Where did the athletes stay at the Commonwealth Games? In hotels. The Games ran from 23 July to 2 August 2026, and Glasgow 2026’s own news site said there was no traditional athletes’ village, with competitors housed across 18 hotels in and around Glasgow. The areas below are still good bases for events at the four Games venues.
Last checked: 24 October 2026.
| Area | Best for | Near |
|---|---|---|
| City Centre | Events at more than one venue | Central and Queen Street stations |
| Finnieston and the West End | The SEC and the Hydro | Exhibition Centre station |
| Merchant City | A central base with restaurants and bars | Ingram Street and the Trongate |
| Dennistoun | A residential base on the east side | Duke Street and Alexandra Park |
| Mount Florida and the Southside | Hampden Park (not one of the four Games venues) | Mount Florida and King’s Park stations |
Where did the athletes stay at the Commonwealth Games?
Glasgow 2026 didn’t use a traditional athletes’ village. In a piece dated 31 July, its news site said competitors were housed across 18 hotels in and around Glasgow. It didn’t name them, so we can’t tell you which team slept where. The same piece said the hotels were serving up to 9,000 meals a day between them.
The Games brought about 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories to the city. They competed at four venues inside an eight-mile stretch, and you’ll find them in the next section.
The four Games venues
These are the four places that hosted the sport, and plenty still goes on at them. Visit Glasgow calls the Hydro one of the busiest arenas in the world. The station times below come from Glasgow 2026’s own venue pages.
| Venue | At the Games | Nearest station |
|---|---|---|
| SEC (Scottish Event Campus) and the Hydro, Stobcross Road | Opening and Closing Ceremonies, netball, weightlifting and para powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls, 3×3 basketball | Exhibition Centre, a four-minute walk |
| Glasgow International Arena (formerly the Emirates Arena), London Road, beside the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome | Artistic gymnastics, track cycling and para track cycling | Dalmarnock, a 10-minute walk |
| Scotstoun Stadium, Danes Drive | Athletics and para athletics | Scotstounhill, a 10-minute walk |
| Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Wellshot Road | Swimming and para swimming | Carntyne, a 14-minute walk |
Airbnbs and holiday lets
In Scotland, a host needs a short-term let licence from the council before they can take bookings. The licence number has to be in the advert too, as the Scottish Government’s guidance explains. So look for the number before you book, and ask the host if it’s missing.
Best areas to stay
Glasgow’s compact, so you’ve got options. Which one’s best depends on the venue you’re heading to.
City Centre
The safest bet if you’ve got tickets for more than one venue. All four venues have a station within a 14-minute walk, and the trains run out of Central or Queen Street.
The SEC says its own station is a three-minute train ride from Central, with six trains an hour. Dalmarnock, for the Arena, is seven minutes from Central lower level. Scotstounhill, for Scotstoun, is 14 minutes from Central lower level. Carntyne, for Tollcross, is seven minutes from Queen Street lower level.
In the centre you’ll find Travelodge, Motel One on Oswald Street, citizenM, the Radisson Blu and the Hilton Glasgow. Driving? The Low Emission Zone covers city-centre roads, so check our road closures and LEZ page before you book.
Finnieston and the West End
The best base for the SEC and the Hydro. Glasgow 2026 said the SEC is easy to reach from Finnieston and Partick, and from south of the river, using the connecting footbridges. Exhibition Centre station is a four-minute walk from the main concourse across the bridge.
The Radisson RED is right next to the Hydro, according to Visit Glasgow’s list of places to stay. Argyle Street in Finnieston has some of the best food and drink in the city. Further up in the West End, the same list has Boutique 50 and the Alamo Guest House, which sits across from Kelvingrove Park.
Merchant City
Visit Glasgow calls it one of the city’s oldest and most stylish districts, with cafes on cobbled streets and restaurants in former courts and banks. Its list of places to stay has Moxy Glasgow Merchant City, The Social Hub and Fraser Suites here.
Dennistoun
A residential area in the East End, about a mile east of George Square, so it’s on the same side of the city as the Arena and Tollcross. Most of it is tenement streets that went up from the 1870s. Our Dennistoun guide has the cafes, bars and trains.
Mount Florida and the Southside
Hampden Park wasn’t one of the four Games venues, but it’s still Scotland’s national stadium, so Mount Florida is the base for football and concerts there. Hampden’s own site says it’s a five-minute walk from Mount Florida and King’s Park stations, with trains from Glasgow Central. Queen’s Park is lovely if the weather’s decent, and Shawlands has a good food and drink scene.
Budget tips
Not everyone wants to drop a fortune on a hotel room, and that’s fair enough. A few ways to keep the bill down:
- University halls. The University of Glasgow lets rooms short-term in June, July and August, with a two-night minimum if you book online. Its page gives 14 June to 31 August for 2027. Strathclyde makes some halls available to conference and event guests, but availability changes every year, so ask them directly.
- Hostels. Glasgow Youth Hostel is a Victorian townhouse on Park Terrace in the West End, overlooking Kelvingrove Park. You can pick private en-suite rooms or shared dorms.
- Budget for the visitor levy. VisitScotland says Glasgow brings in a 5% visitor levy from 25 January 2027. The University of Glasgow’s booking page says it’s added to your booking for each night of your stay.
- Set a price alert. Track the hotel on a booking site and book a refundable rate if you can, so you can switch if something cheaper turns up.
Booking for the next big event
The Games are over, but these venues stay busy. Book early for the big nights, pick a refundable rate if you can, and check the last train home before you choose a hotel. Our guide to getting to Glasgow’s big venues covers the travel side.
Common questions
Was there an athletes’ village at Glasgow 2026?
No. Glasgow 2026 had no traditional athletes’ village. Its news site said competitors were housed across 18 hotels in and around the city.
Which hotels did the athletes stay in?
We couldn’t find an official list, so we can’t name them. The official figure is 18 hotels in and around Glasgow.
When were the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow?
The Games ran from 23 July to 2 August 2026, at four venues: the SEC, the Glasgow International Arena, Scotstoun Stadium and Tollcross.
Was Hampden Park a Commonwealth Games venue?
No. Hampden Park wasn’t one of the four venues.
Where’s the best place to stay for the SEC and the Hydro?
Finnieston. The Radisson RED is next to the Hydro, and Exhibition Centre station is a four-minute walk from the main concourse across the bridge.
For the rest of the story, see our Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games guide.
