Hotel Indigo Glasgow

Rooms and decor

Picture a Victorian-era red-brick industrial building in the middle of Glasgow's business district. This place was an 1893 power station that once fed electricity to trams running across the city, before it was restored and reborn as Hotel Indigo Glasgow in 2009, a 94-room 4-star boutique under the IHG umbrella. The fun part is that no two rooms are the same. The designers picked different Glasgow neighbourhoods as themes — bold feature wallpaper, wall art, and small furnishings that reference the city's history. Some rooms tell the story of Merchant City from its tobacco-merchant days; others nod to the West End and the university. Open the door for the first time and it feels like walking into a gallery you can sleep in. The overall tone is warm, dark wood set against vivid wall colour, with beds soft enough that several reviews single them out for an unusually good night's sleep. High-pressure showers and spotless bathrooms round it out — the kind of standard that has you up and ready to take on the day. Anyone tired of chain hotels that look identical the world over will likely fall for the details here from the first step.

Food and amenities

The heart of the ground floor is the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, the celebrated British chef's restaurant built right into the hotel — a classic, cinematic room of dark wood and warm lighting that serves quality Aberdeen Angus steak, fresh fish, and British-Scottish staples that stay on the menu. It's a solid choice for a proper dinner without leaving the building, and the bar corner suits a Scotch whisky after meetings wrap up. Breakfast is a full Scottish buffet with the works: a full Scottish breakfast with haggis, bacon, sausage, black pudding, eggs done several ways, fresh pastries, plus healthier options and fruit. Plenty of reviews call it generous and everything fresh. For the fitness-minded there's a 24-hour gym with a free sauna — not large, but enough to loosen up after a day on your feet. Free Wi-Fi runs throughout and is fast enough for online meetings, check-in and check-out are available 24 hours for late-arriving trips, and staff earn consistent praise for being friendly and as good as a long-time local friend when it comes to tips on restaurants, pubs and what to see.

Location and getting there

Location is another of Hotel Indigo Glasgow's strong cards: the hotel sits on Waterloo Street in the heart of the City Centre, in the city's main business district. What business travelers will love right away is that Glasgow Central Station, the city's biggest rail hub, is just a 4-minute walk away. From there you can hop a train to Edinburgh in around 50 minutes, or out to Loch Lomond in about an hour. Another 5-minute walk takes you to Buchanan Street, the main shopping strip lined with department stores and brands. If you're after somewhere to eat and drink at night, Merchant City (full of traditional Scottish pubs, restaurants and stylish cafes) is roughly a 10-minute walk. The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, one of the city's highlights, is a short bus or taxi ride away, and Glasgow International (GLA) is about 15-20 minutes by car. Real guests rate the location an impressive 9.3/10 — which says it all. Staying here, just about everything you'd want is within walking distance.

Things to know before booking

Let's be straight to help you decide. The thing reviews mention most is how much room sizes and layouts vary: this is a restored old power station, not a new build where every room is identical. Some rooms are roomy and comfortable; others are small and oddly shaped thanks to the building's footprint. If two of you are traveling with big suitcases, check the room photos and sizes when booking, or if you can, ask for a slightly higher room category. Second, there's no swimming pool — if you were hoping to cool off in the water after sightseeing you'll be out of luck; it's just the gym and sauna here. Parking is limited, costs extra and isn't guaranteed, so if you're driving, check a nearby public car park like Q-Park ahead of time. Third, some reviews note noise: rooms on the Waterloo Street side can pick up traffic and people from the business district turning into a small nightlife scene on Friday and Saturday nights, so light sleepers should ask for a room facing into the building. Last, a few guests felt breakfast got full and slow during busy high-season mornings — going down before 8am tends to be easier.

Our take

After reading through hundreds of real reviews, Hotel Indigo Glasgow sells the character of a historic power station, rooms that each tell a story about the city, and a business-district address 4 minutes from the train station — and it does it charmingly. If you're someone who's tired of chain hotels that look the same everywhere and want a stay with a story, eye-catching detail, and a spot you can jump on a train from to anywhere in the city or region, this hits the mark. It's best for business travelers, couples and solo guests who like a boutique hotel with real personality. Starting at around $137 a night, it's great value for a mid-range 4-star in the City Centre of a big city like Glasgow. But if you're counting on a pool, identically sized rooms, or easy on-site parking, the limits of an old building may give you pause. Overall we give it 8.9/10 — ideal for travelers who value story and location over the conveniences of a brand-new hotel.