If the new season of The Traitors has got you planning a Scotland escape, this stunning hotel in Glasgow city centre is a real treat, says Laura Mulley
06:00, 01 Jan 2026Updated 15:57, 01 Jan 2026
A stylish stay in the centre of Glasgow(Image: Damian Russell)
A 10-minute walk from Glasgow’s Central Station in quiet, townhouse-lined Blythswood Square, you’ll find the Kimpton hotel. Here a cheery doorman welcomes you into a grand foyer complete with ornate pillars, plush seating and a glittering chandelier stretching up several floors, giving glam but elegant first impressions.
Our spacious Premier King room featured an original fireplace and bath that could be opened to look out into the bedroom, should you so wish. Complimentary soft drinks in the minibar were a nice touch, as were the little bottles of Glaswegian gin and tonic waiting on ice.
A few other unique services make the Kimpton Blythswood Square feel more like a home away from home: they’ll provide essentials such as toothbrushes and phone chargers if you’ve forgotten yours, and you can rent a handbag from Scottish luxury leather brand Strathberry for free. One new feature is the hotel’s Stay Well offering, allowing guests to borrow state-of-the-art wellness tools such as LED masks and Therabody muscle pummellers.
Where to eat in Glasgow
Kimpton Blythswood Square’s restaurant is called iasg (from the Gaelic word for ‘fish’), and as its name suggests, the fish and seafood on the menu is a real highlight. The BBQ monkfish came highly recommended and did not disappoint, while the fish and chips were the chunkiest we’d ever seen, and cooked to perfection.
Breakfast is served here too and offers an excellent continental buffet plus hearty hot dishes, including full Scottish breakfast favourites.
Outside of the hotel, we received a few recommendations from locals that are well worth checking out: Ardnamurchan for elevated Scottish classics (we loved the veggie haggis, neeps and tatties), popular pasta joint Sugo (worth the queue), and little authentic Italian cafe Sarti for delicious coffee and friendly service.
Kimpton Blythswood Square
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A stylish five-star hotel in Glasgow’s city centre with an impressive spa, top restaurant and luxury items fashion and wellness items available to borrow.
What to do in Glasgow
If you’re new to Glasgow it’s worth just spending some time wandering around its streets, admiring the striking architecture and colourful mural trail before heading up the hill to the imposing Gothic-style Necropolis. It’s no surprise that Glasgow is regularly used as a Hollywood filming location; apparently we’d just missed Tom Holland here filming scenes for the new Spider-Man movie.
Back at the hotel, Kimpton’s spa features various different hot rooms and pools, including a few even us seasoned spa-goers had never seen before: a snow room (Scotland’s first), and a cave-like dark pool, lit only by tiny LED lights in the ceiling.
Five months pregnant at the time, my therapist expertly worked into my tight muscles using oil from Scottish spa brand Ishga while still keeping me comfortable – even my bump got a gentle massage.
How much does it cost to stay at Kimpton Blythswood Square?
THE Signet Collection is one of my personal favourite hotel brands in the UK, with properties tucked away in countryside locations where you can snuggle down in cosy nooks near a roaring fireplace.
The Barnsdale is its third property, which opened in 2023. Here’s everything you need to know.
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People come for the outdoor Signet SpaCredit: The Barnsdalefamily rooms that come with a double bed and a separate bedroom with bunk bedsCredit: The Barnsdale
Where is The Barnsdale?
This elegant retreat sits just a stone’s throw from one of the UKs most famous reservoirs, Rutland water.
It’s immersed in isolated countryside, so you’ll want to drive and take advantage of the parking on site.
Oakham train station is around a ten-minute drive away if you’d rather use public transport.
What is The Barnsdale like?
The Barnsdale has all the charm of a dainty cottage in the Cotswold, but with the hospitality benefits of a 4* hotel.
A former hunting lodge constructed in 1760 that – despite the installation of modern amenities – still has an old world feel to it in the form of grand paintings and varnished wooden furnishings.
It has an air of posh members club to it, only without the price tag.
What are the rooms like?
Each of the 46 rooms is decorated in a typically English style with pastel-toned walls, frilly cushions and patterned armchairs.
The Classic is the smallest and cheapest of the bunch and worth it for the lower price.
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The only difference in rooms, bar the decorative tweaks, tends to be size and the view (the Royal Room has one of the best).
Classic rooms cost from £85 per night with brekkie. Click here to book.
