Parmelia Hilton Perth has been a staple of the city for over half a century. But thanks to an extensive recent renovation, many of the property’s former wrinkles have been smoothed out.

The absence of an Executive Lounge was a noticeable detractor for many top-tier travellers. And that’s something the hotel has also addressed, with a brand new lounge space and Executive Room categories to match.

With Western Australia once again open to most interstate and international travellers, we jetted across to Perth to put the capital’s flagship Hilton-brand hotel to the test.

Hotel location and first impressions

Situated on Mill Street in the city’s CBD, Parmelia Hilton Perth is a very short walk to both St Georges Terrace and Mounts Bay Road. You’re also close to His Majesty’s Theatre, with BHP’s main Perth office the next street over. Elizabeth Quay and the Museum of Perth are within a 10-minute walk as well.

The hotel itself recently completed an extensive $45 million transformation – and it really shows. Having been a regular here pre-COVID, I find the updated lobby almost unrecognisable. It really feels like a brand new Hilton.

Taking its inspiration from Western Australia’s landscapes, that lobby adopts darker tones in its palette along the main concourse. A side space contrasts this with more vibrant coastal colours and local artwork.

As I make my way to the room, the hallways still have an air of familiarity, but feel refreshed. Inside, there’s a bottle of wine waiting, along with fruit and sweet treats. That’s a common welcome gift here for Hilton Honors Diamond members, even if it’s always unexpected.

Little touches like that – which are over and above what any hotel ‘has’ to offer – certainly go a long way to making a regular traveller feel welcomed.

Parmelia Hilton Perth’s King Executive Room

Most King Executive Rooms at Parmelia Hilton Perth adopt a more standard floorplan. But some are a little closer to a junior suite, with a separate bedroom and living area.

This room is the latter, but still sits under the same King Executive category. That finds a lounge space directly beyond the entrance, with a sofa, separate chair and a table. That’s suited to both dining and working, with power points directly below.

The closet – including an always-handy iron and ironing board – is also just by the front door. Following the corridor past the sofa reveals the bedroom. Because this room isn’t a formal suite, it’s a tight squeeze on either side of the bed. But having said that, there’s a separate TV here, and another chair.

Being on the second floor puts this room alongside a large common balcony. It’s a nice idea, but the older-style doors are rather difficult to open and then lock again once you’re finished. There’s also no furniture outside, so other than a quick peek to take photos, I didn’t find a reason to venture out there again during the stay.

Back in the room itself, the HD TVs support Chromecast. To access it, just be sure to enter your surname in all lower case, as a leading capital letter won’t get you past the Wi-Fi login screen.

You can also connect your own device to the big screen via HDMI – and that worked well.

Accessible from the ‘bedroom’ side of this room, the bathroom here is a true en suite. You’ll find double sinks, forward-facing lighting, and an adjustable wall-mounted mirror. Amenities are stocked by Crabtree & Evelyn.

Speaking of lighting…

Here’s where things take an interesting turn. As part of Parmelia Hilton Perth’s recent renovations, motion detectors have been installed. These typically help hotels save on electricity, by automatically switching the lights off when people head out. And it’s a great (and green) idea, in theory.

But in this case, the lights kept turning off while I was still in the room. The bathroom sensor was particularly pedantic, sending the entire bathroom into darkness when I’d only been in the shower for a few minutes. Luckily, I didn’t slip over on my blind trek out to wave for more light.