INTERCONTINENTAL PERTH CITY CENTRE
Perth’s newest five-star delivers on many levels, from the locally commissioned artworks in guestrooms to the club lounge with city views. The $70-million transformation of an ugly-ducking hotel into a rather dazzling Intercontinental touched everything except the modernist façade. The 240 rooms feature earthy tones with marble and brass accents, rain showers and clean lines. Comforts such as smart TVs and baths (request when booking) make nights in enticing, but the tapas at Heno & Rey, dry-aged steaks at Ascua and drinks-withviews at mezzanine-level The Loft Bar aren’t to be missed. On the doorstep are hopping Northbridge and a revived St Georges Terrace. A compelling case for why west is best. 815 Hay St, Perth, (08) 9486 5700, perth.intercontinental.com First impressions count, a truism evident in the lobby’s atrium clad with limestone and featuring a huge painting by Judith White and carpets in hues drawn from the Western Australian landscape. Corporates will welcome the floor of meeting rooms with outdoor terraces, barbecue facilities and self-serve snacks and juices.
Who said business had to be boring? Spanish flavours dominate at Ascua (Spanish for ember) and streetside tapas bar Heno & Rey. Breakfast, though served in Ascua, spans the globe, from Penang chicken curry to German breads, avo toast to bacon hot from the grill.
Skip the unexceptional minibar and explore instead Perth’s burgeoning small-bar scene – Mechanics Institute or the Shadow Wine Bar, perhaps – or linger in the hotel with a glass of the state’s finest on The Loft’s terrace. In a hurry? Grab a coffee from Graffiti, the adjacent hole-in-the-wall café on King Street.
WHERE CBD. COST From $340, with breakfast. AT A GLANCE 240 rooms, suites and penthouse, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurants, café, health centre, paid valet and self-parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart TV, some baths, coffee machine, pillow menu, Agraria San Francisco toiletries. BEST ROOMS The 16th-floor penthouse has 180-degree views of the city, a double king bed and club lounge access.