4* Native Glasgow

Holiday Inn Express Glasgow City Riverside sits just south of Merchant City beside the Clyde, so you’re close to the gay bars without being right in the middle of the late-night action. Walk a few minutes north and you’re amongst the restaurants and LGBTQ+ venues around Merchant City; head the other way and the riverfront gives you an easy route towards the city’s museums and entertainment venues. St Enoch subway station and Glasgow Central are also nearby. Breakfast is included, which adds useful value to what is already one of the more affordable central options, and the atmosphere is straightforward and relaxed rather than trying too hard to be fashionable. GayMapper tip: a good all-round budget choice if you want nightlife walkable but appreciate somewhere a little quieter when you eventually head to bed.

If your Glasgow trip is likely to involve several nights out in Merchant City, Revolver puts you almost comically close to the action. It sits on Virginia Street, with some of the city’s best-known LGBTQ+ bars and clubs practically around the corner. It’s also one of the more sociable places to stay in the city, with everything from private king rooms and apartments to dorms and Japanese-style pods. That mix attracts plenty of solo travellers and groups, while the hotel’s inclusive, youthful atmosphere feels particularly at home in this part of Glasgow. There’s a gym, sauna and hot tub too, although the real selling point is being able to step outside and immediately have restaurants, bars, George Square and Merchant City around you. One thing to bear in mind: some private rooms use shared bathrooms, and this is a lively nightlife neighbourhood, so check your room type carefully if either matters to you. GayMapper tip: a great choice for solo travellers, friends and anyone who wants Glasgow’s LGBTQ+ nightlife almost outside the bedroom door.

Native remains our favourite Glasgow all-rounder, especially if you like having a bit more space than a normal hotel room. It sits just off George Square in the magnificent former Anchor Line headquarters, with Merchant City and its LGBTQ+ nightlife only a few minutes away. The building has retained plenty of its Edwardian character, but the accommodation is made up of studios and apartments with kitchens and proper living space. That makes Native particularly useful for longer stays, or simply if you’d rather not eat every meal out. Queen Street station, Buchanan Street and the city’s central attractions are all right on the doorstep, and there’s a huge choice of restaurants and bars nearby. GayMapper tip: our pick for combining gay nightlife, a genuinely central location and the freedom of having your own apartment rather than just a hotel room.

citizenM sits a little west of the Merchant City gay scene, but the trade-off is an excellent central location for shopping, theatres, restaurants and exploring more of Glasgow. Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street are close by, Queen Street station is around a ten-minute walk and the LGBTQ+ bars are still perfectly manageable on foot when you head out for the evening. Rooms are famously compact, but the huge beds, blackout blinds and smart controls make good use of the space. Much of the hotel experience happens downstairs, where the large living-room-style spaces and 24-hour canteenM give the place a more sociable feel than the average city hotel. GayMapper tip: particularly good for a short city break if you’re happy trading bedroom floor space for a big bed, a lively communal area and a very central location.

Hotel Indigo is a particularly useful choice if you like the idea of gay nightlife nearby but don’t necessarily want to stay right in Merchant City. Scotland’s long-running gay pub The Waterloo is just down the road, while the bigger cluster of LGBTQ+ venues to the east is around a 15-minute walk away. You’re also only a few minutes from Glasgow Central Station, which makes airport-bus and rail arrivals easy, and there are plenty of restaurants and bars around the surrounding city-centre streets. The hotel occupies a handsome Victorian building and feels more individual than many of the big chains nearby. Turbine 75 downstairs handles breakfast, dinner and drinks if Glasgow’s weather temporarily kills your enthusiasm for going back outside. GayMapper tip: a good couples’ choice if you want boutique style, Central Station nearby and easy access to both The Waterloo and the wider gay scene.

ibis Styles puts you between George Square and Merchant City, which is a particularly handy spot for a first Glasgow visit. The main LGBTQ+ bars are within an easy walk, while Buchanan Street, the Gallery of Modern Art and the city-centre restaurants are practically outside. Queen Street station is only a few minutes away and Central Station is also comfortably walkable, so this works well whether you’re arriving from elsewhere in Scotland or planning a day trip. The rooms have a colourful Glasgow-inspired look rather than standard budget-chain beige, and the bar downstairs is handy for a nightcap. Breakfast is available, although it’s no longer automatically included in every rate. GayMapper tip: one of the easiest lower-priced choices for combining Merchant City nightlife with sightseeing and excellent transport links.