Low Cost Doesn't Need To Be Cheap: Point A Glasgow
Staying in any large city centre for a couple of night is usually expensive and Glasgow is no exception. There are many affordable hotels within the G1-3 postcode Ideal for a city break but they tend to get snapped up quickly. Getting a nice room at a reasonable price in a good location is the holy trinity of hotel booking.
Point A is a low-cost hotel brand from Queensway and the Glasgow Point A is the only one of the chain outside of London. Its message is modern, comfortable and affordable with a focus on giving you everything you need to 'do what you’ve come here to do’ an appealing message for those who travel regularly or on business.
You’re greeted by a modern bright reception with two stand up desks and a large staircase that takes you up to the first floor communal/ breakfast area. The staff at reception gave a friendly welcome and were clear and concise with information about the hotel and our stay. Chain hotels can often feel disconnected from the areas they’re situated in that's not the case here, on the walls of the reception area were pictures and 3D image boxes of Glasgow landmarks that gave a strong sense of place and a splash of colour to the spaceship-like entrance.
From the outside it’s unimposing, so when you take the lift to your floor and see the communal/ breakfast space taking up the centre of the building it’s a sight you’re not expecting. This space feels designed for the 21st-century guest; flexible seating areas, power sockets, and large TV’s. The breakfast is continental with a decent selection of cereals, pastries, yoghurt and drinks to choose from.
The local feeling you get from the artwork in the reception space is carried on into the rooms. The walls have coloured outlines of Glasgow landmarks, replacing the random piece of art that you would find hanging in a traditional budget hotel room. The space struck me as clean and bright, white walls with the odd bit of colour. Fold down table, high shelves and nooks in the wall for you to put odd’s and end’s into, this was a space designed to be functional.
A quirky highlight of the room was the lighting control, a box on the wall as you walk in with a circular pallet that allows you to choose the colour of the lights around the ceiling. A unique touch that makes a simple room pop, you can also set the lights to disco if you fancy a rave before bedtime.
What should you expect when staying at an affordable hotel? Is it comfortable, clean and quiet? These are the areas I mainly take into account. Point A was all of these things but what sets it apart was the high standard of customer service and friendly welcome we were given, not just on checking in but for the duration of our stay. A testament to how much I enjoyed the experience is that I needed to stay in the city a week later and deliberately booked a room at Point A.
A treat in the heart of Glasgow.
Point A, 80 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 2EN
glasgow@pointahotels.com
Cost: £40. Breakfast £5 (in advance £6 on the day.)