If you think posh Glasgow is an oxymoron, you haven’t stayed at the epitome of refinement that is Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel and Spa, part of IHG Hotels and Resorts. Blythswood Square, with its perfectly uniform Georgian townhouses and private gardens, has always been where the elite of Glaswegian society lived, and now it offers a haven for those visiting Scotland’s largest city.
Hotel
The hotel was once the headquarters for the Royal Scottish Automobile Club, and having undergone multi-million-pound refurbishments, nowadays it resembles more of a stately home. Doric columns, designer sofas, and a grand piano are what will greet you on arrival, and the customary Glaswegian charm is very much in evidence from the staff, as they welcome you in the most unpretentious of manners.
With 113 rooms, and an expansive penthouse, it is a decent-sized boutique hotel, but you never feel overcrowded or have to wait in a queue for any kind of service. It might be in a residential square, but you are a stone’s throw from the main shopping area of Buchanan Street or the central part of Glasgow, George Square.
The hotel has recently launched its brand-new ‘Forgot It? We’ve Got It!’ Kimpton x Anthropologie Accessories Collection. If you’ve forgotten to pack those all-important accessories for your travels, the hotel and Anthropologie will let you borrow from their extensive collection, whilst you are staying at the hotel.
Room
The rooms are furnished to an extremely high standard and there is a touch of class with the sophisticated grey-themed furniture. They don’t over-complicate matters and offer just three main categories: essential, premium, and suites. The rooms start at 27 square metres and go up to 45-plus square metres for the suites. Irrespective of your room category, you will have one of the most impressively marbled bathrooms ever to grace a hotel room. Toiletries are from the hip Swedish brand, 19-69 – all the bottles of shower gel and shampoo have different colours, which symbolises a rainbow, which in the year 1969, stood for peace and freedom.
If you want to impress, then their penthouse suite is the place to book. You arrive in a private lift and entrance and are blessed with 153 square metres of palatial surroundings along with a private roof garden and terrace. You’ll have your own steam room, sunken ‘spa’ bathtub and walk-in wardrobe, and there is a second double bedroom and a kitchen and dining room that seats up to 10 guests.
Food and drink
The airy and refined in-house restaurant, iasg, delivers on a sustainable seafood-focused menu. It is also where hotel guests can enjoy their breakfast. Their fish ‘n’ chips use North Sea cod, their mussels are from the Shetland, and they serve Cumbrae oysters, which is from a family-owned, independent business that has been operating since 1995 on the west coast of Scotland. They generally let the ingredients speak for themselves, with only a hint of modernity such as the seared scallops with kimchi butter sauce.
If you are looking to explore the diversity of Glasgow’s vibrant culinary scene, two other restaurants to consider include Ka Pao and Ox and Finch. The former is a restaurant that is heavily influenced by the cooking style of Southeast Asia. It is a relaxed, informal environment serving innovative cuisine. You’ll find fish sauce in the fried chicken and nam jim in their grilled squid for that extra burst of flavour. Dishes are small plates, sharing style, so a great destination for those who want to experiment with new flavours.
Their sister restaurant, Ox and Finch is celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, yet they are still on the cutting edge of Glasgow’s restaurant scene. Dishes are what you would describe as modern Scottish, so you will see creations like tandoori cod and fried artichokes with burnt Aleppo butter. Booking is essential, especially if you are visiting over the weekends.
Spa and wellness
Kimpton’s sumptuous spa is the finest you will encounter in Glasgow. They have a host of therapy pools, saunas, immersive showers, and even a salt room and their treatments are inspired by the unspoilt splendour of the Scottish Hebrides. They use award-winning skincare products from the likes of Ishga and Oskia.
To do
If you want to mix sightseeing with local food and tour, consider booking for a gastronomic tour with The Glasgow Food and Drink Tour. Their tours include visiting the University of Glasgow, where some of the Harry Potter series were filmed, whilst also taking you to one of the finest steak houses in the city, as well as a drinking institution, beloved by the locals.
Factbox
Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel and Spa offers rooms from £149 per night.
Address: 11 Blythswood Square, Glasgow G2 4AD
Phone: 0141 248 8888
Email: reservations@kimptonblythswoodsquare.com
Website: kimptonblythswoodsquare.com
