Crown: Jewel of Perth

Private cabanas, exclusive guest lounge, celebrity chef restaurants, luxurious spa treatments and more… Perth local Pia reveals why the Crown is a reason in itself to visit the WA capital.

Mae West famously said; “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough,” (she was a live-every-last-minute kinda gal, too). Well, if you want to feel like you’ve lived your life, a trip to the West is essential, but if you want to feel like you’ve lived it right, you need to immerse yourself in Crown Metropol Perth.

Fresh from its $1.3 billion revamp, Crown, true to its name, is a place to go to experience the royal treatment. Not satisfied with being ‘just’ a luxury resort, it’s taken the title ‘Entertainment Complex’ and is home to 29 restaurants and bars, quality sporting facilities, a casino, theatre, grand ballroom, retail outlets, ‘The Dome’ stadium, and everything in between.
Crown Metropol
Greeted at the entrance by a dapper, top-hat-cladded valet attendant, I’m escorted through the foyer, into the glass elevator to my sixth floor accommodation.
Spacious and flooded with natural light, my room, like the facilities, is fresh and new; qualities lacking in many of its competitors.
Devoid of the bling from the casino next door, the five-star Crown Metropol instead focuses on the little things that make your stay more special – a personalised greeting on your television, a quality hairdryer, ipod docking station, and the all-important telephone in the toilet, just to name a few. Take a look out the window too for impressive views of our pretty city.
9 Lounge
Situated on the (you guessed it) 9th floor and exclusive to top-floor guests, 9 Lounge is the perfect place to get your night started. Joined by my lovely cousin Zoe, we enjoy catching up over drinks and canapés with the city skyline and river as our backdrop. Our chivalrous host does a brilliant job of ensuring drinks are plentiful.
Faced with the difficult task of deciding where to enjoy breakfast the next morning (having heard wonderful things about the Atrium Sunday brunch), we make the decision to head back to 9 Lounge to enjoy the buffet-styled breakfast while basking in the warm Perth sun, overlooking the river and enjoying coffees and newspapers in peace. Now that is what lazy Sunday mornings are all about!
Nobu
World-renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa brought his international phenomenon that is Nobu dining to Perth, and it’s perfectly at home at Crown. Since its much-anticipated opening last year, featuring co-owner Robert DeNiro (yep, that’s how we roll in Perth), Nobu can be a tough place to get a booking, particularly on a Saturday night.
Our waiter guides us through the intimately lit surrounds to our window table which overlooks the impressive (and rather inviting) resort swimming pools.
Upon our waiter’s recommendation, we decide to go for the Omakase (degustation) menu and a bevvy of delicious cocktails. Of particular note is
Nobu’s signature dish, Black Miso Cod; it is deserving of its accolades. It comprises a delicate piece of fish, both in texture and flavour, coated in sticky sweet miso paste, accompanied by a lotus chip for texture and topped with a pickled ginger spear to cleanse the palate.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the Mia Margarita, a fabulous concoction of Tequila Reposada, Honey, Passionfruit Purée, Lemon Juice and a hint of Shichimi, a Japanese spice mix which translates to ‘seven flavor chili pepper’. It’s sure to give your night a delicious kick-start.
If modern Japanese isn’t your style, you can’t go wrong with Neil Perry’s Rockpool Bar & Grill or Guillaume Brahimi’s Bistro Guillaume.
ISIKA Day Spa
Having indulged in one too many cocktails the night before, I make my way down to ISIKA in a slight haze. As it turns out, I leave in a haze too, but of completely different proportions.
From the moment I set foot into ISIKA, I’m swept into a dream. Surrounded by diffuse lighting and soft music playing off in the distance, I’m led through a long passageway lined with doors and shown to the ladies relaxation room. Stocked up with tea and magazines and quite happy to chill there for the rest of the afternoon, I’m soon greeted by Vivian, my therapist who takes me to my treatment room for some serious pampering.
A customised facial using all-natural Aveda products, the ‘Self-Renewal Face and Body Experience’ is 90 minutes of pure bliss. The feathery strokes, calming lotions and heavenly aromas are a winning combination to send you well on your way to a state of bliss. However, it’s the brilliant idea to include massage techniques on your arms, legs and scalp in this signature treatment that completely seals the deal.
Afterwards, you are welcome to make the most of the ladies or gents vitality pool and aroma steam room, have a shower and help yourself to an array of lotions and creams. Again, like with all facets of Crown, it’s about being a part of the complete experience.
Cabana Nirvana
Crown’s pool area is phenomenal; of high-end Dubai resort calibre.
But if you’re after something completely extravagant, hiring a private cabana in ‘The Enclave’ is a must.
Bypass the bar, lap pools and watersides to get to your private oasis. It comes completely decked out and is inviting and lounge-worthy. You can access the latest movies on your flat screen while your very own cabana boy attends to your every beck and call, bringing you magazines, food and cocktails to your heart’s content.
We pop the iPhone in the dock, crank the tunes and slip from book, to pool, to cocktail. One time, when feeling particularly energetic, I do all three at once. All in all, the perfect end to a perfect weekend.