Arthouse: Glasgow's new hipster hotel with rooms from £99 and the city's most hyped restaurant

Given its status as a beloved hipster art, music, nightlife and more recently, foodie, destination, Glasgow should already have a hotel like Arthouse.

Why would you not tap into the huge array of local talent on your doorstep?

And yet, here it is, after a stylish make-under, a former grand mansion-turned-Department of Education headquarters, filled with the best the city has to offer – from art sourced from local artists and galleries, to locally produced Bare Bones chocolate, even a soundtrack by local DJ, Illyus Brown.

Style

Cody Bamford

The terrazzo flooring may have been uncovered under the previous hotel’s tired carpets, but there’s a buzz about Arthouse that has exorcised the trepidatious clack-clacking of job-seeking teachers’ heels, replacing it with the trundle of wheelie suitcases and shuffle of hipster sneakers.

A-nrd, the design studio behind the considered de-furb of the building, have married the best existing features with interesting contemporary design and plush materials.

Much of the decor is stripped back so as to fully spotlight features such as the original stained glass windows, timber panelling and, in the second floor rooms, quite incredible ceiling heights.

Wooden flooring has been patched in places, small chips and scratches, even a large crack in what remains a perfectly functional bathroom basin, are left visible.

Cody Bamford

This is all polished by new bespoke joinery with platform beds integrated with room-dividing desks, benches and coffee stations.

Furniture is a mixture of 20th century vintage pieces (many reupholstered in Bute fabrics) and new commissions.

It’s all anchored by the gleaming bronze antique birdcage lift at the heart of the building, which adds an almost steampunk touch to proceedings.

Fittingly for a city with such a strong artistic reputation, artworks are displayed throughout the common parts and in the rooms, sourced from local artists and galleries.

Cody Bamford

The hotel has also launched an annual award and commission for a student at Glasgow School of Art, which will then be added to Arthouse’s collection and there’s a programme of talks and events in connection with local arts institutions.

Good to know

Book a table for dinner at beloved local restaurant Celentano’s, which was lured to relocate to the hotel and is still drawing the Insta-elite with its Italian-ish (by way of Korea, France, etc.) food and small-producer wine.

Breakfast is also served in here, a lighter, more wholesome offering than the full Scottish. Think smoked fish, rather than fried haggis, and house made breads, jams, cakes, yoghurt and granola.

Celentano’s

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In line with its mission to help guests get under the skin of the city, Arthouse has also produced a series of booklets with local recommendations for culture, wellness, foodies and families, which you can pop in your pocket before you head out exploring.

Don’t miss hotly recommended brunch at Outlier, Korean street food at Kimchi Cult, outstanding seafood at Crabshakk, sharing plates and small-producer wine at Gloriosa, or Spanish-inspired dishes at Cornershop.

Browse vinyls at legendary Monorail Music, pop into Ripe Mags (who’ve also supplied selected glossy titles to Arthouse), then swing by Transmission Gallery or the Modern Institute for a culture fix.

You can buy bottles to take home from The Caravan Shop but why not pop the cork and enjoy it over delicious small plates in the intimate premises? Head on for late-night cocktails at The Gate.

Get the look

Cody Bamford

The hand blown pendant lights are by Edinburgh glass artist Vicky Higginson (@vickyhigginson), ceramic details by Westhouse Pottery (westhousepottery.co.uk).

The artworks displayed throughout the building are by David Iain Brown (@davidiainbrown), or pick up a copy of the Glasgow Art Map provided by the hotel to truffle out a piece to take home with you.