Undercover hotel visit: Blythswood Square, Glasgow

IN a nod to the building’s past as home to the Royal Scottish Automobile Club, sepia-tinted images of the days in which the Monte Carlo Rally started on the street outside adorn lampshades in the restaurant of the Blythswood Square Hotel, as well as in rooms upstairs. Their presence should serve as a timely reminder to the management of the exacting standards of maintenance required to keep a finely-tuned machine running smoothly.

The Blythswood opened to great acclaim in 2009 in the wake of a redevelopment estimated to have weighed in at £25 million. There remains much to like about its B-listed Georgian splendour, particularly the attentive front-of-house staff, some exceptional public rooms and an excellent location in the heart of Glasgow.

It would not take a terrific amount to get back up to speed, but a look under the bonnet suggests all is not operating as it should. For starters, the decor in the corridors leading to our room were scuffed and tired. Five minutes in the front door and, already, the anticipation of a five-star experience was, rather like the route of the Monte Carlo Rally, heading south.

We had booked a superior double. Perhaps the price – a reasonable £159 with breakfast included – should have hinted at a hotel not entirely confident in exactly where it is pitching itself. Unfortunately, on this occasion, it had attracted a group of individuals on our floor whose idea of leisure time involved playing the most awful music at the most awful volume with their door ajar.

That can be put down to ill fortune. There can, however, be no such forgiveness for signs of wear and tear in the accommodation.

There was a chunk of wood missing from a panel on the front of the bathroom door, one of the ceiling panels in the bathroom was loose and the remote control handset for our television was so worn it was impossible to discern the function of the buttons. These are not issues that will make or break a stay, but the details must be right when the corporate literature hammers on about five-star standards.

The Salon Bar proved a most appealing place for pre-dinner drinks. The wine list is above par with something for all budgets and the staff help create a convivial mood in a lovely setting that would be improved further by the removal of two quite incongruous photographs of women in traditional Japanese dress at the top of the room.

The atmosphere in the downstairs restaurant was buzzy and enticing, too. Even the finest fare loses a little of its pizazz in the funereal silences often found in five-star hotels, but the Blythswood, with its commitment to a certain informality, is an enlivening place in which to spend an evening.

Sadly, the food fell considerably short of expectations.

There could be no complaints about a scallop starter served on a lightly curried pumpkin sauce with pumpkin seeds and pickled squash, but the squid-ink risotto with calamari rings and chorizo was disjointed and disappointing.

The chorizo tasted remarkably like chistorra, a heavily-spiced speciality of the Navarra region in Spain, which is traditionally eaten with fried potatoes and egg. It overpowered everything on the plate but, given the ordinariness of the risotto, that was not exactly difficult.

We ordered steaks, medium-rare, from the kitchen’s charcoal grill for mains. When one was brought to the table well done the staff addressed the situation commendably, but such errors are disruptive to the natural flow of a meal and our table was not the only one to voice complaints.

The less said about the desserts, the better. The chocolate mousse was devoid of lightness but remains a triumph in comparison to the soggy lump of gingerbread cheesecake delivered alongside it.

It was all such a pity. The restaurant, the former ballroom of the RSAC Club, is quite beautiful, nicely lit in the evenings and a wonderful venue in which to enjoy a leisurely morning repast. Breakfast service, for example, was splendid.

For the early birds there is an award-winning spa with a thermal suite, two relaxation pools and a range of treatments. It seems a little mean-spirited, though, that residents are only permitted to use it free of charge between 7am and 9am and 6pm and 9pm. Otherwise, a £30 charge is levied per person.

It is just one of many tweaks the management could consider. At the risk of using one motoring analogy too many, the Blythswood feels like a place approaching a crossroads.

ATMOSPHERE

Generally informal and with excellent waiting staff, this is a contemporary, comfortable space with fine Georgian architecture. Staff from doorman to receptionists are most welcoming and helpful too. 4/5

FOOD

Desserts were disappointing and there is no excuse for failing to cook a steak properly. Underwhelming with a couple of nearby tables also registering complaints. 2/5

VALUE

It's possible to book room only at the right time for under £100. There's also a menu offering £22 for three courses but the food, on our visit, was not up to scratch. Spa treatments can be expensive and it costs £27.50 a day to have your car parked. 3/5

ROOM

The Superior Double is an acceptable size with a comfortable bed, a sofa, a desk, a marble bathroom, bathrobes, slippers, tea and coffee-making facilities and a mini-bar. Our room required minor repairs, though. 4/5

FACILITIES

The spa is modern and respected, but free access for residents is limited. There is only one public restaurant with one gents' toilet a considerable distance away. The city centre is on the doorstep, though, and there is 24-hour room service, laundry and complimentary wi-fi. 3/5

TOTAL 16/25

THE DAMAGE
Superior double room with breakfast and three-course dinner for two with one bottle of wine £286
Superior double room with breakfast £159
Three-course dinner for two, excluding drinks £95.50