Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow's wealthiest merchants built their homes in Blythswood Square, just west of the city centre but within easy walking distance. It's a small oasis of green in what can be a grey city, and remarkably quiet considering the dedicated nightlife going on just up the hill. Done the city centre? Head west for the Kelvingrove and Huntarian galleries and museums, trendy Denniston and Cail Bruich - Glasgow's only Michelin-starred restaurant.

By plane: flights from London to Glasgow take 1 hour 15 minutes. The hotel is a 15-minute drive. Parking costs £27.50 per day. Book flights to Glasgow.

By train: 4 hours 30 minutes from London and 3 hours from Manchester. The hotel is a 10-minute walk from Glasgow Central station. Book trains to Glasgow.

Grand but relaxed, you're only aware of its size when you have trouble finding your room. Despite the soaring ceilings and sparkling chandeliers, it never takes itself too seriously. You may find yourself sitting in the lobby with its decidedly photogenic entrance, just because it's so inviting.

Should you drop an oyster in your lap, your trousers can be laundered and you can work off the rest of your dinner in the gym or borrow a bicycle (mindful that the Glasgow hills are calf-killers). If you've overdone it go for room service, hit the spa or join the lobby social hour for a glass of anaesthetic.

• Bar
• Restaurant
• Swimming pool
• Fitness centre
• Spa
• Pet-friendly
• On-site parking
• Free Wi-Fi

These are quietly sophisticated bedrooms in soft leather, tweed and quiet shades of grey, with everything from dressing gowns to a yoga mat accounted for. Bathrooms are marble throughout, with deep baths and cloudburst showers. Discuss when booking if the view is important to you.

Room types: Essential Room, Premium Room, Garden View Suite, Georgian Suite, Executive Suite, Penthouse Suite

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with toiletries, bathrobes and slippers, hairdryer, tea and coffee facilities, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi

Iasg (Gaelic for 'fish') with its glittering central bar is soaked with light by day and sound at night when it's an 'eat with beats' situation. Consider tempura oysters with a glass of something fizzy before blackened cod with a bacon-buttered sauce. Breakfast is downbeat by comparison: a ho-hum buffet with a supplement for a full cooked breakfast.

iasg: modern Scottish cuisine, locally-sourced produce. All-day dining, bar snacks and Sunday brunch. Open daily from 12pm.