Hyatt Regency Perth Review, Western Australia

by Christopher O'Keeffe April 23, 2019

The Hyatt Regency Perth is the quintessential Grand Dame of the Perth hotel scene; it has been a staple of balls, weddings and high teas for more years than I care to remember. My first recollection of this architectural masterpiece was courtesy of my first University Ball in the late 90s. This week I returned with my wife for a mini break, possibly a trifle decadent as it is within comfortable walking distance of my house, but what can I say? I had an overwhelming craving for room service.  

To help pay for this extravagance, I cashed in my annual $400 Travel Credit from American Express and with a marginal top-up of $100 booked a Regency Executive Spa Suite. What follows is my account of a wonderfully relaxing 24hours that reaffirms my faith in the proverb that a "change is as good as a rest"—provided of course that it comes with lashings of champagne.  

Arrival 

Saturday afternoon saw us pull up in front of the Hyatt's elevated entrance to be warmly welcomed by Abel, who helped us with our bags and then promptly removed the car for safe keeping. We then climbed the front steps into the main building itself. Now, after spending enough time in hotel foyers over the years, they do tend to blur into one general impression of glass, marble and mahogany, but the Hyatt Perth is the exception. Standing in pride of place is a 20ft high obelisk flanked by elephants and waterfalls. This monolithic edifice sits upon a raised dais and soars skywards towards the glass ceiling nine stories above. 

Check-in went reasonably smoothly, the room that had been allocated for us was not yet ready but with a few clicks, Bella had found us a new room and issued our key cards. She also let us know that as we were staying in a suite, we were welcome to stop in for evening drinks and canapes at the Regency Club Lounge from 6 o'clock and also that we were welcome to enjoy breakfast at either the Lounge or the Lobby Cafe the next morning. We then called the elevator for the short ride to Level 9, which along with Level 8 are the Regency Club floors. Exiting the elevator, we turned right and made our way along the broad open-air landing towards our room. The walk to the room was an experience in itself, the sense of space and light is palpable, courtesy of the incredible roof structure that can best be described as a giant white ribcage built from steel and glass. Compared to the typical hotel corridor which tends to be dimly lit the Hyatt's layout is airy and uplifting.  

Room 904 is located at the very southeastern corner of the hotel, and, being on the end of the corridor, I had my fingers crossed that our views would be out over the Swan rather than the City. With a tap of the key on the card reader, the green light flickered and with a reassuring click the door opened. I apologise for this over-dramatisation of a rather mundane exercise, but in this instance, I really was extremely curious as to what lay behind the door. As based on the pictures on the Hotel's website I had no idea what to expect; there had only been one picture of the suite showing a kingsized bed and a brief description that gave the suite's size as 72 sqm.  

Regency Executive Spa Suite

It is safe to say that any concerns I might have held as to either the size or quality of the suite were very quickly allayed. We stepped through the door to find ourselves standing in an entranceway with a conveniently placed hall table; perfect for depositing our eclectic collection of johnny bundles; we had been shopping. Turning right we passed into the large living area, which consisted of both a lounge and workspace. The relaxed seating was made up of a good sized couch, table and chair facing onto the 42-inch flatscreen. The room's finish was excellent, the carpets felt thick underfoot, the decor was elegant yet simple, and the furniture had a reassuring solidness to it. The room's colour pallet with its warm neutral shades made it feel both cozy and luxurious. On the walls, welcoming splashes of colour were provided by the gold-framed mirrors and artwork.  

The TV sits on top of a substantial dark wood cabinet which houses the mini bar, coffee machine, kettle and a good selection of glassware. There were champagne flutes, wine glasses and tumblers—the champagne flutes were to come in very handy. One of these days I will have to tell you about the 5-star Hotel in England which claims to have no bottle openers and charges £5 for to lend wine glasses.

By the window, there was a decent sized glass-topped desk with not one but two ergonomic chairs covered in caramel leather. The room's lighting has been well designed and not overdone. There are downlights and lamps in sensible locations and when the night drew in the place had an intimate feel. It often seems these days that hotel room designers are too ready to buy into every LED lighting fad and that they make what should be a simple task far too complicated.

