Aerial view of a city at night with a river, a bridge, and buildings lit up.Credit: Thomas Roell

SADLY, I’m of an age now where birthdays don’t mean a great deal. But with two young boys it’s still an excuse for a fun time.

This year we decided to stay close to home but get away for the night — and a trip to Glasgow ticked all the boxes.

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Glasgow City Chambers and George Square is a focal point of the cityCredit: Getty

Glasgow city centre view and the River ClydeCredit: Getty

I’ve been fortunate enough — and sometimes unfortunate enough — to experience every type of hotel you could imagine, so we wanted to think out the box for this.

Something a touch more stylish without paying over the odds.

Fraser Suites in Glasgow is that place — and more. I’ll be the first to admit I hadn’t heard of them, which is surprising given its ideal Merchant City location — a stone’s throw from St Enoch Centre and Merchant Square.

Given our stay in the two-bedroom Executive Suite, it’s now a location I would consider anytime I stay in Glasgow, whether as a family or a much-needed break with my wife. Part of its charm is the entrance sneaks up on you, sitting in the middle of a regular Glaswegian street.

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Hosting beautiful, faux grass walls and colourful floral displays offering a charming and homely feel, the entrance led to a welcoming reception area giving a sense of immediate relaxation with the soft furniture and colour scheme.

The cosy living room/kitchen area was big enough for the family of fourCredit: All Rights Tim Winter

Lovely bathroom had L’Occitane toiletriesCredit: JOE AGDEPPA

We were greeted immediately with a prompt check-in and shown to the elevator and our floor only added to the luxury vibes, equipped with a communal, comfortable lounge area.

We were stunned at the space we had in the suite and were drawn almost immediately to the living area, with large, comfortable couch, television, dining table and chairs and equipped mini-kitchen, perfect for cooking a stay-in meal.

The master bedroom was a fantastic size, featuring a large, queen-size bed, TV and plenty of storage space. A great added touch was the air-conditioning and free-standing fan for added cooling. My wife Joanne gave it the thumbs up.

The second bedroom was equally as impressive and Oscar, 11, and Ollie, seven, were thrilled at getting their own room for the night.

The bathroom was bright and very modern, with a bath and rainfall showerhead.

This was a Saturday night, though, so no suggestion of stay-in meals or baths here as we went out to take in everything nearby Glasgow had to offer.

The short walk to St Enoch’s allowed the boys to spend my birthday money in the toy shop before heading for some dinner, with plenty of options to choose from. Nandos won, thanks to the boys love of chicken.

We spent an hour in the arcade but we were all pretty keen to make use of our suite for the night

St Enoch squareCredit: Alamy

The boys loved their Nando’s Saturday night treat

Oscar and Ollie had a blast at the arcade

So after a stop for some crisps and sweeties — to add to the kind offering of free snacks given by Fraser Suites — we were back comfortable in our apartment.

Having two bedrooms meant being able to sit and have a glass of wine — or two — once they boys had gone to bed and really relax in comfort.

Despite all that and having a great birthday, my highlight? The enormous, comfortable bed. You’ve never felt comfort like this in your life.

As a man who is picky when it comes to his pillows — a nod again to hitting mid-30s — this genuinely rivalled my comfy set-up at home.

So much so, we were actually afforded an unlikely, surprise lie-in and even had to wake the boys up to head for breakfast included in our stay!

Spacious bedroom offered a fabulous night’s sleepCredit: Tim Winter

Breakfast buffet at Fraser Suites Glasgow

On the way, we had have a brief peek at the fully-equipped gym on-site, which boasted an impressive collection of equipment. Not that any of us fancied exerting so much energy.

Breakfast was a large continental, self-service, buffet style bar offering a beautiful selection of cereals and pastries.

The relaxed style meant being able to nip in, have a substantial, tasty breakfast in the quickest of times — ready to get back to those arcades!

But not before squeezing the last few minutes of our time before check out, spent back on the couch.

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Parents will understand saying how rare it is having a hotel stay like this with children and coming away refreshed and not feeling ripped off. It’s oh so suite when it happens.

GO: GLASGOW

STAY: FRASER SUITES

Stay at Frasers Suites Glasgow from £84 a night in November and £80 a night in December. See frasershospitality.com.