Room for Two: Rendezvous Hotel Perth Scarborough

By Andrew Mevissen

Intro

For couples seeking a romantic escape in Australia, watching the sun set over the ocean with a choice beverage in hand is often part of the dream. But most of us live on the east coast where the sun rises over the ocean for a cosy coffee with your loved one. But if you head west to Perth you can witness the glorious sight of a sunset over the Indian Ocean. And one of the best places to do that is from a lofty balcony near the top of the highest building hugging the west coast of Australia – the Rendezvous Hotel Perth Scarborough.

Overlooking one of Perth’s finest stretches of beaches, the Rendezvous Scarborough is undergoing a complete, multi-million-dollar facelift and the iconic hotel’s new-look rooms have now been unveiled so we checked in to check it out!

Overview

The 25-storey-high Rendezvous Scarborough hotel is still Perth’s only beachside high-rise and is a landmark of coastal sophistication. Built in 1986 by the late tycoon, Alan Bond, to capture the excitement of the 1987 America’s Cup off the coast of Perth, the 337-room hotel has hosted many famous guests including  Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Bono, KISS, Kylie Minogue, Pearl Jam, Robbie Williams, Harry Connick Junior, Cher and Sir Bob Geldof. In fact, the piano that Michael Jackson played at his Perth concerts in 1996 now takes pride of place in the hotel’s cocktail lounge – and yes you can have a little tinkle of the storied ivories!

The Rendezvous Scarborough is close to the end of a major, two-year-long revitalisation and offers a beautiful – and romantic -alternative to staying in the city. Perth is, in fact, Australia’s sunniest capital city with around 3200 hours of sunshine a year – or 8.8 hours a day –  so it makes sense to live it up by the beach in Perth enjoying the hotel’s unparalleled, signature views of the sun setting over the ocean.

Location

The hotel’s location right on a magnificent sweep of beach at Scarborough is unbeatable. Just a 30-minute drive from Perth Airport and 15 minutes from the CBD, the hotel provides the perfect blend of coastal relaxation and urban convenience, with the high-rise rooms offering sweeping views along the coast and out to Rottnest Island. And surrounding you in Scarborough are lots of bars, cafes, parks, live music, swimming pools and beachside walks for an icecream-licking promenade.

At beaches in Sydney on most mornings there are small crowds of people who gather to watch the sunrise over the Pacific but here in Perth you see people snuggled at dusk every day on a grassy knoll just below the hotel to witness the sunset over the Indian. And we joined them, except from 70m above from our hotel balcony!

Look and feel

Designers of the hotel’s refurb have taken inspiration from the uninterrupted views over the Indian Ocean to unveil a beach-inspired theme throughout the hotel. Carpets reflect the swash of the sea as it reaches the Scarborough shoreline, while the newly painted walls imitate the colours of the dunes in the morning. The hotel’s outdoor pool is closed for some time as part of the refresh but the upside of that is that all guests get free access to the sensational Scarborough Beach Pool just a 10-min walk away – a huge, outdoor, beachside pool complex with pools heated up to 30 degrees year-round, which we enjoyed several times during our stay. Service in the hotel throughout our stay was extremely friendly, efficient and relaxed to match the seaside setting. Parking is $25 per night.

Best room for two

You can’t stay here and not book one of the top-floor, seaview rooms especially if you’re on a romantic interlude and, like my partner, have never seen the sun set over the Indian Ocean in WA. Treat yourself to a Sunset Oceanview Corner Room, like we enjoyed (request a north-facing one to maximise the daylight). Freshly refurbished, our spacious, high-level room flaunted a king bed and an extended balcony with breathtaking, helicopter-like vistas right along the white sands of Scarborough and out to sea across the deep blue hues of the Indian Ocean. The mesmerising views must surely be some of the best from any hotel in Australia. There was no furniture on the balcony but that will appear soon as part of the  refurbishment. Our room also featured marble-topped credenzas, large smart TV, free Wi-Fi, USB-charging points, coastal-inspired artwork and sleek bathroom.

Food and drink

The elegant Lobby Bar offers a quiet space for cocktails and the adjacent Straits Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, focusing on local produce and all paired with great, floor-to-ceiling views of the beach framed by some graceful Norfolk pines. We chose the cafe for breakfast and the buffet selection was extensive and generous with dishes made to order as well. Barista coffee is additional.   

Spa and wellness

The hotel sports a decent gym with outdoor balcony on level 10 for fresh air. And inside the hotel is the Solace Day Spa which offers a healing magnesium bath, invigorating ice bath, traditional sauna, dopamine rain showers and sound-healing massages. We chose the lush outdoor pool by the beach a short stroll away from the hotel and the seaview hot rooms at Alchemy Saunas nearby on the beach for some authentic local dose of wellness and wellbeing.

Couples will love

Check the sunset times in advance, get some champagne or your favourite drink and be ready to toast the sunset together from your hotel balcony. It’s a real event and one you won’t forget. Keep the balcony door ajar a little at night too so you can hear the calming rhythm of the sea for a restful sleep.  And take a romantic stroll along the coast nearby, stopping as we did, for coffee and a taste of contrast therapy with a sesh in the beachside sauna at Alchemy Saunas in Scarborough and then a refreshing dip in the sea. Pure magic!

Rendezvous Perth Scarborough | Official Site