What is there to eat and drink?
The hotel’s 1760 Brasserie serves classic British favourites including seared scallops doused in butter and a mouthwatering 32-day dry-aged rib-eye served with chips.
I opted for the Atlantic cod which was seasoned well and served with an unctuous vermouth sauce.
Anyone with a sweet tooth will love the sticky toffee pud – this one’s a real crowd pleaser.
What else is there to do at The Barnsdale?
People come for the outdoor Signet Spa where wood-fired hot tubs, a heated pool and a glass-walled sauna overlook fields of grazing Highland cows.
It’s a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, sipping on sparkling wine and admiring the creatures munching away on the grass.
The only downside to the spa being entirely outdoors is the unpredictability of the British weather.
Fret not, though – every spa guest is given a DryRobe and flipflops to plod around in.
They can keep this for the duration of their stay.
When the drizzle hit, we persevered in our tub. Big thanks to the staff member who swiftly came to the rescue with a couple of umbrellas.
Massages can often be overpriced, but not here.
My therapist truly listened to my needs and pressure preferences, ensuring I enjoyed every one of those 60 blissful minutes.
Is The Barnsdale family friendly?
Families are well accommodated at The Barnsdale with specific family rooms that come with a double bed and a separate bedroom with bunk beds which comes complete with a cuddly lion toy to keep.
When little ones aren’t taking advantage of the outdoor play areas they can have a get stuck into some classic board games in the Rod Room.
Looking for a place to stay? For more hotel inspiration click here.
The hotel sits close to Rutland WaterCredit: AlamyBarnsdale in Rutland. Supplied by The BarnsdaleCredit: The barnsdale
Mirror reporter Julia Banim enjoyed a winter spa break at A-list favourite and foodie haven Carden Park, and a little bit of drizzle did nothing to dampen her spirits
06:00, 20 Dec 2025Updated 07:14, 20 Dec 2025
With Christmas fast approaching, I was fortunate enough to enjoy a winter spa break at a hotel beloved by celebs, and I’m happy to say it’s not down south.
Nestled in the Cheshire countryside, Carden Park is reportedly a favourite of A-lister couples such as Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, as well as Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury. And the spa garden, complete with jacuzzis, fire pits, and heated glass pods, may well leave you feeling like you’re on a very high-end version of Love Island.
Back when I’m A Celebrity was filmed in North Wales during the pandemic, Carden Park even served as a plush eviction hotel for booted off campmates. It must have felt like a true haven for contestants after their insect infested ordeal, but what does this glam retreat have to offer for an average Joe such as myself?
Situated in complete seclusion amid lush green grounds, it’s no wonder that stars favour this haven of relaxation, which feels a world away from the bustle of city life. But, with pretty Chester and the bargain heaven that is Cheshire Oaks just around the corner, shopaholics won’t have much to complain about.
If you listen carefully during the sweeping drive through the grounds, you may well hear the gentle putt of a golf ball, but today, I’m in no mood for sport. It’s time to completely unwind and put all the stresses of the dark and gloomy season aside.
The spa building is separate from the hotel, an elegant, immaculate building which smells heavenly. The staff are warm and welcoming, and the bathrobes are soft and fluffy. I’m here on a girls’ weekend with my mum and my sister, and I can’t think of a better place to natter the day away over some celebratory fizz.
Now, stripping to your swimsuit on a drizzly November day isn’t for the faint-hearted, but I can assure you that once you slip your shoulders under the waters of the vitality pool, you’re absolutely away.
The sky is clear and blue, and I can barely tear myself away from my tranquil spot for my spa treatment, a wonderfully indulgent 50-minute Time-to-Pause ritual treatment, which left my sunlight-deprived skin glowing and petal soft.
Admittedly, I sometimes struggle to drift off during spa treatments and find myself anxiously making to-do lists in my head, but here I found myself almost completely disconnected from the world.
It certainly helps that, after you’re done with treatments, you have a choice of relaxation rooms to unwind in before entering reality. This includes a sensory room, complete with soothing screen, and, my personal favourite, the deep relaxation room, where the crackling fire offered a very seasonal feel.
Famished from all my ‘lady of leisure-ing’, I head for lunch at Elements, where we enjoy matching, and tasty, Tandoori Chicken Open Sandwiches overlooking the spa garden, washed down with some of the most delicious peach mimosas I’ve ever had. Any future visitors should make sure to grab a portion of the salt and pepper chips – a truly sensational side, and even better than your favourite chippy.
