Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow, Scotland

Blythswood Square was once the home of Glasgow's wealthiest merchants; it's just west of the city centre but within easy walking distance. It's a lovely little oasis of green in what can be a grey city, and quiet considering the nightlife going on just up the hill.

Go 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.

This townhouse is grand yet relaxed, and you only really realise its size when you struggle to find your room. Despite sparkling chandeliers and soaring ceilings, it doesn't take itself too seriously. The lobby, with its photogenic entrance, is incredibly inviting.

If you've overdone it with either sightseeing or partying, get room service, hit the spa or join the lobby social hour for a medicinal glass. There's laundry service, should you drop an oyster in your lap, and you can work off your dinner in the gym or borrow a bike (beware that Glasgow hills are calf-killers).

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

Your pet stays free. Beds, bowls, food and a map of suggested walks are provided.

Bedrooms are quietly sophisticated with accents in soft leather, tweed and shades of grey, with everything from dressing gowns to a yoga mat provided. Marble bathrooms have deep baths and cloudburst showers.

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

Restaurant Iasg (Gaelic for 'fish') has a glittering central bar bathed in light, with music at night. Try tempura oysters with a glass of fizz followed by blackened cod with a bacon-buttered sauce. The breakfast buffet is rather subdued by comparison; there's a supplement for a cooked breakfast.

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