While the overall finish and quality of the room are excellent, it is worth bearing in mind that this is not a new hotel and there are aspects of the room where its age do tell. One of these is the powder room that leads off of the entry corridor, the toilet is pristine, but the bright white tilework and fixtures feel at odds with the rest of the suite and do not mirror the warmer marble in the main bathroom. However, in the event that you do have guests back to your suite, then the option of a separate toilet is an excellent feature, and clashing decor be damned. 

The bedroom is huge, and if anything is even larger than the living room, providing ample space to move around; no stepping out of the bathroom and falling over the bed here. The room features a good sized armchair and footrest as well as what has to be the most ornate cloths stand I have ever seen; it looks as like something Frank Lloyd Wright would have designed. The bed is exceptionally comfortable and the selection of pillows excellent, neither too soft nor too firm. The quality furnishings continue, with my favourite being the floor-to-ceiling bedhead which is, in reality, an upholstered wall.

At the foot of the bed sits an identical 42 inch Samsung TV to the one in the living room. This is presumably so that no one feels short-changed if one guest would like to watch a different program, or if one guest wants to catch some shuteye while the other stays up. The other duplication that the suite has is in relation to the air conditioning. I was very impressed by the fact that the living area and the bedroom both had entirely separate systems, meaning that you could set different temperatures for each room.

Ensconced in the walk-in robe are a dark wood dressing table and comfortable leather chair. The large mirror and the two powerful overhead LED lights made applying make up a pleasure, my wife assured me. The walk-in robe is a generous size, and there is plenty of hanging space as well as numerous shelves. We were only staying one night, so storage space was not really relevant, however, if you were to stay longer then the shelving in the walk-in and the chest of draws in the bedroom mean that you have ample room to unpack.

Being the Spa Suite, it was not surprising that the bathroom was spacious; there was a double vanity, a roomy shower cubicle and an absolutely enormous spa bath. The bathroom was extremely well stocked with amenities, there were even two toothbrushes and mini tubes of toothpaste—such a simple inclusion but one which I find many hotels skimp on. Who has not gotten to the end of a day of travelling only to find that the one thing they have forgotten is a toothbrush or toothpaste, with the annoying upshot being a late-night hunt for a Seven Eleven?

I presume that there is still a decent sized hole somewhere in the north of Italy from where the vast amount of marble required to cover every square inch of the bathroom originally came from. The soft pink marble has a warm yet soothing feel, and, being bathed in soft light, makes the room a very pleasant place in which to relax. Sitting next to the bath were some scented bath salts and a loofah hand mitt, little things but they all went to the overall experience. The Spa was not only long but extremely wide, which made a nice change to the narrow ones that seem to have become the new norm. My only advice as far as the spa goes is that you will want to plan ahead—it took at least half an hour to fill, but was well worth the wait.

The bathroom was stocked with a range of amenities by a company called Pharmacopia, not one which I was previously familiar with, but whether it was the shampoo, conditioner, body wash or soap, it all had a quality feel; lots of creamy bubbles, and I particularly liked the citrus base notes, as it was refreshing but not overly sweet. 

The aspect from the suite's windows—the one in the living room and the one in the bedroom—were both stunning. They gave uninterrupted views out over the Swan River, over Riverside Drive and across to the South Perth foreshore.

The suite had been advertised as having a balcony, and I must say I was intrigued to see what the reality of this would be. Based on past hotel experiences, I was half expecting something just wide enough to accommodate a table, a couple of chairs. So when I stepped through the door to the left of the entrance, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself standing on what could better be described as a rooftop terrace than a balcony.

I would estimate the space to have been about 15 sqm—roughly 5 meters deep by 3 meters wide. As such, there was plenty of room for the table, four chairs and two sun loungers. The high red brick walls on either side provided both protection from the elements as well as privacy from the balcony next door. 

The balcony faced a little more easterly than the windows in the suite, and as such offered a different perspective of the Perth skyline; standing on the edge it was possible to make out the iconic lights of the WACCA.

