Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city & culture hub. And with the city’s size & popularity, choosing where to stay in Glasgow can be challenging.
The good news? Most of the best hotels in Glasgow dwell within its city centre. But there’s more to the Scottish city than its historic core. Glasgow also offers a range of interesting areas, districts & neighbourhoods outside its centre. You’ll find excellent lodgings for all budgets spread throughout the city.
Ready to suss out your Glasgow accommodations? Plan your trip with this complete guide to the best places to stay in Glasgow.
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Best places to stay in Glasgow
Don’t let Glasgow’s sprawling map throw you off. It’s not as hard as it first may seem to pinpoint the top areas & hotels in Glasgow. Most of the top things to see & do in Glasgow lie within the city centre. It’s the logical first place to start looking for your accommodations.
The historic centre breaks down further into smaller areas appealing to specific types of travellers. That doesn’t mean that’s where you should stop and end your Glasgow accommodation search.
Other neighbourhoods outside the centre, like the West End, are great alternatives, too. They offer plenty, from cool pubs to expansive greenspaces where you can escape the city buzz.
The best areas to stay in Glasgow are:
- Central Glasgow is the most popular area to stay in Glasgow. It’s home to the bulk of the city’s top attractions for travellers. You can’t go wrong with picking one of the top hotels here.
- George Square is the main square of Central Glasgow. It’s located close to both the Buchanan Street Bus Station and Queen Street Station. It’s the perfect location for tackling some of the best day trips from Glasgow. The shopping mecca of Buchanan Street is a block away.
- Merchant City is located in the eastern part of the city centre. The area contains some of Glasgow’s oldest buildings. Merchant City is one of the best places to stay in Glasgow for travellers looking to explore the city’s charming medieval side.
- West End is a fantastic neighbourhood located west of the city centre. The hip West End offers plenty of greenspace along with vintage second-hand shops, pubs, music venues & bars. This is one of the coolest areas in Glasgow. It’s perfect for travellers who’d rather dig into the local culture than hop between typical tourist sites.
Central Glasgow
✓ Best area to stay for first-time visitors
When you’re visiting Scotland’s biggest city for the first-time, Central Glasgow is the best place to stay. The Glasgow city centre area is home to the city’s most important attractions. It has more than enough going on at all time to keep you interested—whether you have one day in Glasgow or a week.
Wherever you decide to stay, you’re never far from the city’s best pubs, restaurants, bars or boutiques. You’ll also be able to visit top attractions like Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis. They’re within walking distance of all the best Glasgow hotels covered below.
The city centre is also the transport hub of Glasgow. From here, you’ll be able to scoot around the area and the rest of Scotland with ease. The two major train stations—Queen Street and Glasgow Central—and the Buchanan Street Bus Station will get you anywhere you want to go.
Recommended hotels in Central Glasgow
As the centre is the best area to stay in Glasgow, the quality & selection of accommodations is superb. If you’re coming from other UK cities like London, you’ll be surprised at how affordable Central Glasgow hotels are. For what would fetch you a budget guesthouse elsewhere, you’ll get into the mid-range in Scotland’s biggest city.
- ibis Styles Glasgow Centre West sits on the western edge of the city centre. If you’ve yet to experience Accorhotels’ hip & budget-friendly ibis Styles brand, this would be a great place to do it. Like its brethren, this hotel showcases colourful & laid-back modern stylings. It pushes it a step above other budget chain hotels.
- Grasshopper Hotel Glasgow is sleek 3-star hotel located next to the central train station. It’s a fantastic option for travellers on a tighter budget. Rooms are warm & cozy and adorned with custom furniture and lovely oak floors for a homy feel.
- Hotel Indigo Glasgow proves that it’s hard to put your finger on what to expect in an Indigo hotel. One thing’s for sure, you know it’ll be colourful. The rooms at this lovely boutique hotel are nothing short of stylish. They blend classic European elegance with bright modern motifs. Glasgow Central is a quick walk away.
