After spending the first two nights of my trip in the glorious Bunker Bay and exploring the Margaret River region, it is time to head back to the city. I have 4 nights in Perth. Hotels are rather lacking in this part of the world and this applies towards chain brands too. It is more towards bed and breakfasts or airbnbs. Even Perth CBD is lacking as compared to the other cities. The InterContinental caught my eye. It looks rather luxurious and new. It is one of the better ones in town. The rates are attractive. Furthermore, it will be a great use of my time-limited Diamond Status. Hilton doesn’t have many nice properties. This can be considered as the top 5 hotels in town with the COMO, Crown and Ritz Carlton leading the way. I will be staying here for 2 nights over two stays. I got the same category of room for both stays and as such, I will only be reviewing it once.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
I booked an IHG Luxury and Lifestyle rate for both stays. For my stay, the Classic standard room cost 364 and 404 AUD respectively including taxes per night. By booking a Luxury and Life rate, which is the same as the Flexible Rate, I will also get to enjoy extra benefits such as a 100 USD credit, breakfast and guaranteed late check-out at 2pm. You will also get priority for early check-in and late check-out. I was upgraded one level according to the rate to a Classic City View room on account of my Diamond status and the rate for both stays. This would have cost around 410 AUD a night. It is realistically the highest room I can get upgraded to as I wanted two double beds. This particular property has a low number of suites so don’t expect to be upgraded to one even with a luxury rate and top-tier status. They do not have their facility but do collaborate with a Wilson nearby that is just behind the hotel for 40 AUD per day with unlimited entrance and exit. Do work out the sums. I parked opposite the hotel at CPP His Majesty which works out to be cheaper. InterContinental Perth City Centre features 240 rooms and suites spread across 10 categories. You can find the breakdown below.
| Rooms | Club InterContinental Access | Bathtub | Room Size | No.of Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosy | No | No | 23 Sqm | 12 |
| Classic | No | No | 27 – 32 Sqm | 53 |
| Classic City View | No | No | 27 – 32 Sqm | 89 |
| Premium Corner | No | No | 38 Sqm | 36 |
| Premium Corner City View | No | No | 38 Sqm | 11 |
| Club Classic | Yes | No | 27 – 32 Sqm | 8 |
| Club Classic City View | Yes | No | 27 – 32 Sqm | 21 |
| Junior Suite City View | Yes | Yes | 48 – 53 Sqm | 3 |
| Junior Suite Cityscape | Yes | Yes | 48 – 53 Sqm | 2 |
| The Penthouse | Yes | Yes | 89 Sqm | 1 |
Checking In
I arrived at the hotel shortly after 1pm. I was coming from Mandurah after my lobster cruise and from there, it was about an hour’s drive or so. The hotel doesn’t have a driveway but you can park for a short while curbside and unload your bags. Upon pulling up, the bellboy immediately came over to help me with our bags and I was given information about the carpark. I came back to check in shortly after.
The hotel has a cosy lobby with some seating by the side. The reception area is rather small and located towards the left. The decor is very nice. I was immediately helped by a friendly associate who recognised my status and thanked me for being a Diamond member. I love that they had some infused water on offer as this was a lifesaver in this scorching heat wave. I was offered all the information and inclusion for my stay. They also noted my dining reservation for the night. The 100 USD credit was converted to 140 AUD. The rate is pretty bad. You can use this for all the restaurants and breakfasts. I was also offered some welcome drink vouchers. Late check-out is extended till 4pm but not required since I am leaving for Swan Valley early.
Double Classic City View Room
I was assigned a room on the 8th floor, room 808 to be exact. The room is not overly spacious and is on the smaller side. After all, 27 to 32 Sqm isn’t huge with two double beds. It is just around the corner from the lift lobby. Right upon entering, you can find the entrance to the bathroom on the right. I love the look of the place and it captivated me the moment I entered. It is classy, luxurious and cosy. It felt like a very posh apartment or condo.
The bathroom is nicely designed. It comes with only a single sink but well well-stocked with all sorts of amenities. There are also storage areas. Toiletries are from Byredo and in large pump-size bottles. This is one of my favourite brands now and is commonly in use at IC and Conrads.
The standing shower comes with both a handheld shower head and a rainforest shower head. The high ceilings here make it feel like rain cascading down on you. Water pressure and temperature control are excellent which makes it so crucial for showers in Perth’s stifling heat. The area is spacious.
The main space of the room is in a long rectangular configuration. The high ceilings and views make the room much more spacious than it is. It comes with a lovely view of the Perth CBD area. Along the entrance, you can find the wardrobe which is of a good size for your stay I love the glass doors. It is equipped with a luggage storage area, bathrobes, bath slippers, laundry bags, ironing kit. You can fit a cabin-size bag inside. It would be nice if they could have some portable stands. There wasn’t much space for our luggage and we had to keep some standing and open the big one on the couch.
Next to it is the minibar chest which is nicely built into the area. It comes with a mini fridge that is fully stocked with all sorts of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. You can also find some glassware, snacks, a coffee machine and a kettle. Attached along the area are sachets of tea and capsules. These are replenished during daily housekeeping and turndown service.