I must admit that during our stay, I did at times find myself daydreaming as to which of history's cricketing greats might have been previous occupants of Room 904. As I would imagine the Hyatt had been a popular residence for cricketers when the WACCA was home to international test matches.

The Regency Club Lounge

The Regency Club Lounge at the Hyatt Perth is accessible to guests staying in the rooms and suites on levels 8 and 9. The Lounge provides a continental breakfast as well as evening drinks and canapes. Guests are also welcome to help themselves to refreshments throughout the day. While the Club has seating on both levels, the main lounge area and refreshments are to be found on level 8.  

The Club enjoys fantastic views out over the Swan through its massive floor to ceiling windows, spanning both levels. Seating wise the Club is laid out predominantly with tables and chairs for dining, with the occasional winged armchair tucked into a corner. 

Before heading out to trip the light fantastic on our Saturday night, we stopped in at the Club for drinks and nibbles. What we found was a packed room; I am not sure if the Club is always so popular or if it had something to do with the fact that there was an AFL Derby that night, but when we arrived, we literally took the last free table in the room. 

Having settled ourselves, I went in search of refreshments. What I found was that there was a limited selection of canapes on offer, with a good choice of cold meats and cheeses. There were fridges stocked with various white wines and bottles of reasonably good spirits—think Johnnie Walker Black. However, as I went to fix some drinks, I was intercepted by one of the wait staff who politely informed me that this was not a self-service bar and I would have to place my drinks order with them. Having requested a scotch and a glass of chardonnay, I filled a plate with some brie & cheddar and returned to our table. The drinks promptly arrived, which was a pleasant surprise considering how many guests were in the lounge. 

While the Regency Club Lounge was a nice addition to our stay—the wine was good and the cheese excellent—if I must be completely honest, it was somewhat lacking in space and would benefit from some more comfortable seating. Also, while I appreciate table service, it would have been nice to have simply gotten up and topped up our drinks rather than needing to wait to place another order. 

The Gym & Pool

Located on Level 1 are the Gym and Pool. Not having bothered to bring my running shoes on this visit, I only briefly poked my head in the gym to see what it was like. By 5-star hotel standards, I would say that the gym at the Hyatt Perth can best be described as middle of the road; the equipment looked in good condition and the room clean, however, there was definitely a lack of wow factor. Most of the gyms in 5-star hotels I have visited recently have had flat screens hanging from every conceivable vantage point, bowls of fresh fruit, piles of fluffy towels and fridges full of mineral water. The next time they refurbish the hotel, I think the gym is an area the Hyatt might want to focus on.

The pool area is excellent; the pool itself a rich inviting blue and there was no shortage of space for the many deckchairs and tables surrounding it. The ground is covered in a lush green astroturf which gives the area a sense of fun, as if not taking itself too seriously, and whilst we were there it was obviously a big hit with the kids.

The Conservatory Lounge

The Conservatory Lounge is located in the main lobby and encompasses the central space surrounding the Obelisk. We enjoyed an excellent lunch there; the service was fast and the food and drinks excellent. My wife enjoyed the Burger, and I had the Club Sandwich. The food arrived hot and was extremely tasty. The burger was cooked medium and sat on a glossy brioche bun, and my Club Sandwich was perfect. I find that Club Sandwiches can fail for two reasons: either they are too dry, with the chicken not being moist enough, or they are too soggy with there being too much tomato. In this case, the balance was excellent.

To drink we had two glasses of Möet followed by a couple of martinis. The champagne was excellent; shortly after placing our order we heard the reassuring sound of a loud pop from behind the bar and when the glasses arrived the bubbles were shooting upwards at a lively rate. You never know when you order champagne by the glass whether what you will be served is going to come from a fresh bottle or from one that has been hibernating in the fridge for an indeterminate amount of time. The martinis were also worthy of a mention; my wife had a lychee martini, and I had a dirty martini. As far as mine went, the ratio of vodka to olive brine was spot on; the olives large and pitted and the serving size generous. I would highly recommend the Conservatory Lounge for both its food and drink!

