The newest hotel openings and refurbs in WA

Carla GrossettiBy Carla Grossetti
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Check in to check out the latest, greatest and most fabulous new (and refreshed) stays in Western Australia.

Samphire Rottnest

If you’re feeling starved of sky, sea and sunshine, Rottnest Island’s first beachfront boutique accommodation is the place to escape to. Like the native samphire it’s named after, Samphire Rottnest is found close to the water’s edge on Thomson Bay on the island’s east coast. It’s all about understated elegance at the flip-flop-friendly hotel, which has 80 bright and breezy rooms all designed to celebrate the island’s rugged, relaxed environment. Throw in great cocktails, fantastic food, and a beach club with kick-back configurations of seating and you’ll find even more reasons to rate Rotto.

Bedroom, Samphire Lontara, Rottnest Island, Western Australia
Rottnest Island’s first beachfront boutique accommodation is the place to escape to. (Image: Jilian McHugh)

Vibe Hotel Subiaco

Subiaco, or Subi as it is affectionately known, is one of Perth’s most popular precincts for shopping and dining, and the Vibe Hotel Subiaco is a great base from which to explore it. The hip 12-storey hotel has 168 spacious rooms, including 14 suites, as well as a rooftop pool, gym and hatted restaurant in Storehouse Subiaco. There’s also St Marks Road Co. cafe, which keeps guests fuelled for forays into nearby Kings Park and the leafy laneways all around.

Restaurant interiors, The Vibe Hotel Subiaco, Western Australia
Dine at the hatted restaurant, Storehouse Subiaco.

Doubletree by Hilton Perth Waterfront

While the 18-storey, 229-room DoubleTree by Hilton Perth Waterfront is right in the thick of it, near Perth’s exciting Elizabeth Quay precinct, it also offers softly lit bedrooms with Swan River views that provide a calm oasis away from the action. The hotel has a smart contemporary feel that appeals to both slick business travellers and out-of-towners, with splashes of colour and modern artworks. There’s also a 24-hour fitness centre, a smart-casual restaurant, Reel Kitchen, an infinity pool, and rooftop bar that has 360-degree views of the Swan River. Oh, and the famous DoubleTree cookies are worth the reservation alone.

Room interior, Double Tree Waterfront Hotel, WA
Relax in softly lit bedrooms with Swan River views. (Image: Double Tree Waterfront Hotel)

Wheatbelt Luxury Escapes

Visitors to the Wheatbelt can enjoy an exclusive stay at one of three Wheatbelt Luxury Escapes : Talbot Lodge, located on a sandalwood plantation; The Barn, a renovated Quakers Lodge kit home; and Federation-style Mansfield Cottage. The homesteads are located just under 100 clicks from Perth in the Avon Valley, where the pastoral landscape is mottled in bands of gold and green. While Talbot Lodge is 20 kilometres out of York, WA’s oldest inland town, and sleeps six, Mansfield Cottage and The Barn are on York’s outskirts and both sleep four.

Wheatbelt Luxury Escapes, Western Australia
Retire to one of three luxury residences. (Image: Angie Roe Photography)

Parmelia Hilton

Parmelia Hilton has been completely reimagined after a 10-month refurbishment in conjunction with Cox Architecture. The $45 million update includes the addition of 32 new rooms, including Premier Suites, to elevate the offering, an executive lounge, as well as direct access to buzzy Brookfield Place. The hotel’s transformation includes a pleasing coastal-chic contemporary lobby.

Parmelia Hilton Perth, WA
The hotel’s transformation includes a pleasing coastal-chic contemporary lobby. (Image: Robert Frith)

Ampersand Estates

Ampersand Estates has completed an extensive refurbishment program that has brought the region’s oldest winery, cellar door and accommodation thoroughly up to date. Located amid the rumpled folds of the Pemberton region, the winery is named after the ampersand symbol in reference to the many add-ons on offer. Enjoy a picnic on the grounds surrounded by old-growth trees, visit the gin and vodka lounge, and then retire to one of three luxury residences.