My room comes with two double queen size beds. This takes up most space in the room. It felt slightly tight over here. The beds are plush and have a nice firmness to them. I slept so well after the long day I had. The same goes for the pillow that offers great neck support. I would love it better if they had more pillow options.
On either side of the beds, you can find nightstands as well as controls for the lighting. There are plenty of power sockets within reach. They are very generous to have 4 installed. You do need to have your adapter. The blinds are also electronically controlled here.
Facing the bed is a high-quality smart-screen TV. It comes with several local and cable TV channels. You can also cast content from your devices to the television. This size is sufficient but I did wish that they could have installed a bigger television over here.
In the corner, you can find a circular table that works as the working desk as well as a dining spot if you want to order some room service or takeaway. The armchair offers decent back support for working. The area is also thoughtfully installed with multiple ports and power sockets by the side. Left on the table were complimentary bottles of water. It is nice that they offer something artisan and it is a good brand from Apani. There were also multiple personalised welcome letters left on the table from the GM, Front Office Manager and a from booking a Luxury and Lifestyle rate. The staff soon brought over a bottle of Cava. This is lovely and well appreciated.
There is a couch along the window and this can be a bed for the smaller one. It is a lovely spot to reach a book or have a cup of coffee while checking out the view. As mentioned, it ended up being an area for my suitcase.
Turndown service is automatically offered in the evening during dinner. I always appreciated coming back to a clean and tidy room.
Fitness Centre
The 24-hour fitness centre is located on the Mezzanine Floor. It is a rather lovely facility and well-equipped. This will be handy for work but with Perth being such a great city, exercising outdoors will be much more desirable, at least in great weather. Towels and water are provided.
The Loft Bar
This is the hotel’s main bar and is located on level one. The bar comes with an indoor area and a terrace offering spectacular views of Hay Street and King Street Precinct. The vibes are nice.
During summer, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm, on Fridays, they have live music. I came here to use up some of my welcome drinks vouchers. It is especially lovely during sunsets. You can find the food and drinks menu here.
Heno & Rey
This is one of the two signature restaurants in the hotel. Both of them serve up Spanish cuisine. Heno & Rey goes for a more casual vibe and is lighter on the wallet. You will see it right when you first enter the hotel as it is located just to the side of the lobby. There are both indoor and outdoor seats. You can find the menu and prices here. They also run some lunch specials and happy hour. I had dinner here during my first stay to use up the credits. We have a selection of items to share among us.
Grilled Bread
Crispy Line Caught Squid
Gold Band Snapper with chickpeas, baby spinach, chorizo, lemon
Rey Pollo, Marinated chicken thigh, broccolini, almond picada
Croquetas of the Day
The worthy mentions go towards the squid, chicken and snapper. Croquettes are a little too salty for my liking. Service isn’t that polished and it frequently takes some time to flag down a staff. They could serve us hot water but not clear the glasses for cold water and when prompted to do so, they miss out on clearing one glass. When I enquired about the croquettes of the day, the staff had no clue. Prices were good with dishes costing around 20 to 30 AUD. The whole dinner comes up to 109 AUD and is nicely covered by the credit.
Ascua
This is the other hotel restaurant. It is more intimate and posh. I got dinner here during my second stay. Reservations are recommended. It goes for a fine dining vibe and is something like a fancy steakhouse with a Spanish flair. We were warmly welcomed in by the host and shown to our seats. You can check out the menu here. Prices are much higher than Heno & Rey.
Grilled Fresh Seafood to Share which consists of snapper, squid, tiger prawns and local octopus
Margret River Black Angus Sirloin (250g) served with Charred broccolini, parsnip puree, caramelised onion jam and Tempranillo jus
The food was very good and we enjoyed it. Do note that it took a long time for the food to arrive. This is the most fancy restaurant out of the two. If I have to choose only 1 restaurant, I will go for Heno & Ray as you get more bang for your buck. My meal at Ascua costs close to 180 AUD and I am probably about 80% full.
Breakfast at Ascua
Breakfast is served at Ascua. Breakfast is buffet style from 6.30am to 10.30am. Breakfast costs 45 AUD if not included in your rate or membership. I was down for breakfast at around 8.30am and it was quite busy. It consists of a small buffet line but consists of high-quality items. I love that they had this fresh juicer and I made my melon, apple and orange juice every morning.
Drink orders are also taken by the staff and I am happy to see that unlimited barista artisan coffee is offered. None of those machines are rubbish or 5 AUD upcharge.
Here are some pictures of the food.
Conclusion
I had a superb stay and was well-treated by the staff. The rates are slightly higher than usual but you will be in for a treat. It is especially valuable if you are here on short stays on a luxury adviser rate. The 100 USD credit and full breakfast would have cost around 50% of my room rate. I love that they do not scrimp and charge extra for artisan coffee during breakfast too. The rooms might be on the smaller side but the fittings were gorgeous and classy. All the staff that I encountered were polished and friendly, from the front office to the reception. I will be back here on my next trip to Perth. I am so going to miss my IHG Diamond status when the time comes. Excellent hotel.
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