Plaza trip is real deal for piece of city life
And the upper floors of the modern, upmarket hotel give such wonderful panoramic views of the river and city that it seems a shame to hide them behind lace curtains.
The location is perfect for those who want to be just outside the hustle and bustle of city centre hotels, but for those planning a Christmas shopping trip it is within easy striking distance of the shops and attractions.
If you’re attending a gig or event at the SECC, the hotel is on its doorstep and also the rail station which connects to Glasgow Central. Otherwise it’s a pleasant 20-minute walk along the wide riverside pavement to the centre – or a 10-minute walk over the bridge from Ibrox Stadium on the other side of the river.
Motorway connections from the site are pretty straightforward and the hotel is, in good traffic flow, less than 15 minutes drive from the airport and retail parks.
However despite ample space alongside, one irritation is the daily £6 charge for car parking which you would normally only associate with city centre hotels.
The Crowne Plaza is part of the giant InterContinental group which also includes the Holiday Inn brand and lives up to the high standards you would expect from such an organisation.
The public areas are bright and polished and staff helpful and friendly. Three lifts take guests to rooms in the tower block – one of these elevators being glass and giving views onto the river and city.
Our room for the weekend was on the 11th floor and the day and night views from the large window were fantastic. The king-size bed was firm and one of the most comfortable I have slept in.
There was a reasonable amount of space in the room for two, with a table and two armchairs along with a writing desk. The bathroom was modern with a good selection of toiletries provided and also a super shaving mirror as well as a handy pull-out wash-line over the shower.
Additional room comforts included robes, an LCD TV, a small fridge containing bottled water and a hostess tray of tea, coffee and biscuits.
The room was spotlessly clean but the appearance was spoiled by two large stains on the carpet which regularly caught the eye and, I suspect, could have been removed with a quick wash.
One drawback to a comfortable night’s sleep was the high temperature in the room and the loud noise of the air-conditioning if switched on to counter this during the night. We compromised on the second night by switching on the air-con for a few hours and then off when going to bed.
There are various meal options available in the spacious two-tier restaurant which overlooks the river and is framed on one wall by a spectacular mural of scenes from the shipbuilding glory days of the Clyde. A bar meal menu offered discounted drinks with certain dishes while a full a la carte menu was available in the restaurant as well as a hot and cold self-service buffet.
The £23 per head DBB allowance covered the buffet and on the individual menu would buy at least two courses, including a steak main.
The atmosphere was relaxed but a slight jarring factor was the strange choice of dance beat background music for long periods with a particularly annoying monotonous drumbeat. Conversely, at breakfast classical music was played.
We opted for the self-service buffet which included a soup starter and a salad bar which also featured delicate smoked mackerel, pickled herring and pate. The mains selection at the hot buffet featured roast turkey, gammon steak and two stews (pork and beef), although there was quite a limited choice in the vegetables and rice area to accompany.
The meal was well-cooked and wholesome with a selection of four desserts to follow.
However, be wary of prices for beer and particularly wine, which were a bit on the high side – and the bar can get rather busy for a while at the end of a concert in the SECC.
Breakfast is served in the same restaurant, with cereal and fruit counters and a substantial hot buffet, although queues tend to quickly form there at busy periods – particularly when the replenishment of the fried eggs tray is a bit slow.
For those who want to burn off the calories afterwards, there is a well-equipped gym and also a good-sized swimming pool.
The atmosphere in the Crowne Plaza is relaxed and friendly and its location so close to the city centre is ideal for those who don’t want the hassle of traffic and busy streets. But there is considerable building work going on at a major development in the immediate vicinity so there could be some noise during the week.
For those considering shopping trips, entertainment, sport or special occasions in Glasgow, the advance booking tariffs makes the hotel an affordable and comfortable choice well worth considering – especially when special packages are on offer.
FACT FILE
Crowne Plaza
* Location – Congress Road, Glasgow, G3 8QT (next to SECC),
* How to get there – 3.5 hours drive from Inverness. Leave M8 at Junction 19 and follow signs for SECC and then Crown Plaza.
* Prices – Currently offering B&B from £69 per room per night where available. Advance booking DBB typically ranges from £110-£169 per night in winter months.
* For details, visit www.cpglasgowhotel.co.uk or call 0141 306 9988.