Even in what can feel like the greyest time of the year, the floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of light, and for a moment I feel as though we were back on holiday with a whole week of sunshine ahead of us.
The waiters also couldn’t be more lovely, even phoning down to the spa garden’s Bollinger champagne bar to ensure we had hot chocolate treats waiting for us when we returned. Very welcome when wearing flips in November.
Full from our hearty lunch, we head back down to the spa garden, to luxuriate in one of the glass pods with our hot chocs. Although we are already quite comfortable, a member of the bar staff came over with cuddly hot water bottles for us – a very sweet touch.
The bar is described as running in ‘all-weather’, and we certainly didn’t feel any less pampered for a bit of chill. That being said, we are Northern, and Southerners may well feel differently.
The afternoon soon melts away as we set about the very important task of trying out the spacious jacuzzis, plus the outdoor sauna, with its floor-to-ceiling window. It’s life I could very easily get used to. While we don’t mind a spot of drizzle, when it starts to rain, we head inside to the Indoor Thermal Suite.
While I would be more than happy with just the one sauna, Carden Park offers a relative gallery of thermal experiences, from a Finnish sauna to a Tepidarium, all encircling a sparkling ice fountain.
There are even two steam rooms to choose from – salt and aroma. I particularly enjoy the indoor vitality pool, which looks out over the garden and offers gorgeous therapeutic jets of bubbles.
I could happily float around gossiping in the vitality pool for hours, but it’s time to dry off and get glammed up for the next part of our dreamy day – dinner. We’re set to dine at Carden Park’s award-winning à la carte restaurant, The Vines, which has a swish yet welcoming feel.
Typically of me, I’ve forgotten my posh shoes and have to borrow some smart boots from my much more organised mum (this isn’t somewhere you stomp in with your muddy trainers!).
I am touched, however, by staff reassurances that they would have sorted me out with suitable shoes in a pinch, which definitely helps alleviate my embarrassment.
Carden Park Hotel is tastefully decorated, with a cosy feel perfect for blustery winter nights. But The Vines elevates this to a whole new level of elegance. Atmospheric, yet never daunting, we are made to feel at home, and there is a gently lively buzz to the room. The sort of sparkle you hope for any chatty girls’ night, albeit far posher than my usual Saturday.
The staff, are friendly and attentive, – an ongoing theme – while every single course on our taster menu is nothing short of superb. Even the freshly baked bread and butter is memorable.
There’s a real northern, comforting sense to the menu – the BBQ Cheshire Venison Loin is sublime – and there’s plenty of experimentation, with intriguing flavour inspirations from far and wide.
The roasted monkfish on the bones, served with bombay potatoes and a tasty coconut and kaffir lime sauce, is a real highlight. And I have to admit, even though I initially feel a little squeamish tucking into the chicken & rabbit galantine, this is dreamy.
Each dish is paired with a delicious drink, explained to us by the very knowledgable sommelier. I particularly love how creative these pairings were, with the sweet Hungarian Tokaji wine, which accompanies the caramelised apple pie, being my absolute favourite.
It’s always a surprise to me that this honeyed drink, which I can’t get enough of when in Budapest, hasn’t become fashionable among chic sorts in the UK yet.
In terms of my personal ranking, this is closely followed by the Brown Butter XO cocktail, served alongside the Banana & Popcorn Iced Parfait, which tastes like a desert in itself. There should be far more buttery cocktails in my opinion.
Although I try to pace myself, this is a table filled with temptation and I happily enjoy every drop. Really, is there a more blissful evening than sitting with two of your favourite people, enjoying a range of novel yet tasty treats? I think not.
When the time comes to leave the restaurant, I practically waddle to my room. I have a large appetite, and proud of it, but this hearty taster menu has defeated me. Thankfully, my room is clean, comfortable and with deep plush pillows. I’m soon enjoying the easy sleep of the truly rested.
Although I’ve enjoyed some lovely spa days in my time, I have to say nothing has ever come close to Carden Park. The setting is idyllic, the facilities are extensive, and every inch feels immaculate and well thought out.
Not to mention, the culinary experiences on offer are just as special as those found in the spa treatment rooms. Foodies, bring your appetites.
I will treasure my memories of Carden Park, and wholeheartedly recommend it as a winter bolthole, whether for a pre-Christmas getaway or January detox.
