The newest hotel openings and refurbs in WA

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.

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.

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.

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)

Blend the addictive energy of dance, creative cinematic movies, captivating theatre, and energising music during Perth Festival.

Perth Festival has extraordinary roots. Born as a summer community experiment back in 1953, the brainchild of Professor Fred Alexander, it’s now Australia’s longest-running international art-based festival. From its first event at University of Western Australia, it now spans across Noongar Boodjar country (Perth City) bringing worldclass performances into the hearts of ardent festivalgoers. Hundreds of curtain calls, including numerous free events, are set to linger and leave a lasting impression on those who seek thrills that fill life’s in-between spaces. Featuring unmissable highlights from 6^th February to 1^st March, we’ve done the legwork for you – here’s what’s on, and where:

1. East Perth Power Station

East Perth Power Station during Perth Festival — See East Perth Power Station come alive. (Image: Jessica Wyld Photography)

Abandoned, run-down and shutdown in 1981, East Perth Power Station , located on the banks of the stunning Swan River, was reinvented in 2025 as an entertainment venue for the Perth Festival. Pack a picnic, bring the family and kick back under paperbark trees at Casa Musica – a free event featuring a melting pot of world-class musicians from Australian shores and around the globe. The diversity will have you bopping until the final encore.

A decade after David Bowie’s passing, his powerful music lives on in the electrifying show, Rebel Rebel . Powerhouse vocalists join Perth Symphony Orchestra for one incredible night showcasing the singer-songwriter’s iconic hits. Illuminate your world through the eyes of First Nation Noongar artist, Lance Chadd Tjyllyungoo in a free event. His distinctive paintings and Dreamtime stories decorate the Power Station’s walls depicting spiritual beliefs. Or settle in to watch British indie pop singer-songwriter, Nilüfer Yanya .

2. St Mary’s Cathedral

Take in Award-winning vocal group, Roomful of Teeth. (Image: Anja Schutz)

Step into the lofty ceilings of Perth’s grandest cathedral, St Mary’s, and soak up choral harmonies. Dating back to 1865, the stained-glass reproductions of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper are a talking point, add talented maestros, and the stage is set to enthral.

The international line-up is impressive. Master Irish fiddler, Martin Hayes takes to the stage with exquisite lyrical compositions from his native land. Åkervinda , an award winning Swedish quartet, weave stories of love, loss, and resilience into harmonious Nordic folk songs. The USA Grammy Award-winning vocal group, Roomful of Teeth , break all the rules. Hear their voices echo through the arched vaulted ceilings.

3. Lotterywest Films

guests at Lotterywest Films as part of Perth Festival — Discover the Lotterywest Films program. (Credit: Jessia Wyld Photograpghy)

One of the festivals longest-running favourites, Lotterywest Films run a rich tapestry of cinematic features showing until 29th of March. Pack a picnic, cushions, popcorn and pop a cork under a Somerville Pine Tree as the sun sets and screenings begin. Cinema lovers, choose your poison from thrillers, deep-dive documentaries, tearjerkers, raunchy rom-coms and side-splitting comedies. The program is fantastically full, the filmmakers the best in the business, and the outdoor setting, unequalled.

4. The Embassy

guests at The EMbassy as part of Perth Festival — Step into the old world glitz of The Embassy. (Image: Franz Bato)

Modelled on Perth’s historic Embassy Ballroom, a devilish dance venue that operated in the 1900s, The Embassy in Perth Town Hall , serves sophistication in its A-list shows. Set your sequins a’sparkle at the, What’s TINA Got to Do With It extravaganza where guest artists play tribute as they belt out the glitzy star’s hits. The returning act, Ali Bodycoat & The Embassy Big Band, will have you jiving as you take to the dance floor reimagining a bygone era. Who doesn’t like chocolate? Black-bearded drag sensation, La Gateau Chocolat puts the raw in cacao. World-renowned for his feisty range of storied songs, he reveals the inner-man come artist through his deliciously sweet and intimate act.

5. Unusual locations

still from The Trial theatre — Watch a star-studded cast in The Trial. (Image: Cole Baxter)

We’ve all heard of the hit show, The Office, but a spinetingling operatic thriller acted out in disused office space? Philip Glass’ nail-biter, The Trial , has a star-studded line-up. Together they deliver a dramatic ordeal showcasing Oscar-winner Christopher Hampton’s libretto; the suspense lingers after the final bow.

Sit back under starry skies and soak up dynamic dance at Ballet at the Quarry: Incandescence . Four exclusive classical and contemporary acts illuminate the amphitheatre’s stage as Perth City twinkles at nightfall. Mystery excites the mind. West Australian Opera returns again with another ‘secret opera’. Be led from an undisclosed meeting point and let the music lead to the secret.

6. A View From A Bridge

A View From A Bridge special event at Perth Festival — Share your innermost thoughts at A View From A Bridge.

Free, connecting strangers, and inclusive to everyone, artist, Joe Bloom’s collaborative project, A View From A Bridge has one prop – an old red telephone. Talk into the receiver , share thoughts, innermost feelings, memories, hopes and dreams as Bloom captures you from afar. The freedom to speak through the telephone movement has a worldwide following. A range of clips will be shown online.

What else to do in Perth

Shadow Wine Bar in perth — Taste the best of Perth at eateries like Shadow Wine Bar.

Endless blue skies crown Perth during February, making it the perfect time to explore Australia’s most western capital city. The city might be compact, but it packs a punch when it comes to what’s on. Perth Cultural Centre houses the city’s art-scene venues: Western Australian Art Gallery, WA Museum Boola Bardip and Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA).

After exploring the city’s alleyways, hidden corners, and main hub, savour worldclass food in Perth’s vibrant eateries. Award-winning restaurants, rooftop bars, and cafes can be found throughout; the leisurely eat-and-drink scene is literally mouthwatering, so book extra nights.

Start planing your 2026 trip to Perth Festival at perthfestival.com.au .