Glasgow has many modern hotels, and IMHO is a much friendlier city than Edinburgh, though perhaps I'm biased as I'm from the Glasgow area originally and still speak with a Glasgow accent. If you want to avoid city centre hotels I can recommend the very modern Ramada Jarvis at Glasgow Airport which is good value for money and serves excellent meals and is where Ann and I always stay when we return to visit old friends. If you are intending to wear your kilt you may feel more at ease in Edinburgh where kilts are more abundant than in Glasgow. Either Glasgow or Edinburgh would be OK as a base for a few days, though you should also find time to spend a few days visiting the Southern Uplands - vast areas of rolling hills and forestry -(Dumfries would be a good base and is quite near Gretna Green with all its romantic associations) and of course the Highlands for which Inverness, Fort William or Oban would make a good base.