The new 245-room AC Hotel by Marriott Glasgow opened in November 2023 in a conversion of a series of 120-year-old, Grade A-listed Victorian parish halls. The property now has 22 suites, a sweeping stone staircase, a glass ceiling dome and a stained-glass window featuring Glasgow’s coat of arms inspired by the legend of St Mungo.
Notable is that the renovation fills an 80-year-old empty site on the corner of George and John streets, with its designer Hoskins Architects managing to “evoke sophistication” with sleek furnishings, curated artwork and technology, winning it a CoStar Impact Award.
About the Project: The hotel is regarded as a key element of the £100-million Love Loan development intended to transform an entire block off Glasgow’s George Square into a leisure and residential neighbourhood with bars, restaurants, health facilities and Scotland’s first Soho House private members' club.
Operated by Scottish white-label management firm RBH Hospitality Management, the hotel is 150 metres from Glasgow Queen Street Station and very close to the city’s most visited attractions, including the Gallery of Modern Art.
What the Judges Said: "Glasgow's latest hotel is another great example of a high-quality mixed-use development integrating with existing heritage assets. Part of the impressive Love Loan development, this newly built hotel provides excellent additional hospitality and leisure space in a once-forgotten corner of George Square", said Stephen Lewis, managing director, HFD Property Group.
They Made It Happen: Chris Stewart, chief executive, Chris Stewart Group