Radisson RED is the latest hotel to pop up in Glasgow and it is located in my favourite/most trendy part of town. I was so intrigued by the way Radisson have designed and marketed this chain of hotels I was itching to take a look around… further than the skybar (which I have visited a few times). The idea around this revolutionary hotel is to demolish the rigid rules and stuffiness that we are all too familiar with when booking accommodation. Strict check out times? Rubbish wi-fi? Annoying key systems? Naff decor? Slow check in process? Well, after a night at Radisson RED I can confirm they have achieved to abolish ALL of that, and more. 
Radisson is really tapping into popular millennial culture here – they’ve focused purely on a concept to attract young adults and I think they have succeeded in creating something that is bold, creative and functional. Everything just works – there is no faffing, no fussing and I think that’s what we really expect from a contemporary brand promoting versatility. 
The most popular aspect of this hotel for locals has been the skybar, I’ve seen it popping up on Instagram stories each and everyday. Especially with recent glorious weather, the outdoor rooftop area has been a buzz of excitement for Glasgow – something we have needed for sometime. West facing, the skybar has incredible sunsets most evenings – overlooking the Clyde, the Finniston Cran and Glasgow’s most popular music venues, the Hydro and the SECC. So this hotel is also more than ideal if you’re visiting Glasgow for a concert or event at these venues. 
My room was a corner suite located on the 6th floor, and if anyone was watching my Instagram on Thursday you probably experienced my sheer excitement over the skyline views from the MASSIVE dual aspect windows. There was so much space, it felt more like a studio flat than a hotel room. The decor was contemporary, functional and minimal… but bright and super comfortable and clean. I read online that Radisson RED have an ‘anti-beige’ policy, which made me laugh but it’s very true. You won’t find any brown or beige in this hotel, every corner is popping with colour and artwork. 
Location
Located in Glasgow’s West End adjacent to the SSE Hydro, SEC Armadillo and SEC Centre and only a 15 minute walk from the city centre. The hotel is also a short 5 minute walk to Finnieston (Argyll st) where you can find some of Glasgow’s best restaurants. Some of my favourites on this street are, The Gannet, The Finnieston, Six by Nico, Rioja, and Alchemilla. Along with some great bars such as – Lebowskis, Kelvingrove Cafe, Rioja (also a lovely bar), and my favourite pubs – The Ben Nevis, The Islay Inn and The Park Bar! 
Room
Simple, contemporary, spacious and extremely comfortable. The bed in my room was at least king size, and fitted with the most comfortable mattress I’ve ever slept on. I was blown away by the panoramic views and the laid back atmosphere this room created – somewhere I would actually like to hang out and have a few drinks with friends. I had a 55″ TV and Soundbar that streamed from my phone or laptop which meant I easily linked up my Netflix account. We had a BYOB fridge, which I absolutely loved – so I knew I didn’t have to sneakily smuggle a bottle of prosecco into my room. Bright and snazzy bathroom – everything was clean, everything worked, zero complaints! 
Side note – these gorgeous PJs were the cherry on top to my perfect night away. They are from Scottish luxury sleepwear brand feleil, and are made with the softest satin i’ve ever felt. Perfect for silking around your hotel room in! Topaz blue pyjama set
Facilities
RED fitness – we used the gym in the morning post breakfast – which was totally fine since check out wasn’t until midday. I usually expect hotel gyms to be basic, and although being a fairly small space the RED fitness gym was well equiped and had everything I needed for a quick hitt first thing.
RED skybar – As I said before, I’ve been to the skybar a handful of times and I love the space. There is an indoor and outdoor area, both with skyline and river views to watch the sunset at night. They have a great cocktail menu and snacks from the OUIbar, so an ideal place to come for pre drinks or nightcaps. 
Events and games studio – we didn’t use these spaces, but they did look really inviting and comfortable. If only we had time for a few games of foosball!
OUIbar & KTCHN – this is a pretty relaxed space on the ground floor, they have a kind of canteen cafe vibe where you can drink cocktails and have a few games of pool. We didn’t eat here in the evening, but had breakfast the next day which had a really lovely selection of hot and cold food. Really fresh pastries, meats & cheeses, overnight oats and berries, as well as an array of hot plates… and great coffee. 
Special features
Radisson RED have developed an app to basically take care of you throughout your stay. It means your phone becomes your room key, you can request anything you like, food, drinks, an extra pillow… and read all the information about your stay via their app.
Cleanliness
Nothing to say other than the place was immaculate!
Service
Radisson RED pride themselves on being pretty chilled, and they absolutely are. Im sure most of us have experience the mad hotel rush to get to breakfast in time and then out the door before check out… Radisson RED are already on top of that with relaxed breakfast times, and a late (12pm) check out. We were even able to extent our check out time to 1pm without hesitation.
Any complaints?
My only criticism (and it’s a small one), is that the bar service at the Skybar that evening was exceptionally slow. I wanted to grab a cocktail before heading out to an event, but after 15 minutes I decided I would be better to leave it and have drinks later that night. With it being such a new hotel I assume that the speed of service will only improve every day.
Overall I had a fantastic stay and would absolutely recommend the hotel for anyone visiting Glasgow.
Thanks for reading
Rona McMillan 