Picture by Tom Harrison
StyleNest set up for the night at Grasshoppers – Glasgow’s elusive penthouse hotel, overlooking the iconic Glasgow Central Station.
So discreet is the Grasshoppers hotel that our born and bread Glaswegian taxi driver didn’t even know where it was. Despite its city center location, overlooking the famous Glasgow Central train station, Grasshoppers has managed to remain below the radar. And so, the cabbie dropped us off “somewhere nearby” and whizzed off, leaving us to find our own bed for the night.
The hotel sits in the old 1905 Caledonian Chambers, deigned by Glaswegian architect, James Miller. Now, rather unglamorously, the hotel shares its entrance with Scot Rail, and in all honestly, said entrance is as far away from ‘plush’ as you can get. As we arrived on a weekend, the main door was locked up, so we were buzzed in by the Grasshopper’s reception. Up to the top of the building in a rickety old lift, we finally arrived at our abode for the night, half wondering what we’d let ourselves in for.
We could not have been more wrong. Up on the penthouse floor, Grasshopper’s is a world away from its dowdy entrance. Bright, airy and with a nod to Scandinavian mid-century cool, we’re quietly relieved.
A warm, Glasgow welcome greets us as we’re shown to our room for the night. 30 bedrooms make up the hotel, running down two long parallel hallways. Grasshopper’s UPS is its value. Rooms are available for as little as £79, and given the hotel’s central Glasgow location is very affordable. The rooms are small, but what they lack in size, they make up for in style.
Picture by Tom Harrison
Scandinavian style is the inspiration, from the low set beds and subtle lamp lighting, to the beautiful hand painted wallpaper – each of which is slightly different in each room. So enthralled by the beautiful wallpaper prints are guests, that Grasshopper’s have a huge, design book detailing each and every print displayed on a table in the hallway. We gazed over it for a good while, picking up some interiors tips to take home with us.
On the walls, engravings of Glasgow handmade by local artists add charm, whilst chic Pedrali lighting and chairs add a design-led feel.
Back to the rooms, they are small but comfortable and stylish. Cupcakes greeted us on arrival, as did a wee bottle of whiskey and some Robert Burn’s literature, as Burn’s Night had passed just the night before. As dusk set in, the view outside our huge windows lit up. Beneath us lay the sea-like glass roof of Central Station, architecturally impressive and glowing with light from below.
The hotel itself doesn’t offer a huge amount of other services. There’s no restaurant, but you can order supper from The Kitchen each evening between 6pm-9pm and either eat it in the communal dining/kitchen or take it as room service. But with Glasgow literally on your doorstep, you’ll want to get out there and explore the wealth of exciting restaurants and bars on offer.
Picture by Tom Harrison
That’s exactly what Grasshoppers is about – it’s a little hub of homely luxury in the centre of the city. A stylish base camp waiting to welcome you home after a day of shopping in the Merchant City or a night of dancing and drams in the West End.
On the day of our departure and sadly our last day in the city, we headed to the Grasshoppers’ Kitchen for a breakfast to set us up for the day. Eggs and bacon, as well as fresh fruit, bread and yoghurts are on offer, and you’re then left to your own devices to get on with your day.
Saying that, we asked for some recommendations from the Grasshoppers’ staff, on how to spend our final day in the city. The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Lighthouse, just a stone’s throw from the hotel, and visible, poking up above the Glasgow skyline, from the window, was recommended as a must-visit. We hopped along and so glad were we that we did, as it turned out to be the perfect way to roundup our trip. Climbing up the six floors of spiral staircase, we hit the top. Panoramic views of the city met us at the top, and across the red brick roofs, long block-style streets and Glasgow Central Station, we spotted our bedroom at Grasshoppers. What a way to say goodbye to the city.
Need To Know:
Rooms: 30
Rates: Doubles from £79 per night
Check-In Time: You can check-in from 2pm or earlier subject to your room being available. Luggage may be left, free of charge, prior to check in.
Checkout Time: You can check out until 11am. Luggage may be left, free of charge, after check out providing it is later collected the same day.
Facilities: The Kitchen serves daily breakfast and supper. The Bar offers a range of wines, beers and spirits, and treats are available from reception throughout the day. Bedrooms come with a Samsung 32” television, free Wi-Fi internet access and its own HD SKY BOX with SKY sports, SKY news, additional sports channels and SKY movies, and Arran Associates toiletries in the bathrooms.
How to get there: Grasshoppers is located on Union Street, 1minute walk from Glasgow Central Station, and the city’s biggest shopping district, attractions, bars and restaurants. Glasgow International Airport is approximately a 20minute taxi ride away.
Grasshoppers Hotel Glasgow, 87 Union Street, Glasgow G1 3TA
Tel. 0141 222 2666 Email: [email protected]