Stepping off of the train on a sunny March Saturday afternoon in Glasgow, we noticed a number of neon pink banners declaring proudly that PEOPLE MAKE GLASGOW.
As we walked the short distance from Queen Street Station to our hotel, there were certainly plenty of people. Shoppers thronged the pedestrianised Buchanan Street, packed with myriad shops that would satisfy any shopaholic.
Buskers were out in force, with a large crowd gathering around a loud group of long-haired street drummers and a bagpiper, all dressed in kilts and creating a fabulous atmosphere.
We meandered along, dragging our suitcases behind us, for the short walk to our hotel for the night, the four-star Apex City of Glasgow Hotel. This new hotel in the heart of the city offers stunning contemporary accommodation in a fabulous location.
Walking up Bath Street, you could see the sloping full-length glass windows jutting out of the hotel from some distance away.
The hotel is home to 104 modern rooms and suites and our room for the night was in a duplex suite at the top of the hotel. With a bi-level layout (the bedroom is upstairs from a living area and bathroom), it felt like we had our very own penthouse flat.
Decorated in sunshine yellow and grey, the rooms were lovely and bright while the en suite had a superb walk in shower with complimentary Elemis products.
But the selling point for this suite must be the breathtaking vista from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Glasgow has been called “the
dear green place” and we could see right over the city’s skyline to the hills beyond.
When night fell, the flickering lights of the largest city in Scotland shone like a giant Christmas tree.
After managing to pull ourselves away from the complimentary bar and Sky TV, we opted to dine in the hotel’s restaurant before sampling a few of Bath Street’s many cocktail bars. The hotel’s dining room/bar is very informal, with cosy booths and an eclectic mix of retro seating which gave it a very casual dining approach.
The all-day menu consists of classic dishes, sharing platters and sandwiches and salads. We shared a portion of crispy haggis bon-bons, which were yummy and surprisingly light, although thank goodness we shared as it was a large portion.
For my main course, I ordered the chicken breast, potato gnocchi and smoked bacon, while my other half went for the Scottish rib-eye steak with a pepper sauce. Never have I tried gnocchi deep fried before; it was certainly different, but I’m not sure why there is a need to fry these Italian potato dumplings in the first place, but the dish was tasty enough.
Across the table, my husband declared his steak one of the tastiest he had ever had, although the peppercorn sauce might be a bit too peppery for some palates.
We passed on sweets and took advice from the exceptionally friendly reception staff and headed to one of the many nearby bars on Bath Street. The street has climbed its way up Glasgow’s bar scene over the past few years. With a great selection of cool basement bars, sleek cocktail bars and fun party bars, you don’t have to wander far from the hotel for a great night out.
After a peaceful night’s sleep and a fuzzy head reminding us of possibly one too many cocktails the night before, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before our journey home.
We were spoiled for choice with all of the continental and cooked dishes on offer, including American pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, eggs benedict or even the Harbourmaster breakfast, with grilled Loch Fyne kipper.
A quick wander around Glasgow’s Style Mile, which houses an extraordinary concentration of over 200 shops, and we were back on the train home, promising to return to Glasgow and the Apex in the very near future.
Book direct at Apex Hotels and you’ll always get the best rate available, plus you’ll receive a £10 reward voucher to spend at the hotel during stay. Book your stay at the Apex City of Glasgow from £86, including VAT. Book online at
https://www.apexhotels.co.uk/apex-city-of-glasgow-hotel/
or e-mail Glasgow.reservations@apex
hotels.co.uk or call the reservations team for free at 0800 049 8000.