The Cafe

The Cafe is located on the Lobby Level and is where we headed for breakfast. We had decided to give the Regency Club Lounge a miss as the Cafe looked to have a superior selection. When we got to the entrance, we were welcomed and invited to enjoy the continental breakfast but told that if we wanted the cooked breakfast that it would be an additional $15 charge. Not being in the mood for a full cooked breakfast, we opted for the continental. We were shown to a window table that overlooked a courtyard and, once settled, offered a choice of either tea or coffee. 

The Cafe is divided into three main service areas. The first serves juices and fresh fruit; the second offers pastries, cold meat, cheeses and yogurts, and then lastly there is the hot food station, where the chefs are busy scrambling eggs and flipping sausages.

The pastries were delicious, and I helped myself to a selection: a croissant, a chocolate croissant and an apricot scroll. The pastries were on the mini side but were nevertheless excellent; they were crisp on the outside, and the fillings were generous.

Having indulged my sweet tooth with the assortment of pastries on my second trip to the buffet, I returned with a chia pudding topped with natural yogurt. Chia is a new addition to my morning repertoire but one that is growing on me. The pudding was a good consistency and the yogurt just the right amount of sweetness, not too syrupy but not so plain that it strips the enamel from your teeth.

The juice selection was either orange or apple, and we helped ourselves to a glass of each; the apple juice was a cloudy apple which was particularly good. The coffee that we had ordered arrived in a pot, and, while excellent, it would have been nice to have been offered a barista made coffee.

The Cafe is a warm and inviting venue, the carpets thick, the chairs comfortable and the ambience one of bustling efficiency. Whilst we were there the restaurant was relatively full, yet it was easy to make out each other's conversation. Often I find noise can resonate in larger rooms, making communication difficult—undoubtedly a side effect of too much loud music when I was younger. All in all, breakfast was enjoyable. My only recommendation would be the inclusion of the cooked breakfast as standard, as while I was not in the mood for a full English, a few sausages would have been appreciated, as well as a flat white.

The Architecture

The Hyatt Perth is a spectacular building; the sense of space and height is phenomenal. In this day an age where architects have to consider the Gross Margin Return on Floor Space, the Hyatt Perth is a breath of fresh air—walking its common areas, it is easy to imagine yourself in an art gallery. 

The impression of being in an art gallery is further enhanced by the sheer number of pieces of artwork on display. Walking around level 1, I did not pass a single wall that did not have a painting hanging on it. I particularly liked this landscape of the Swan River on multiple canvases.

For me, the standout experience of our visit was to be able to appreciate the structure of the building from a completely new perspective. Having visited the Hyatt on many occasion over the years, I was familiar with its impressive design aspects from either standing in the lobby or on one of the lower floors. However, it was only on this visit, with access to the 9th floor, that I was able to truly appreciate what a magnificent edifice it is, both during the daytime and at night.

And for the non-vertigo afflicted, then a peek over the edge of the balcony is well worth it. The whole of the building opens up beneath you from a birdseye view, and you can truly appreciate the attention to detail in the interconnecting levels.

For me, the Hyatt Perth is analogous to a 20th Century interpretation of a gothic cathedral with its towering roof arches and huge central void.

Conclusion 

Our visit to the Hyatt Perth lived up to and exceeded my expectations. The Regency Executive Spa Suite was extremely impressive in terms of the size, condition and attention to detail. The service was excellent, as even though there was not a noticeable overabundance of staff, every request I made was promptly delivered upon; from the lunch in the lobby to the late night chocolate fondant from room service. The facilities were excellent, especially the outside pool area, which is a wonderful place for young families to relax. I would definitely recommend the Hyatt for anyone who is looking for a 5-star hotel in central Perth. 

Pros

• Huge rooms
• Stunning architecture
• Excellent service
• Brilliant pool

Cons 

• Cooked breakfast not included
• Regency Club Lounge can be crowded
• The gym could do with an upgrade

Website: www.hyattregency/perth.com.au

Address: 99 Adelaide Terrace, Perth WA 6000

Phone: (08) 9225 1234

 

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