Perth has shiny towers by the Swan River, but the city's best hotel is hiding in a cluster of colonial-era government buildings. Como The Treasury occupies the State Buildings, a sprawling complex constructed between 1875 and 1959 that once held Western Australia's treasury, the Land Titles office and the post office. Converted into a hotel in 2015, it now blends heritage facades with calm, spa-like interiors by Kerry Hill Architects and a rotating collection of contemporary Australian art.

With only 48 rooms, the place feels more private residence than hotel. Even the entry-level City rooms run about 500 square feet, while the Treasury Balcony rooms stretch to roughly 700, with French doors opening onto balconies overlooking St George's Cathedral and the City of Perth Library. Expect travertine bathrooms, freestanding tubs, Egyptian cotton sheets and Como's own Shambhala bath products. Blackout curtains plus thick historic walls equal a seriously good night's sleep in the middle of the CBD.

Food is a major reason to book. Rooftop restaurant Wildflower serves one of Perth's most interesting tasting menus, built around native Australian ingredients and changing six times a year to follow traditional Indigenous seasons — the reviewer visited during Djilba, the early-spring season when native plants bloom. Dishes might include Esperance scallops with finger lime, line-caught snapper with lemon myrtle, or lamb with warrigal greens, all paired with wines from across the country. For something more casual, the attached bistro Post handles breakfast and Italian-leaning dinners, and the wider State Buildings precinct adds Thai at Long Chim, the upscale brasserie Petition, a wine bar and a beer corner — effectively a private dining court at the hotel's doorstep.

Other perks: the Shambhala Spa is set in the building's old 19th-century vaults, there's a moody lap pool with two-storey windows and city views, and check-in comes with a glass of Champagne in a lobby that doubles as an art gallery. Service gets high marks for polish without losing Australian warmth.

Rates start around AU$747 (about $520) a night for a City room, rising to roughly AU$1,377 ($955) for a Treasury Balcony room. It's a member of both Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and Capital One's Premier Collection, so cardholders can unlock daily breakfast for two, up to $100 in property credit and potential upgrades — Amex Platinum holders can also stack a semiannual $300 statement credit on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts stays.

Practically speaking, the hotel sits about 30 minutes from Perth Airport (taxis and Ubers run AU$40–50 each way) and is walkable to Elizabeth Quay, where ferries leave for Rottnest Island and its quokkas. If you're flying the long haul to Western Australia, this is the kind of place that makes the journey feel worth it — part luxury stay, part immersion in the state's history, with the city's best restaurants a few steps away.