Glasgow: Braehead to SECC
 

I'm wondering if it's reasonably easy to get from Braehead to SECC with public transportation/taxi and also if it's decent place to stay (I'm thinking about a new Travelodge opening in August) for a few days surrounding the event I'm going to.

Are you only going to Glasgow for the SECC event ? Otherwise I'd rather stay in the city centre & get the train out to the SECC.

P.S. Here'a view of the location... http://www.clydewaterfront.com/travelodge_braehead.aspx

Pretty much, yeah. One or two nights depending on whether we want to travel during the day of the event. I'm mostly concerned about if it's accessible from Buchanan bus station and if we can get to the SECC without riding the bus for an hour or something. Any sightseeing we intend to do will probably be before/after getting off/on the bus with our bags safely in a locker at the bus station. The 'real' sightseeing will be done in Edinburgh, so this is mostly a pit stop for the event.

I wouldn't stay out at Braehead if you want to get to the SECC.
have a look at the IBIS hotel -
http://www.ibishotel.com/ibis/ficheh...he_hotel.shtml

It's about a 10 minute walk in one direction into the city centre and about 15 minutes in the other to the SECC.
You could also try the PremierInn next to Charing Cross rail station which is slightly closer to the SECC but still easily walkable to the city centre.
I assume it's this type of budget hotel you're looking for.

Yeah, but I kind of like the shopping centre right beside it. Plus there's IKEA. Ambiance has nothing against shopping sometimes, especially as a shopping centre was on my things to do while in Scotland (you have a lot of stores we don't have in Sweden I'm really curious about). Considering it's a very short stay which will mostly be spent at the venue, I think it's worth lots of pavement and cars as long as I can get to the hotel from the bus station and from the hotel to SECC. I'm used to long transits from home (thirty minutes to an hour to get anywhere), but I'm kind of hoping there's at least a direct line between the places I'm visiting as switching lines can be irritating.

And as I said, we're going to spend close to a week in Edinburgh and live in the city centre there, so we'll collect on the ambiance then. :)

There's a lot more shopping in the city center, big though Breahead is, and if you're really desperate to get to Braehead there is a water taxi from the city centre to Braehead along the Clyde, gives you a pretty unusual view of the city too. Going from Braehead to the SECC is just not want you want to do, the transport connections between the two are not great and likely non existent after your event.

Why are you set on the bus station ? There a train to the SECC from Central station and it only takes a few minutes - much quicker than a bus.

A budget hotel in the centre which I can recommend is the Premier Travel Inn on George Street.

P.S. You hadn't actually previously said you are staying in Edinburgh too. Maybe if you share your full itinerary with us, it will help us make the most useful suggestions ?

It is awkward to travel from Braehead to SECC - Braehead isnt really in Glasgow and is on the other side of the river from the SECC.
Easiest way to get to the SECC is by low-level train from Central Station - less than 10 mins.
IMHO Braehead is a crazy place to stay. Stay in the city.

All right, I'm just confusing myself right now by trying to figure this out. Is someone willing to take a look at the laterooms.com site and search for a stay from October 20 (checking in) to October 22 (checking out) for two persons and just check which hotels/hostels/guest houses sounds like they fit out needs? Or use another discount site, if there is one. The Glasgow dates are the only fixed ones, so I'll just re-order everything to fit around those. We would really want the Glasgow stay to keep beneath 130 pounds, and the cheaper the better, but we don't want to stay in a really bad place either. So just hit me with everything you can think of that's good and cheaper than 130pounds for two nights and we'll see if we can't agree on something.

On the Premier Inn website (www.premierinn.com) the one I suggested on George Street (although listed as Glasgow George Square) is exactly £130 for those 2 nights. I've stayed there several times, it's nice, 5 minutes' walk from Queen Street station and 10-15 minutes from Central station.

The Premier Travel Inn on Argyle Street is a bit cheaper at £122 and nearer Central station but I don't know what it's like.

The Premier Travel Inn at Charing Cross which TheBigMan (good moniker !) suggests is a bit cheaper again at £118 but agin I don't know it.

The Ibis which TheBigMan suggests is from £51pn.

I don't know why you are only looking at laterooms (when you are not even coming for 3 months) but the very first hotel listed for your dates when sorting by popularity, the Ramada Glasgow City, looks nice & a good deal at £118RO.

I suggest you cross check anything you consider with its Tripadvisor reviews.

Right then. I've checked the websites and I kind of like the Premier Inns. Now I only have to talk mom into it and the steeper rates.

Oh, and the reason I'm checking with laterooms.com is that for some reason, they have cheaper rates already for a bunch of places. But I do crosscheck a lot with the hotel websites.