- Dakota Glasgow is one of the top luxury properties in the central city. This 4-star hotel stuns with dark rich decor straddling the line between classic & modern elegance. As striking as the rooms are, it’s impossible to ignore the brilliance of the on-site brasserie. The Grill specializes in contemporary British seafood, classic cocktails & wine.
George Square
✓ Best area to stay for history buffs & day-trippers
No gathering place in Scotland’s biggest city is more famous than George Square. Dating back to the late-18th century, George Square is the unofficial centre of the city. It’s the handsomest of the six-pack of central Glasgow squares.
Choosing this area is a boon for travellers. You won’t just be able to marvel at the square’s beauty. You’ll get to indulge in everything Scotland’s biggest city offers.
George Square is close to the city’s three main transport hubs: Glasgow Central, Queen Street Station, and Buchanan Bus Station. Scooting around Scotland is cinch from here.
Plus, George Square is well located to experience everything the city centre offers. You’ll be able to enjoy its most graceful architecture & finest food. Or you can spend your days shopping at nearby Buchanan Galleries or along Buchanan Street.
Recommended hotels near George Square
As you’d expect, there are plenty of hotels near George Square. Thanks to the central location, the prices in this area tend to be on the high-end. Nonetheless, if you’re dead-set on getting close, rest assured: there’ll be something nearby in your price range.
- The Z Hotel Glasgow is the area’s finest budget-friendly hotel. Knowing that World War Z was filmed in & around George Square, the hotel’s name couldn’t be more fitting for zombie film buffs. Not into slightly-cheesy-but-entertaining horror flicks? You’ll still love everything about this modern hotel. From its clean & comfortable rooms to its nightly wine & cheese tastings, it’s a winner.
- ibis Styles Glasgow Centre George Square is a stylish modern hotel located 200 metres from the square. The hotel charms guests with its funkily-decorated rooms. The surrounding area teems with great restaurants, and bars. You’ll also find some of the city’s best shopping nearby.
- Native Glasgow is classy aparthotel set in a lovely turn-of-the-century Edwardian building. The self-catering units are bright & colourful. They’re far more modern than the hotel’s heritage façade lets on. George Square just seconds away and Queen Street Station less than two minutes away by foot. Native Glasgow is the perfect fit for families, culture lovers & day-trippers alike.
- PREMIER SUITES PLUS Glasgow George Square is a super central option. It offers bright fully-featured self-catering apartment suites. Book a splurge-worthy penthouse suite to enjoy a drink on your own private balcony overlooking George Street or Queen Street.
Merchant City
✓ Top neighbourhood for shopping & city sightseeing
Stroll south of George Square and you’ll enter Merchant City. The neighbourhood is one of Glasgow’s oldest and most charming areas. The Scottish city’s rough-and-tumble reputation falls on deaf ears here. It doesn’t fit the elegance & sophistication you’ll soak up in eclectic Merchant City.
In Merchant City, you’ll get face-to-face with two of Glasgow’s best shopping streets, Argyle Street and Ingram Street). You’ll also find a handful of the city’s top restaurants & bars. As you stumble through the area, keep on the look out for laid-back vintage shops, street art, and tucked-away art galleries.
Recommended hotels in Merchant City
Like the rest of the city centre, hotels in & around Merchant City are at the upper-end of the city’s price range. The sweet spot here is in mid-range accommodations. Some of the top hotels in the area are among the best in the city centre value-wise. They’re perfect for getting the most out of your stay in Glasgow.
- Motel One Glasgow is a unique new city centre hotel. You won’t find better value in the heart of Glasgow than this. Both the rooms & the common areas are drenched with a modern Scottish elegance. It strikes well above its price-point. Glasgow Central Station is just steps away to continue your journey through Scotland.
