Hotel Review: ibis Styles East Perth Hotel

Perth’s passion for premium hotels caters to all budgets

Details

ibis Styles East Perth
69 Adelaide Terrace
East Perth, WA

What to expect

There’s no doubt about it – Perth is having its moment in the sun. It seems like every other month, there’s a new hotel in the capital city, and the four-star ibis Styles East Perth is one of them.

Touted as the “world’s largest modular hotel”, the 18-storey high-rise brings a fresh, pop-culture vibe to the city’s eastern business district. There’s colour at every glance, starting with the shiny gold facade.

As I step through the revolving entrance door, the clean, modern style of the lobby fills my heart. If I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought I was spending the night in Sweden. And the vibrancy! A bright yellow backdrop encourages guests to approach the front reception desk with a beaming smile. The staff are dressed in formal business attire, and their mannerisms match perfectly, a contrast to all the playfulness of the décor. As I snoop around the tidy lobby, I find messages like ‘Every Day is a Fresh Start’ and ‘Purpose Fuels Passion’ hidden in plain sight.

The economy hotel’s Adelaide Terrace location is a little removed from the city centre, but it’s still within an easy 20-minute walk (and a block from a breezy foot and bike path along the Swan River). If there’s no time to walk, hop on any Transperth city bus – it’s free within the CBD. Not only is the ibis Styles East Perth handy to city shopping and popular attractions, but it’s also ideal for patrons attending events at the WACA and Perth Stadium.

The rooms

The colour-fest continues as I step off the elevator and onto the eighth floor. The doors to the guest rooms alternate between hot pink, electric blue and sunshine yellow. My door is pink, and I’m tickled.

Inside, the carpet is like a game of Twister, and more bursts of colour make me smile widely (and not just because there’s a bright yellow guestbook propped on the table telling me to). The compact room is just big enough for a king-size bed, small round table, one chair, and a wall-mounted TV. There’s tea/coffee service concealed in a cabinet along with a mini fridge. The bathroom is decked out with beautiful turquoise tiles and all the standard amenities.

There are 252 rooms with different views and bed configurations, including family rooms with bunk beds. My standard room may be small, but they’ve managed to include a hidden cupboard to house a full-size ironing board, and there’s a personal safe for valuables in the clothes closet, too.

The sun is still high in the sky, so rather than be cooped up in this cute room, I jump on the bus. Ten minutes later, I’m strutting along Hay Street Mall in search of bargains and an afternoon coffee.

Services

Above the city on the 18th floor, there’s a sizeable fitness centre. Shame I forgot my trainers; I certainly would’ve enjoyed a workout with a view. Keeping with the hotel’s vivid style, the gym sports theme colours and fun graphics on a feature wall. There are lockers, a water fountain, and enough floor space to have a yoga session.

If you’re in Perth on business or need a little extra space to work, the hotel has two air-conditioned meeting rooms. Each room is bright and cheery with seating for up to 40 delegates.

Food and drink

Perth is overflowing with amazing happy hour and dining choices – so many, it’s hard to choose where to eat. Eating at the hotel’s bar and restaurant Eastside Social keeps decision-making to a minimum.

It’s about seven o’clock when I take my seat. I notice quite a few other solo diners, and when I later ask about the hotel’s main clientele, I understand why. Many guests here are corporate types travelling for business, and there are also returning fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers. Dining alone has never been an issue for me, but it’s kind of nice to know that I’m not… alone.

After over-thinking the menu for far too long, I choose the grilled asparagus salad with pesto from the section marked ‘Super Foods’. The bowl of green goodness satisfies my healthy craving, which I soon crush with sugar overload. Confession: I went light on my main because I knew I’d want dessert. And the chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and berries is pretty much everything dreams are made of: rich, sweet, and gooey.

The motto at Eastside Social is ‘real food from real ingredients’, not over-processed, cardboard-tasting boxed meals. And the dishes definitely have a homemade look and feel to them – nothing overly fancy, just good food.

After a lazy sleep-in, I skip the buffet breakfast and head out for a walk along the river. It’s another beautiful day in Perth. The sun is shining, the temperature is pleasant, and there’s a gentle breeze blowing (this will be replaced by the daily summer sea-breeze nicknamed the Fremantle Doctor later in the day).

After check-out, I linger at the first-floor lounge, which doubles as a co-working space, to reply to emails and organise my diary for the week. I can see myself staying here again – treating myself to another Perth staycation. Having trouble leaving a hotel is a pretty good sign that it was an enjoyable stay.

The verdict

A pleasant, budget-friendly hotel for short stays in the city.

Score

4/5

We rated

The minimalist, but vibrant, style throughout the hotel.

We’d change

It’s always great to have tea and coffee in the room, but there weren’t any caffeine-free choices.

Notes

I paid $109 for a standard room. Nearby off-site secure parking is available to guests for $27 per day.