Housed in a grand Victorian building with serene, contemporary interiors by renowned architect Kerry Hill (who in case you didn’t know was originally from Perth), COMO The Treasury is just the kind of hotel made for reset—whether that means a simple healthy lunch at Wildflower restaurant on the rooftop or a relaxing treatment at the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape Spa (or both!).
The hotel is located in the midst of Perth’s Cathedral Square precinct, which has undergone a multi-million dollar redevelopment and now encompasses a lively hub of impressive restored city buildings, restaurants and designer shopping. This makes COMO The Treasury not merely a hotel, but a true destination to discover the gems of Perth.
10:00am: Take a stroll
Begin the day with a stroll through COMO The Treasury’s Postal Hall on the hotel’s ground floor, which formerly housed treasury cashiers. The building is one of several restored 140-year old State Buildings, and it will be hard to not stand in awe as you take in the striking original features such as rooftop copper trimmings, red brick walls and soaring ceilings.
10:30am: Discover the Heritage Room
COMO The Treasury offers a DayAway experience called “Luxury for the Day”, where one can enjoy the Heritage Room, a stylish oasis of calm with superbly crafted furniture, a king-size bed dressed in crisp linens and double French doors opening onto a balcony overlooking Stirling Gardens.
Sunshine pours into the room from oversized windows, and the bathroom is pure bliss with its rain shower, generous oval soaking tub and aromatherapy-based COMO Shambhala at Home amenities. The room also comes with LED television and complimentary WiFi—perfect for catching a short film and also fitting in some emails throughout my day (should you be included). There is also a well-stocked private bar with complimentary waters, juices, nuts, cookies, Nespresso coffee and Teasessential teas. A selection of wines and spirits are also on hand to purchase as you wish.
12pm: Begin your gastronomic journey
One place not to miss is Wildflower, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant set within a stunning glass walled pavilion overlooking the Swan River. There is a bounty of local ingredients in chef Michael D’Adamo’s menu such as Geralton wax from a native wildflower, together with finger lime and ginger in an entree of Cured Line-Caught Fish. There’s also octopus from Busselton, one of the towns of wine region Margaret River, served roasted in another of the entrees with kohlrabi, lemon myrtle and brown butter.
We recommend starting with a light entree dish of Marinated Heirloom Tomato with fresh curd, anise myrtle, followed by a main course of Line-Caught Wild Fish, with cauliflower, garlic and native thyme. The meal is delicious and best complemented with a glass of wine—we chose the crisp Leeuwin Estate ‘Art Series’ Sauvignon Blanc, paying tribute to wonderful concerts in the vineyards we have enjoyed in previous years.
2:00pm: Explore the neighbourhood
Even after a healthy meal, a walk is in order to make the most of COMO The Treasury’s central location, bounded by St Georges Terrace, Barrack Street, Hay Street and Pier Street. You need to set on foot to admire the elegant State buildings and also see the Town Hall, St George’s Cathedral and the new City of Perth Library up close.
The concierge team mentioned that they organise guided walking tours of Perth with Two Feet and a Heartbeat, but I went on a wander with a friend based in Perth, who highlighted some of her favourite dining spots such as chef David Thompson’s Thai restaurant, Long Chim, and the glamorous bar Poole’s Temple, set within the State Treasury building. We also call into some of her favourite fashion boutiques such as Lessons and 622 Hay Street David Jones. She pointed out the stunning new Chanel boutique designed by Peter Marino, a combined fashion and beauty boutique showcasing ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, fragrance and cosmetics.
4:00pm: Surrender to urban bliss
A visit to a COMO Hotel & Resort is not complete without a spa session. Head to COMO Shambhala Urban Escape Spa, which is housed in the former vault of the old Treasury building. As with all of the spas at COMO Hotels and Resorts, this specialises in Western and Eastern wellness traditions with treatments often featuring carefully selected beauty products as well as their own signature blends.
Before the treatment, make the most of spa amenities including the stunning sapphire 20-metre long pool for a leisurely swim. Then, trust the well trained therapists to unravel every sore joint in your body and knot in your back. Massages aside, we also recommend the revitalising 75-minute Sodashi Marine facial featuring the locally made nature-based Sodashi products.
6.30pm Get a taste of Italy
End your day at COMO The Treasury with a light meal at Post, the hotel’s osteria, located in what was the franking room of the city’s General Post Office. The menu here is classic Italian with a contemporary twist. Instead of a full three-course meal, what about indulging in a superb drink like the NV Antinori Franciacorta Cuvée Royal Brut DOCG Lombardy, to be enjoyed together with some Spuntini, light bites, Saffron and taleggio arancini, Tuna bruschetta, capers, shallots, lemon, and a pasta dish – Orecchiette romanesco broccoli, Ortiz Anchovy.
