Review: DoubleTree by Hilton Perth Waterfront – great location & views

This is our review of the DoubleTree Perth Waterfront hotel – not to be confused with the DoubleTree Perth Northbridge.

For my first visit to Perth – as part of my big Qantas tour – I knew I wanted to stay in the city centre, within walking distance of shops and attractions, as I didn’t have a car.

(You can read my review of business class on the non-stop Qantas Boeing 787 flight between London Heathrow and Perth here.)

There are a few branded hotels here, including a new Ritz-Carlton, but I didn’t want the fuss of a luxury five star for my short stay. A friend recommended the DoubleTree Perth Waterfront thanks to its amazing river views so I thought I’d give it a go, and I’m glad I did.

DoubleTree is one of Hilton’s oldest brands and is often – but not always – used a conversion brand for hotels which want to move to the Hilton ‘system’ without making major changes. Hotels will occasionally move to DoubleTree from the main brand. A free chocolate chip cookie on arrival is about all you can be certain to receive.

The DoubleTree Perth Waterfront punches above its weight, however, and is a hotel which originally opened as a DoubleTree, not a conversion.

The hotel provided my stay in exchange for a review.

The hotel website is here.

Where is the DoubleTree Perth Waterfront hotel?

The DoubleTree Perth Waterfront is directly on the river, arguably in a better location than the Ritz-Carlton which is just one minute away.

It is by Elizabeth Quay, a newly developed riverside entertainment area, and next door to the modern Bell Tower, something of a tourist attraction in Perth. You also have ferries to Perth Zoo and Rottnest Island (home of the quokkas) literally outside.

The location is great: just 20 minutes from Perth Airport by car, directly on the water, within walking distance of the central business and shopping districts and connected to the newish waterside parks that snake around the Swan River (and make for an excellent flat running/cycling loop).

Inside DoubleTree Perth Waterfront

The main entrance is on the side opposite the Bell Tower with a large tuning circle for taxis or Ubers to drop you off. The lobby itself is bright but compact – this is a DoubleTree after all, so less flashy and more practical – with check-in desks at the end.

Check-in was a breeze and I was given my warm DoubleTree cookie and whisked off to my room on one of the upper floors (there are 18 in total).

Rooms at the DoubleTree Perth Waterfront hotel

The DoubleTree Perth Waterfront opened in 2020 and is home to 229 rooms. Room categories are limited, with the biggest variations being the view type (river vs city) and the bed type (king vs twin). A few junior suites and suites sit above this.

I was given a corner version of the King Panoramic River View room. I also saw a normal king room and, beyond the view, they are pretty much identical. As the DoubleTree is a stand-alone building the views are pretty good from all sides, with the closest buildings at least 50 metres away.

As a new build hotel the rooms feature a standard hotel room layout. There’s a large open wardrobe and padded bench that doubles as a luggage rack by the entrance, although it’s only deep enough for carry on luggage:

Opposite this is the grey stone effect bathroom which is relatively compact but feels larger thanks to the big glass window to the bedroom. There is an electric blind for privacy.

and

Toiletries are the classic DoubleTree Crabtree & Evelyn and come in wall-mounted pump bottles.

Deluxe and Premium rooms come with a stand-alone bath tub.

Heading back into the room, a corner of the bathroom has been cut out and given over to the mini bar with (empty) mini fridge and kettle. Deluxe and Premium rooms also come with a Nespresso machine.

You then have the king bed with large side tables. These seem to have a design flaw because they were wonky in both rooms I saw!

Next to the bed is a small armchair and coffee table whilst opposite you have a decent-sized desk and TV:

As a corner room, I had both views of the river:

…. as well as a skinny window overlooking the Bell Tower:

Overall the room was simple but relatively spacious with all the necessities you might want, including a good-sized desk. The design is inoffensive with a neutral grey colour palette and some wood effect cabinetry and stone effect tiles in the bathroom.

Gym and pool at DoubleTree Perth Waterfront

The outdoor pool and gym are available on the hotel podium rooftop. Excuse the miserable weather – it was the first day in months that Perth enjoyed some rain! The infinity pool overlooks the Swan river:

The gym is adjacent and also features a wall of windows facing the same way:

Rooftop bar, restaurants and breakfast

The hotel has an impressive rooftop bar called 18 Knots on the 18th floor, replete with wrap-around balcony:

It’s a bit of an odd thing. The space itself is exceptional and has (I assume) one of the best views in all of Perth. It is clearly popular with hotel guests enjoying a tipple which is great, but the hotel could really elevate the space and turn it into a destination in its own right.

I did have an excellent steak sandwich for lunch at the bar. Apparently steak sandwiches are a big Perth thing and there’s a citywide competition to find the best one. I have to say I’d give this one my vote, it was phenomenal:

When I asked for a coffee they said they didn’t have a coffee machine but said they’d pick one up for me from downstairs, which was kind of them.

If you want a fuller meal then there is another restaurant downstairs called Reel Kitchen which is where breakfast is also served. This also has river and wharf views:

The breakfast spread is good with a wide range of hot options from both Western and Asian cuisines:

…. plus your usual range of pastries, fruit, cold cuts and more. There was also a juicing station where you could make your own fresh juices from a range of produce which must be something Australian because the Qantas lounge in Perth also had one.

Conclusion

If you aren’t looking for all the bells and whistles (and price) of a luxury hotel then I can highly recommend the DoubleTree Perth Waterfront.

In terms of location this has got to be one of the best – if not the best – hotels in Perth, with fantastic views and access to some lovely pedestrianised areas such as the Elizabeth Quay and waterside parks.

Rooms are basic but have everything you need, plus there’s the outdoor pool, gym and rooftop bar.

I was particularly impressed by the staff throughout the hotel, who were friendly and proactive.

A call to housekeeping resulted in a luggage rack being delivered within a minute or two; the bar staff offered to grab a coffee from downstairs from me and the reception and restaurant staff were equally good.

Room rates start at AUD$250 (about £120) per night or 42,000 Hilton Honors points.

You can find out more, and book, on the Hilton website here.