Perth City | Perth

For those that favour a landmark over street directions, you can’t miss the towering 25-story mural created by Matt Adnate that adorns the east side of this hotel's façade and provides the hotel’s namesake and design language.

The Adnate Perth is bold and colourful against the grey scale of its CBD locale; this juxtaposition continues throughout the hotel with a pastel-coloured fit-out and wall space maximised for art prints to lift an otherwise restrained foundation.

24-hour service, an art library, bicycle hire, and in-room dining options deliver perks a-plenty, the most coveted perhaps being the open-air swimming pool, bar, and restaurant collaboration with the Hyde Brand.

Check-in on the weekend for prime people watching at the playful pool parties hosted every Saturday afternoon.

Northbridge | Perth

Welcome to the new Northbridge, a neighbourhood named after its location north of the CBD train station once considered the wrong side of the tracks, now stakes claim as the cultural heart of the city. The Alex Hotel is considered a prime location for those who favour hidden laneway bars, owner-operated boutique dining, galleries, and theatres.

The ethos of this designer lodging is perhaps best reflected in the honesty bars on each floor that replace the typical minibar trap—progressive and respectful of visitors as if they were special guests in a private home. Such a philosophy is further recognised in the considered indoor communal areas, described as “Living Spaces,"  a rooftop terrace, and free bicycle rental to explore nearby offerings. A contemporary post-industrial aesthetic is softened by pastel hues and friendly service. Moody Shadow Wine Bar, situated on the street level of the building, continues to rate highly with the epicurean crowd, or step next door to the Mechanics Institute for Perth’s most legendary Bloody Mary.

West Perth | Perth

Pitched at the modern-day traveller, Perth’s Tribe is consistent with the Art Series unconventional approach to challenge the traditional hotel model. You won’t find a concierge desk or a bellhop; instead, you will be greeted with an industrial chic-style lobby that doubles as a social hub and co-working space, dotted with local art and Italian-designed furniture.

Nestled on the edge of the city’s famed Kings Park, floor-to-ceiling glass windows and carefully positioned mirrors emphasise the natural light and add to a feeling of space in otherwise compact rooms. Black-out blinds, Kevin Murphy amenities, plentiful USB ports, and smart TVs reinforce the intuitive approach of this hotel—a top pick for solo or business travellers who will appreciate competitively priced rates no longer mean compromising on thoughtful design and modern luxuries.

Perth City | Perth

The widely esteemed restoration of Perth’s former 1890’s grand state buildings offers a restrained elegance of quiet luxury. Como The Treasury has 48 rooms, each with a unique footprint: vaulted ceilings, thick steel window shutters, and a neutral colour palette that celebrates the abundance of natural light, uncommon to the 5-star hotel circuit.

Occupying centre stage in Perth’s “point zero” location, The Treasury extends a welcome to some of Perth’s finest dining options, luring you from the onsite pool, gym, spa, and in-house library.

Did we mention the mini bar is included in the room rate?

Perth City | Perth

Consistent with their signature personality-forward design, QT Perth is a city bolthole is steeped in art-deco quirkiness, melding a power clash of jewel tones, brass fittings, and eccentric splashes of wallpaper. Nestled amongst the skyscrapers of St George’s terrace, this is the hotel equivalent of the art student casting a cheeky wink at the suit across the bar.

While you won’t find a pool onsite, venture past the hotel’s coveted flagship restaurant Santini, to drink in the cool of the surrounding small bar scene before you collapse back in your velvet cocoon.

Perth City | Perth

Enjoying prime position adjacent to the Harry Seidler-designed QV1 high-rise, a recent refurb has paved the way for the heritage-listed Melbourne Hotel. Exposed layers of distressed paint and concrete give a nod to the 120-year-strong history inside these walls, fashioning an unabashedly masculine interior offset with modern furnishings and luxe marble-appointed bathrooms. Skip the more compact contemporary guest rooms pitched at business travel pursuits in favour of the character-filled heritage rooms.

A welcome apposition to the nostalgic re-design is the lightning-fast in-room WIFI and complimentary smart phones for all guests, equipped with a handy local guide, internet browser, and free local and international calls.

Perth City | Perth

Situated on Perth’s waterfront Esplanade, Quay Perth is an 80-room boutique hotel that offers five categories of lodging in a range of sizes, from essential to luxury studios, complete with bay window seats to take in the view. Though most rooms are compact, at Quay, form meets function, elevating minimalist design with earthy tones reminiscent of the West Australian landscape.

For those wanting to get down to business, 'Level Nine' co-working space offers 24-hour access to communal workstations and office facilities. Once the inbox is cleared, a rooftop bar provides the perfect open-air terrace to reward yourself with an artisan cocktail and views of the Swan River.

Cottesloe Beach | Perth

The iconic Cottesloe Beach Hotel enjoys a long-standing grip on weekend mischief, the beach-side boozer synonymous with the Perth “Sunday Sesh”, where many memories… and no fewer hangovers, were born. The local institution, a crumbling Art-Deco structure, once garnered its popularity points sheerly for its irresistible location amongst the Norfolk Pines that overlook the sloping grassy banks of Cottesloe’s prime swimming spot. A resort-style make-over of the beer garden and terrace bar in 2013 elevated the offering, and soon the crowd caught up, trading Havaianas for loafers and schooners for spritz.

While the petite accommodation component may not win any design awards, on offer is a slice of yesteryear—a testament to the simplicity of a pink-cheeked summer holiday in which any trend simply cannot compete. Book a stay here when you’re in town, pull up a garden chair on your private balcony, and crack a cold beer before it’s too late.

Fremantle | Perth

It’s difficult to deny the charm of Fremantle’s centrally located Warder’s Hotel, a true boutique offering tightly held in the limestone walls that once housed the Fremantle Prison warders. With only 11 rooms, the delicate restoration achieves a fine balance of old and new, melding contemporary minimalist design to draw focus to the original colonial qualities of the building.

In the corner nook of the cottage, you will find Gimlet, doubling as a coffee shop and petite cocktail bar come dusk. Befitting of Freo’s eclectic dining scene is Emily Taylors, the on-site restaurant serving up Asian-inspired dishes that provide further motivation to linger under the cherry blossom courtyard on a balmy evening.

King-size beds offer a quiet place to rest your head before stirring to get back to the next chapter of your book or travel adventure.

Fremantle | Perth

Befitting of its port-side position, The Hougoumont celebrates Freo’s roots as WA’s largest cargo wharf through its clever use of stacked shipping containers, which form the internal structure of the hotel. A charming brick façade of the former Duke Hotel encases the innovative small-room cabin-style lodgings that offer adventurous spirits a fuss-free retreat from their key position in the heart of Fremantle’s bustling community.

A tiny footprint does not necessarily mean compromising on style, with simple but moody rooms that comprise of wood panelled walls and plush white sheeted doubles adorned with mint and mustard soft furnishings. Espresso pod machines and private marble bathrooms are welcome additions to each competitively priced nook.

Tiny but mighty is the mantra here, with an onsite courtyard nano-brewery to sample local brews and debate the wide range of dining options just a short walk away.