HOTEL of the week

MALMAISON HOTEL GLASGOW

The Malmaison is on the site of a former Greek Orthodox church in the heart of Glasgow. A beautiful building from the 1800s which was renovated in 1994, there’s nothing orthodox about its modern makeover. Its 72 rooms are big and comfortable and the great food and wine at the Chez Mal Bar and Brasserie guarantee a sophisticated boutique experience.

ON THE MENU: The Chez Mal offers a surprisingly private dining experience, with many of the tables set in half-moon booths. The friendly staff know their stuff, and it’s always good to see an open kitchen. The Seared Cornish sea scallops with chorizo, spinach purée, samphire and vierge dressing (€15) and the tempura of calamari and tiger prawns with chilli jam & crème fraîche (€10) are sumptuous starters, but there are plenty more to choose from. My 300g Ribeye steak (€30) was perfectly cooked and the Keralan Monkfish curry with tiger prawn, clam and mussels, grilled coriander flat bread, fragrant rice & red chilli (€20) was a delight. With a portion of truffle and parmesan

pommes frites (€6) we were done but there’s a nice selection of puds too. A sommelier is always on hand to give you advice on the wines.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE The O2 Arena is two minutes’ walk from the hotel so keep an eye out for the latest gigs. It’s also well worth walking westwards to the up and coming Finnieston area where you will find an eclectic mixture of bars, shops and restaurants. The Glasgow Exhibition Centre and the world famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum are also nearby.

WAKE-UP CALL A standard double suite with breakfast and dinner is from €112 on certain dates. malmaison.com or call 0044 0330 016 0380 CHRISTOPHER MOONEY