Why Perth and its quietly iconic COMO The Treasury offers the perfect reset for Hongkongers in search of space, light and stillness
Some hotels impress you; others disarm you. COMO The Treasury belongs firmly to the latter. It begins even before the formalities, before keys, credit cards or signatures.
“Can we pour you a glass of sparkling wine while you check in?” comes the question, followed swiftly by another: “Would you like us to light the fireplace in your room?” Although it’s already spring when we stay, there’s a crispness in the air outside; inside, it already feels like home.
Set within Perth’s 19th-century State Buildings, COMO The Treasury was always meant to be more than a hotel. Designed by the late Kerry Hill and opened in 2015, it became the gravitational centre of a revitalised precinct, turning the city’s civic heart into a haven of calm design, modern dining and slow luxury. A decade later, it remains one of those rare buildings that soothes as you move through it: pale timber, cool stone and corridors that hold the afternoon sun.
Perth’s most elegant address
Our Heritage Suite, once the Treasurer’s office, has the quiet grandeur of a city apartment, with vaulted ceilings, sunlight streaming through the windows, and a fireplace we light each evening simply because we can. COMO’s quiet order runs through every detail: crisp Egyptian-cotton sheets, filtered water in glass bottles, and a complimentary minibar restocked daily with local treats.
Each night, a small box of chocolates from Sue Lewis Chocolatier, whose boutique sits just downstairs, appears on the pillow, an elegant introduction to Perth’s makers and the hotel’s quiet community roots. For our daughter, an extra bed has been made up, topped with a beautifully wrapped book waiting for bedtime. These small gestures add up to something rare: a hotel that anticipates comfort.
A taste of Western Australia at Wildflower and Post
What makes COMO The Treasury feel so deeply rooted in Perth is the way it champions its own backyard. Local makers and producers are woven through the experience, from the Cape Arid Rooms, home to one of the city’s finest afternoon teas and lined with Philippa and Alex Nikulinsky’s watercolours, to the handmade ceramics and locally roasted coffee that anchor the breakfast table.
Even the minibar and dining tables tell a story of place, with handcrafted glassware, small-batch treats and seasonal produce from Western Australian farmers, many of whom also shape the menu at Wildflower, where each dish follows the rhythm of the Indigenous six-season calendar.
Breakfast is served at Post, once the sorting room of Perth’s original General Post Office. It is an à la carte affair beginning with a basket of still-warm croissants and sourdough toast, alongside pots of local preserves. The menu strikes that elusive balance between comfort and restraint: maple granola with vanilla and strawberry compote, chia pudding with mango and passionfruit, and buttermilk pancakes layered with orange curd, vanilla mascarpone and maple. There is “Real Toast” too, dense with nuts, seeds and vegetables, topped with crushed avocado and lime. Coffee is by local favourite Mano a Mano and tea by Teassential, whose boutique sits just next door.
It is October when we visit, and the hotel is marking its tenth anniversary with a month of culinary and cultural collaborations that capture its quietly ambitious spirit. Upstairs at Wildflower, chef Paul Wilson has curated a menu that mirrors the six Indigenous seasons of Western Australia. During our stay, the Cape Arid Rooms hosted an exquisite week-long afternoon tea by Cédric Grolet’s team from COMO Orchard Singapore, a sugar-dusted meeting of art and architecture. Elsewhere in the State Buildings, musicians, winemakers and artists gathered to celebrate, a reminder that the hotel’s legacy is as much about community as it is about design.
From whale watching to wellness
Another draw to this fascinating property is COMO Shambhala, the hotel’s famed spa tucked within the reimagined 19th-century vaults. Treatments combine Eastern and Western healing traditions, blending hands-on therapy with a deeply intuitive approach to wellbeing. The signature COMO Shambhala Massage is grounding and rejuvenating, while Sodashi facials and RATIONALE’s results-driven treatments bring a distinctly Australian touch.
For guests seeking a full reset, curated wellness packages such as the COMO Shambhala Beauty or Recharge ritual offer hours of quiet renewal. A well-equipped gym sits just above, while the light-filled 20-metre indoor pool provides a serene escape from the city.
Perth’s beauty lies in its balance. On our first afternoon, the hotel arranged a Heritage Walking Tour, a gentle introduction to the State Buildings’ history and the stories that shaped the city around them. From there, Perth opens up effortlessly.
To the west, the ocean calls, with Cottesloe’s stretch of gold sand perfect for a swim or a barefoot sunset picnic. Just beyond Fremantle, whale-watching season from September to December brings majestic humpbacks and their calves along the coast. Inland, the Swan Valley offers cellar doors shaded by eucalyptus trees, olive groves and small-batch chocolatiers. COMO can arrange private tours through the region, pairing wine tastings with visits to Caversham Wildlife Park, where kangaroos and koalas laze in the shade, or even a ferry trip to Rottnest Island, its white beaches and famously smiling quokkas only an hour from the city.
The art of stillness
Back at the hotel, we arrive just in time for a glass of local wine before dinner and a long soak in the bath. Late-afternoon light filters through the old sash windows as the city exhales, galleries shuttering their doors and wine bars beginning to hum. Later, we sit by the fire, our daughter fast asleep, the city lights flickering beyond the curtains.
Few hotels manage to age so gracefully. A decade on, COMO The Treasury remains one of them. It reveals its beauty slowly, through light and warmth and the unmistakable gesture of a glass of sparkling wine offered at just the right moment.
Good to know
COMO The Treasury, Perth. From AUD 950 per night
Located in Perth’s historic State Buildings, just 20 minutes from the airport. Direct Cathay Pacific flights from Hong Kong take around 7.5 hours, with no time difference.
Best visited between September and December for whale-watching season, or in spring and autumn for mild weather.
Highlights: COMO Shambhala Spa, Wildflower Restaurant, Cape Arid Rooms Afternoon Tea