RAC Karri Valley Resort

The RAC Karri Valley Resort is one to bookmark for your next family holiday, with the top-to-toe renovation of its Chalets and Lakeside Rooms enhancing the guest experience. The Lakeside Restaurant and lounge room have also had an update, fixing the spotlight onto Lake Beedelup and the Karri Forest surrounds.

Aerial Shot of RAC Karri Valley, Western Australia
The RAC Karri Valley Resort is one to bookmark for your next family holiday. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)
Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti avoided accruing a HECS debt by accepting a cadetship with News Corp. at the age of 18. After completing her cadetship at The Cairns Post Carla moved south to accept a position at The Canberra Times before heading off on a jaunt around Canada, the US, Mexico and Central America. During her career as a journalist, Carla has successfully combined her two loves – of writing and travel – and has more than two decades experience switch-footing between digital and print media. Carla’s CV also includes stints at delicious., The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian, where she specialises in food and travel. Carla also based herself in the UK where she worked at Conde Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times’ Travel section before accepting a fulltime role as part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK. Carla and has been freelancing for Australian Traveller for more than a decade, where she works as both a writer and a sub editor.
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Inspire your senses with these iconic East Kimberley stays

    Jennifer EnnionBy Jennifer Ennion
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    The East Kimberley should be on every bucket list, and here’s why.

    Livistona palms soar out of chasms the colour of Valencia oranges. Shady waterholes beckon travellers daring to venture off the bitumen. From the air, fruit farms give way to vast plains that meet rolling hills and fascinating geological formations centuries in the making. The East Kimberley is one of Australia’s most treasured wilderness areas, but don’t be fooled by its rust-coloured roads. This north-eastern corner of Western Australia is home to some of Australia’s most iconic stays by Discovery Resorts  that should be on everyone’s bucket list.

    A group of people enjoy an intimate dining experience at El Questro Homestead.
    Dine in the heart of nature.

    Your guide to Lake Argyle

    The backstory

    With rolling hills that glow amber at sunrise and glassy water that reflects the Kimberley’s bright blue sky, a visit to Lake Argyle is nothing short of awe-inspiring. As Australia’s second-largest man-made freshwater lake, travellers flock here to soak in the views from boats, helicopters and Discovery Resorts – Lake Argyle .

    The latter is a lakeside oasis, a resort where travellers crossing from Western Australia into the Northern Territory (or vice versa) converge. Fifty minutes’ drive south of Kununurra, the property is perched atop a cliff overlooking the sprawling Lake Argyle.

    Discovery Resorts – Lake Argyle was originally built in the late 1960s to provide accommodation for builders of the Ord River dam, which formed Lake Argyle. In the decades that followed it had several owners, until a Kununurra local took the reins in 2004 and reinvented the property with luxury villas and its now world-famous infinity pool. The iconic property was added to the Discovery Resorts portfolio in 2021, undergoing a major upgrade that took the resort from a beloved campground to an all-encompassing resort with premium waterfront villas.

    A boat glides across the expansive waters of Lake Argyle, surrounded by the breathtaking landscapes of the Kimberley. As part of the Discovery Holiday Parks experience, this unforgettable journey offers adventure and relaxation.
    Glide across the vast, shimmering waters of Lake Argyle.

    The rooms

    A lakeside resort like no other, Discovery Resorts – Lake Argyle offers something for everyone, from campsites to villas and cabins . The Deluxe Lakeview Cabins have views of the opposing cliff and are surrounded by bush, ensuring plenty of privacy, while both the Deluxe and Standard Cabins are ideal for families, with contemporary furnishings and one, two or four bedrooms. The campsites also come in a variety of sizes.

    The facilities

    There’s no doubt the biggest drawcard to Discovery Resorts – Lake Argyle is the lake, 20 times the size of Sydney Harbour. One of the best ways to experience it is on the Kimberley Durack Sunset Explorer Cruise , during which you’ll see freshwater crocodiles nesting along the banks (it’s home to 30,000 freshies) and even get the chance to swim in their waters. The cruise also takes in Mt Misery, towering above the original and now submerged Argyle Downs Homestead.

