05 Aug 2026
By Chris McGuinness, General Manager, Glasgow Marriott Hotel
As the curtain falls on a historic 11 days celebrating sport, community and Glasgow on the world stage at Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2026 the city has once again demonstrated exactly why Glasgow is regarded as one of the world's great sporting destinations. Combining world-class competition with genuine warmth, community spirit and a welcome that visitors remember long after they've returned home, it was special to play our part at Glasgow Marriott as one of the official partner hotels.
We were proud to welcome athletes and support teams from across the Commonwealth including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, Northern Ireland and our home nation Scotland as our guests. Even better, we had the joy of medal winners staying under our roof. It was a privilege to see their journeys unfold, celebrating victories while also providing the space, comfort and recovery they needed between competition and ceremony.
One moment that will stay with me was when members of the New Zealand team gathered in our restaurant to perform the Haka in honour of their medal-winning teammates. It was a powerful and emotional display of respect, culture and unity that brought everyone in the room together. Experiences like that simply can't be planned and remind you why major sporting events are about so much more than medals.
The Glasgow Marriott is no stranger to hosting elite international sports teams, but there was something particularly special about supporting a home Games. Following our recent multi-million-pound refurbishment, our hotel was ready to welcome the world with what I like to think of as gold-standard Glaswegian hospitality. From murals and artwork celebrating Glasgow throughout the hotel to our team delivering warm, personal service, every detail reflected the pride we have in our city.
As part of the 'All In' campaign, we joined fellow businesses and organisations in celebrating the event, creating signature cocktails topped with 'All In' dusting and welcoming the official Games mascot, Finnie, ahead of the opening celebrations.
Behind the scenes, hosting elite athletes takes meticulous planning. Our kitchen team worked tirelessly to ensure competitors were fuelled for peak performance, serving more than 21,000 eggs, around one tonne of chicken including over 4,000 chicken breasts, 2,500 pancakes, 4,000 bananas and over 10,000 cups of coffee throughout the Games.
Major events like the Commonwealth Games deliver lasting benefits and legacy far beyond the closing ceremony. They strengthen Glasgow's international reputation, support local businesses and demonstrate the city's ability to deliver exceptional experiences for visitors from across the globe. The reimagined Games hosted for Glasgow 2026 delivered under unprecedented timescales and raising the bar on inclusivity with para-sports running concurrently made it even more iconic. The collaboration and efforts from all organisers, event partners, volunteers and competing nations made it all possible.
As an award-winning hotel that has proudly been part of Glasgow for more than 40 years, we were honoured to contribute to that success. Watching our city come together to celebrate sport, community and culture has been a reminder of what makes Glasgow so distinctive. Long after the medals have been won and the athletes have departed, the memories created over these remarkable 11 days will remain with everyone who had the privilege of being part of them and further reinforce Glasgow as one of Europe's leading sporting and conference destinations.
