• 1. Where to Stay
• 2. Where to Eat
• 3. What to Do
• 4. Insider’s Tip
• 5. An Oddball Day

Grasshoppers is hidden away on the top floor of an office building; citizenM's rooms are all futuristic "pods."   (Photo: Courtesy of Grasshoppers (L); courtesy of citizenM (R))

Stay within walking distance of the famed Glasgow School of Art (daily one-hour tours, $14) at Blythswood Square (from $207), a 100-room property housed in a landmark Georgian building in the city center. The hotel’s Harris tweed–decorated rooms are split between a historic section with marble fireplaces and crystal chandeliers, and a new extension that includes a 10,000-square-foot spa.

Ignore the drab lobby leading up to Grasshoppers (from $136), a boutique hotel that opened last year on the penthouse floor of an office building. Once you’re upstairs, you’ll find flair in 30 rooms featuring engravings by local artist Ian McNicol and handmade wallpaper in different patterns. Ask for a room overlooking Central Station; its glass roof is the largest in Europe. In the morning, head to the kitchen for complimentary breakfast treats prepared by co-owner Joanne, who runs the hotel with husband Sean.

Scope out TripAdvisor’s 2012 pick for trendiest hotel, citizenM (from $78), before the tech-themed chain opens its first Stateside branch in Times Square next summer. Self-service terminals in the red-and-black-hued lobby allow guests to check into prefab, soundproof “pods” outfitted with Vitra chairs, floor-to-ceiling windows, and remote-controlled mood lighting.

Published on Apr 13, 2012 as a web exclusive.