Perth’s CBD has a new ultra-hip hotel where a one night stay will earn you bragging rights with friends or certainly increase your Instagram followers with a post at the rooftop bar! Welcome to the QT Perth! This new addition to the QT portfolio superbly blends chic design with a touch of modern flair, culminating in a unique luxury hotel experience. The idiosyncratic style of the QT hotel’s quirky design leaves an impression on each guest, ensuring no one is in doubt of this hotel’s originality.
QT Perth opened in mid-2018 and is a most welcome improvement to Perth’s ever-flourishing CBD. Within walking distance of the hotel, guests can find a plethora of mouth-watering restaurants and trendy bars. Give Perth another five years and you will easily mistake the re-gentrified CBD for New York or London. However, guests don’t need to wander outside the hotel to have a sumptuous gourmet experience.
While filming the Western Australia episode of Flight Centre’s 48 Hour Destination with fellow Flight Centre travel agent Greer Gardiner, I and the team were lucky enough to stay at the newly opened QT Perth. First up on the agenda was dinner at QT Perth’s Santini Grill.
Santini Grill will taunt your taste buds with its Mediterranean & Italian inspired cuisine showcasing local Western Australian produce. Like the hotel’s image, this restaurant's menu is indulgent, but with a twist. The adventurous ‘Cacao E Pepe’ Clam Pizza and Squid Ink Risotto are must-haves, but the winner for me is on the dessert menu. Tre Cannoli 3 Flavours features three cannoli filled with raspberry custard, pistachio-sweet ricotta and dark chocolate zabaglione. To leave Santini Grill without trying this dish would be a sin.
After an early dinner, I headed up to my room and was not disappointed. The room’s highlight was its use of art deco design mixed with a modern industrial finishing touch as provided by QT’s guest room designer Shelley Indyk. My room was complete with warm golden drapes, black cockatoo feature wallpaper and trendy brass fixtures. My favourite feature, however, was the designer bath! Make sure to book a room that has one. Being 6’3’’ I cannot always stretch out to soak, but this tub was simply fantastic.
The bathroom also featured a large, sleek, double rain shower, double vanity and luxurious Malin+Goetz amenities. What is really clever with this bathroom is its versatile design. The wall connecting through to the bedroom is actually a sliding screen that allows you to create one room or two separate spaces, the choice is yours.
Once you have freshened up from either your bath or shower you must put on your plush black QT bathrobe. Like everything in this hotel, even the robe was unique. It features a hood, making you feel equipped to step into a boxing ring. At the end of a long day though I decide instead to snuggle blissfully into my bed, watch a movie and order a late night, indulgent room service snack.
The next morning we have an early start with filming and I’m woken by my scheduled wake-up call on the futuristic-looking phone next to my bed. I go through my morning wake up ritual before it’s time to head back down to Santini Grill for breakfast. I opt for the a la carte affair and decided upon The Hunter 'Cacciatore" Breakfast, featuring two crispy fried eggs, frilled ‘cacciatore’ pork sausage, asiago cheese, roman rosemary potatoes, wilted greens, and hot rolls with fresh chilli-olive oil. It's all truly scrumptious.
Unfortunately, then it’s time to check out at the front desk, but not before admiring a cabinet full of trinkets fit for a MoMA gift shop in the lobby. These items are not just for aesthetic pleasure but also for purchase. To take a bit of the QT Perth’s charm home with you is a perfect way to end your hotel experience.