When I tell people that yes, I greatly enjoyed my visit to Glasgow thanks, although it was bit rainy, I recieve the raised-eyebrow treatment. 'Raining, maybe it was? Really?', they are saying, when of course, the things they mean is, 'Well what have you expect-?' Yet despite, or perhaps due to, the torrential downpour that greeted us upon stepping from Glasgow Central station (I'd arrived equipped to deal with no more than just a little London drizzle, obviously), the Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens was as warm, welcoming and whisky-filled when i might have hoped for.
Upon coming to the row of 5 listed townhouses that comprise your accommodation, we were greeted by a kilt-clad doorman, who quickly cemented the hotel's reputation for both top-notch service and elegance. Inside, One Devonshire Gardens has retained its old-fashioned Scottish charm, with tartan carpets and wooden staircases throughout. We checked into among the hotel's Large Grand Rooms – which, frankly, is one of the same size as my London flat – with sultry carmine walls, a freestanding bath, an enormous corner sofa as well as an a great deal larger bed. Stunning Victorian features sit happily alongside an iPod dock and monsoon shower, in addition to a lot of pillows and cushions everywhere, simply to emphasise the five star luxury from it all. It's certainly easy to understand why this particular branch of the Hotel du Vin has attracted celebrity guests including Jon Bon Jovi, Britney Spears and George Clooney.
Downstairs within the hotel's award-winning bistro restaurant, oak-paneled walls line the unapologetically formal dining space. The starter of pan-fried scallops with squid ink noodles comes accompanied by poached oysters and caviar – a deliciously rich dish which I am genuinely glad to find is modestly portioned, for fear I merely would not have had the opportunity to stop eating it. I follow this track of monkfish, because it is perhaps my favourite thing to eat ever – as such, it's something I've devoured in a wide array of eateries and can attest that the monkfish on offer at One Devonshire Gardens is some of the highest quality I've eaten. My guest orders the turkey roast, that is pretty much everything you’d expect except, crucially, it looks far classier than anything you'd find inside my house on a Sunday. It also tastes incredible (so I'm told); what Gwyneth ate during her stay I'll don't know.
The overnight we venture into Glasgow's West End, where I predictably spend a lot of money within the area's many vintage boutiques, before taking shelter (yes, it had been still raining) in city's renowned Botanic Gardens. I'm not really one for greenery – I don't have an outdoor and I've killed quite a few cacti within my time – and largely decided to the Gardens on the basis that the glass conservatory looked to be both warm and comparatively dry. I wasn't disappointed on either count, but soon realised that botanic gardens and garden centres are drastically various things. In short, I would thoroughly recommend this extraordinary tropical hideaway to anyone visiting the city – you can shop and drink cocktails anywhere.
The Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens is made for weekends like this. The décor is dark, the food is sumptuous and also the bathrobes are fluffy; a unique type of cosy decadence that makes the bad weather feel like an added bonus. During my stay I also discovered that the hotel hosts its very own cigar shack, that I never did venture, and a dedicated whisky room, to which I would did on several occasion. It's understandable that overnight visitors should try the haggis at breakfast and, of an evening, try to secure a spot by the roaring fire within the bar. You'll never want to leave.