    If you have young children who need to get to bed early, a great alternative is the three-hour Lunch Explorer Cruise . You’ll tour around the lake’s bays as you learn about the local wildlife before stopping at a remote island for a swim.

    Refuel between adventures at the onsite pub-style eatery, The Lake Argyle Cafe. The cafe is the heart of the resort, bringing together friends new and old over a steak, cold beer and live music. Hours vary with the seasons, but rest assured you’ll be able to enjoy a good feed year-round, with a well-stocked general store also open during the day.

    Cool off from a day of exploring in the striking infinity pool with some of the best views in the country (you’ll find sweeping views of the lake below). Or enjoy a flight with HeliSpirit, or clear your mind during a yoga class on the lawn.

    Two people unwind in an infinity pool, overlooking stunning Lake Argyle at Discovery Holiday Parks.
    Take a dip in the infinity pool and soak in breathtaking Lake Argyle views.

    Your guide to El Questro

    The backstory

    One of the most famous stays in Australia is El Questro . A former cattle station, it’s evolved into one of the country’s most recognisable tourism destinations over the past 30 years, and is now embarking on a new chapter to elevate the region’s rich First Nations culture.

    The property draws travellers seeking to reconnect with nature and the beauty of this country. Wild in spirit but immaculate in style, El Questro is a 283,000-hectare property like no other; surrounded by dramatic gorges, impressive mountain ranges, thermal springs, secluded waterfalls and even rainforest, it’s the perfect base for adventurous souls.

    A person floats leisurely in the river at Discovery Holiday Parks, immersed in nature’s tranquillity.
    Float along Zebedee Springs and immerse in nature.

    The rooms

    Across the sprawling El Questro are three properties catering to the wide variety of travellers who journey this way. The most impressive is the luxurious Homestead , where 10 suites perch at the edge of a burnt-orange cliff, with cantilevered bedrooms over the peaceful Chamberlain River. The adults-only, all-inclusive Homestead is a member of the prestigious Luxury Lodges of Australia collection and offers a backdrop of thick bushland; riverside, you’ll find an immaculate lawn and a shaded pool that lures guests out of their rooms.

    At Emma Gorge , travellers will be immersed in the beauty of the Cockburn Ranges, falling asleep to the sounds of wildlife in safari-style tented cabins. This is where you come if you want to completely connect with your environment while retaining a few creature comforts. The Emma Gorge Tented Cabins sleep three or four people and feature private ensuites and ceiling fans.

    Families also love The Station , home to simple yet comfortable air-conditioned rooms, as well as a large, leafy campground. Sitting by the Pentecost River, The Station is open from April to October and has a range of accommodation, from unpowered and powered campsites to air-conditioned tents for two people and a Gardenview Family Room for five.

    Two people stand beside a suite perched on the edge of a striking burnt-orange cliff, gazing out over the serene Chamberlain River below.
    Take a breather with stunning views of nature all around.

    The facilities

    Located in the heart of the Kimberley, El Questro retains its strong connection with its Traditional Owners, the Ngarinyin people. A highlight of a stay here is the Injiid Marlabu Calls Us experience ; over two hours, guests are immersed in the soul of Country by witnessing ancient healing rituals, listening to generational stories and learning about the land’s ancestral heritage.

    Other experiences include bird watching, cruising through Chamberlain Gorge, hiking through Emma Gorge, horse riding, four-wheel-driving and soaking in Zebedee Springs. At the properties, you can also cool off in the pools, and relax in the restaurants or at private dining locations. A bonus of staying at The Homestead is the exclusive service of El Questro’s dedicated reservations team, who will craft a bespoke itinerary tailored to your travel tastes.

    A group of people stand beside a tree, with a car parked nearby, taking in the surrounding natural beauty.
    Experience thrilling nature activities.

    Book your East Kimberley adventure today with Discovery Resorts.