old style but I still get a good nights sleep. The public spaces have been done up more recently so are fine.

jayer

First off; Thank you.

Second question for yourself and any others: How difficult is it to find/use bus/subway to navigate downtown from this hotel? (It appears the closest stop is Waterloo Station, or on some routes street stands just a bit farther east). We are booking several day trips leaving out of Buchanan Street Bus Station. (On a clear day looks like time about the same so you might as well just walk. (But if raining or dark bus can keep you dry and get you close).

Third Question: If we get really motivated and try to take ourselves to Edinburgh for the day, do you suggest a bus leaving from Buchanan, or rail leaving from. . . . .where?

Fourth Question: Any restaurant suggestions reasonably close? (Spouse has lots of food allergies--gluten-free, lactose-free, egg-free, so she needs a kitchen that is very ingredient aware). Given a choice we prefer to eat "local flavor" so would like British leaning Scottish. (Yes, we realize vegan by dietary necessity and local traditional food do not always play well together. But we can try, and sometimes it even works).

Fifth Question--There does not seem to be a guest laundry in the hotel. Anything close by?

nequine

The bus stop into the city centre is right at the front of the hotel. Any of the #1 busses will drop you off in the city centre. It is walkable but there is one bit I don't like walking through, so I take the bus.

Anderston station is about a 3 minute walk (if the traffic lights are in your favour!) from the hotel - come out the front, turn right and you can't miss the station under the M8 motorway. Make sure you get the train from the left hand side of the platform if you want the city centre (right if you want the SEC complex!) and 2 stops later get off at Argyll Street and you are bang in the middle of the shopping area.

You can get the train from Anderston straight to Edinburgh, but the more frequent service is from Queen Street. You can get from Central but its more frequent (every 15 minutes if I recall correctly) from Queen Street. Depending on how many there are of you, it could be just as cheap getting a taxi from the hotel to Queen Street. Alternatively either get the #1 to Ingram Street (ask the driver) then its just an easy walk up through Hanover Street to George Square and the station is in front of you, OR take the train from Anderston to Argyll and walk up Miller Street (then Hanover Street) its just a longer walk that way rather than the bus.

For your day trips from the bus station, you can get the #1 along to Central Station, then change to the #9 which will take you to the bus station.

Personally, at night I'd take a taxi back to the hotel rather than us public transport.

For restaurants, probably best having a look at Trip Advisor as they will have a list of vegan restaurants. There are some around the hotel but I wouldn't know how they'd do with your requirements.

If you check Google out, there are a number of launderette's around the hotel that you could use.

stuartpig

Still opening a bag of frozen spring rolls? They were doing that 5 years ago. Dreadful rubbish. And telling you to use room service for a drink in your room rather than take a bottle or two when the place became a crèche.

jayer

Would you mind being very specific where that is?

nequine

It the bit called Hielanman's Umbrella ie at Central Station.

dcmike

Is the Moxy Merchant City a better option?

jayer

I would concur with most of the remarks above, both positive and negative. A very good if somewhat less that perfect hotel.

This hotel is clean and interiors in good shape. Overall decor is a bit dark for me and maybe a bit dated, but that is a personal preference thing. No signs of great wear. Mattress was good. Bed linens really quite good. Room refreshed daily. Staff interaction all good. (Unlike many hotels that are completely cashless, especially in Great Britain, they can still break a banknote for you into walking around money--at least down to pound coins--which you need a few of to break into even smaller coins. Meaning, 30 pence and 50 pence pay toilets are not uncommon--but more are free than there used to be).

Negatives are as previously noted by others. Room can get too hot even this time of year--only solution is turn heat clear off, open up a very small gap in the window and ask for fans (they seem to know and have many to loan). Primary public bus route is east to Central Station area, but requires a walk and a change to go farther north or northeast to tourist attractions. Same problem going west and northwest. (There are multiple bus companies, which might make it all harder rather than easier).

However, for your in-town tourism days, the hop-on/hop-off sightseeing bus makes a circular route past almost everything you would want to see. It is a far better deal if you buy the two consecutive day ticket.

It is possible to walk to all three train stations and the Buchanan Bus Terminal (where most tours leave from) and we did, but, at least the bus terminal is almost too much of a hike for people approaching 70 like us, and it sucked in the rain. But it is possible. (I'd rather be walking in Glasgow than most of Manhattan). I concur the area south of Central Train Station is edgy after dark and we went around it (nor did we stay out all that late.

Breakfast was included for elites, and was a Full British and Continental Buffet in the main restaurant. (Many choices of items, but we're still talking all built around the British breakfast. Meaning, I'm not really into mushrooms, beans, and tomatoes every single morning. By the time we left I was burnt out on it and would have taken hostages just to get a Fairfield Inn waffle machine or biscuits and gravy). But you can't say they were in any way shaving the benefit. Evening offerings in the Bonvoy Club, which ranged from pretty good to not so good depending on the day (any British take on Tex-Mex can be frightening). For those of you who care about such things more than me; there was bottled beer and decent wine at no additional cost.

Would we stay there again? Spouse says absolutely yes; I say it is my starting point depending on any other plans. If you expect to take lots of day tours I would consider booking closer to the Buchanan Bus Station. If you want to go to Edinburgh on the side, the faster trains leave from Queens Station (but I believe booking via the other two stations is possible). If a variety of nightlife and evening dining options are important, then well, you many want farther towards the center of town.

nequine

Being on the road for a bit can lead to breakfast fatigue! Even though I get it for free at (most) Marriott's, after a few days I find I either bypass breakfast or splash the cash and buy something outside of the hotel.

LAX/HKG

For those that have stayed at this hotel and the Hilton Glasgow, which one would you choose for a family of four and why? Thanks in advance for your input.