- Moxy Glasgow Merchant City hails from Marriott’s newest brand of chic mid-range hotels. Their flagship Glasgow location is perched on the edge of Merchant City near High Street Station. It delivers all the style and sophistication the Moxy brand is becoming famous for. The location is minutes from the heart of the city. It’s also close to some of Glasgow’s most treasured attractions like Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis.
- Fraser Suites Glasgow is a sophisticated aparthotel occupying an enchanting 19th-century heritage building. Each suite comes equipped with a fully-stocked kitchenette and a spacious living area. The suites are perfect for unwinding after a long day of sightseeing during your stay in Glasgow. Great shopping is just a few blocks away on Argyle Street and Buchanan Street.
West End
✓ Top neighbourhood to stay for relaxation & local culture
As amazing as the centre is for travellers, there’s one other captivating neighbourhood in Glasgow: the West End. Home to the University of Glasgow, this leafy district buzzes with a hip & youthful vibe unmatched elsewhere in the city.
Among the chillest places to hang out here is Finnieston. This area sits in the southern part of the West End. It’s been hailed as one of the hippest neighbourhoods in Great Britain—and even Europe. Besides its innovative restaurants, pubs & bars, Finnieston is home to SSE Hydro, the most famous live music venue in Scotland.
Elsewhere in the West End, you can enjoy Glasgow’s greener side. Relax in lovely Kelvingrove Park to a backdrop of historical architecture. For art lovers, the nearby Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum is worth a browse, too.
For drinks with a youthful vigour, head for the pubs & bars of Ashton Lane. It’s a popular hangout for the local university student crowds.
Recommended hotels in the West End
As the West End lies outside the city centre proper, you’ll be able to save a little on your accommodations. The West End is the area of choice for budget-conscious travellers. It’s also a good choice for anyone looking for a relaxing alternative to the bustle of the city centre.
- Acorn Hotel is one of the top budget Glasgow hotels in the West End area. This 3-star boutique hotel offers stylish rooms affixed with contemporary furnishings & modern amenities. The location next to leafy Kelvingrove Park is an ultra-relaxing perk.
- The Alamo Guesthouse is set in a historic 19th-century Victorian building. This budget-friendly guesthouse exudes class like none other at its price-point. Most rooms offer shared bathrooms. Splurge on one of their superior rooms to upgrade to a private bathroom and views over Kelvingrove Park.
- Radisson RED Glasgow sits upon the banks of the River Clyde at the southern edge of the district. This brand-spankin’-new 3.5-star hotel delivers hip & funky rooms and a host of fantastic on-site amenities. The hotel is most popular for its OUIBar + KTCHN and RED Sky Bar, Glasgow’s first rooftop bar. The city’s most famous live music venue, The Hydro, is minutes away by foot.
- Hydro SmartApartments are the most innovative accommodations to stay in Glasgow. This apartment is wired to the nines. The suite is fully-automated, including voice-controlled mood lighting, heating & aromatherapy. It also features a complete audio & video entertainment system.
- Crowne Plaza Glasgow is one of the best luxury hotels in Glasgow. This riverside 4-star unleashes sleek modern rooms. The hotel also offers a barrage of amenities to ensure your stay is memorable. Relax to spa treatments at the Isis Beauty Salon. Or sweat out that last bit of haggis and Scotch ale at the Club Moativation sauna or fitness centre.
The best hotels in Glasgow
- Searching for a central hotel on a budget? You can’t do much better than The Z Hotel. Located just steps from George Square, this budget-friendly hotel puts the entire city at your fingertips.
- Got a little more to spend on a mid-range hotel? The brand-new Moxy Merchant City is a hip alternative. The hotel sits on the northeastern fringes of Merchant City and won’t tug too hard at your purse strings.
- Looking for Glaswegian luxury? Book a room at the centrally-located Dakota Glasgow. The hotel features rooms affixed with rich & elegant decor. The room’s charms are matched by the sophistication & innovation of its delicious on-site restaurant, The Grill.
