GAY & LESBIAN TRAVEL STORIES

Glasgow

If you're traveling as a couple the gay-friendliness of a country's hospitality industry can profoundly affect your travel plans, and the question of how the front desk will react to a same-sex couple requesting one bed can mean the difference

between experimenting with locally- or family-run businesses or whether we retreat to the safety of a big chain hotel, where tolerance can be found at the cost of local flavor and experience. Fortunately Scotland's hospitality industry is not only accepting of LGBT travelers, but seems to be going out of its way to welcome us with open arms.

Fresh off a family wedding, my boyfriend and I recently swung through Glasgow for a few relaxing days in this cozy and architecturally fascinating city. Upon arrival it's surprising to learn that Glasgow is larger than the nearby Scottish capital Edinburgh, because Edinburgh somehow feels like a bigger city. But the difference lies in the fact that Edinburgh has become a major European tourist destination, while Glasgow, which has plenty to offer visitors, remains reasonably calm. Parts of Glasgow are robust and energetic, but its streets lack the manic chaos that packs some of Edinburgh's more heavily traveled districts, making for a calmer though no less fun experience. It helps that Glasgow's major tourist attractions aren't packed into one concentrated tourism district, making the city a welcome respite from crowds and tourist traps. There's plenty to experience here, especially for anyone who enjoys spending time wandering the streets and extensively enjoying its eclectic architectural wonders, breaking only for excellent food and great local brew in any of hundreds of local pubs.

We had the great pleasure of staying at the aBode Hotel, part of a UK hotel group whose aim is to create an exceptional hospitality experience, and they certainly accomplish this goal. The hotel refreshingly takes the best qualities of modern design hotels while casting aside the sometimes overwhelming - and at times exhausting - trendiness and attitude. Glasgow's ABode leaves nothing to be desired in its design, successfully marrying crisp modern sensibility with elegant old-school architectural features. It's hard to imagine anyone who wouldn't find this to be one of their most comfortable hotel stays, no matter what kind of hotel experience you seek.

The dining experience at all the ABode hotels is created by two-star Michelin chef Michael Caines. The food at his eponymous on-site restaurant is exquisite, and set in a beautiful modern environment that comes across as somewhat more upscale than the more casual feeling in the hotel common areas and rooms. As a result the very stylish restaurant is more suitable to a romantic dinner for a couple and less well suited for kids or large groups.

Fortunately for us, a quiet romantic dinner in an elegant setting was exactly what we wanted, and the service and creative menu certainly didn't disappoint. We started with pan-fried scallops with a parsnip and vanilla potato puree and a ginger and vanilla scented jus, and tartlet of pigeon with wild mushrooms and caramelized onions in a Madeira sauce, and yes it was all as good as it sounds. Our entrees, a salmon dish and roast guinea fowl, were equally good. But best of all was the dessert. We intended to share one order of the "Trio of Chocolate Desserts," consisting of a hazelnut and milk chocolate parfait, dark chocolate mousse, and white chocolate ice cream, which we finished surprisingly quickly. Even more surprising was the fact we finished an entire second order, which was brought out to make up for a minor service confusion.

The next morning we laid out our own walking tour of the city, over coffee and breakfast sandwiches at Where The Monkey Sleeps, a laid-back yet upbeat café and art gallery around the corner from the hotel. We plotted out a path that would take us across the downtown area, and of course the first stop was to check out Glasgow's biggest architectural star, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, whose masterpieces of Art Nouveau appear throughout the city. And one of the most popular destinations for Mackintosh fans is the famous Willow Tea Rooms, located on the car-free Sauchiehall Street in the heart of Glasgow's bustling shopping district. Located above Henderson Jewelers, check out the light and airy tea gallery, but don't miss the main attraction, the classic Room de Luxe located up another flight beyond the gallery. The place supposedly gets packed around tea time, and by early afternoon when we stopped by it was already hopping. The somewhat harried staff offers a large selection of teas and sandwiches as well as pastries and other snacks, and of course haggis.

If you're looking to polish off your tea and dive into good shopping you're in the right place. Sauchiehall Street is loaded with great UK shops of all kinds, and around the corner from where Sauchiehall ends, Buchanan Street begins. The shopping continues all the way down Buchanan to Princes Square and the St Enoch Shopping Centre. Here we found the most concentrated, though still not overwhelming crowds, who've come for what shopping junkies consider the best UK shopping outside of London.