harryhv

Updated May 14
Even if you're planning staying at the Hilton it's time to book. Mr & Mrs harryhv have booked the (cancellable) function rate at the Hyatt but may change to the Hilton:

Prices for the Fri/Sat/Sun nights 24-27 May
5-star
Hilton 135/135/135 on lastminute.com.au/secret 5 dots, but they've been renovating the lifts & cafe
Hyatt function rate, 182.75, call (+61) 131234 and quote BQWT, or BQWB with b'fast
Hyatt "Bonus 99" 3 nights for $627 incl $99 F&B
Hyatt club floor 265/265/265 5-dot secret hotel on lastminute.com.au
Pan Pacific 180/218/218 5-star secret hotel on lastminute.com.au
Duxton 209/229/229 on perth.duxtonhotels.com
4-star
Novotel 119/119/119 4.5-star secret hotel on lastminute.com.au
Mercure 120 x3 on lastminute.com.au
Rydges 133/149/172 on priorityguestrewards.com.au
Travelodge 118 x3 on needitnow.com.au
Holiday Inn 172/172/172 priorityclub.com

Secret hotel notes:
Pan Pacific - on lastminute com au, it's the secret hotel with 5 stars ("near Swan River"). It's not 5 dots, that's either the Hyatt ("elegant & spacious rooms") or the Hilton ("1km from Kings Park") or the Fraser Suites ("Perth CBD - East")

Hyatt - 5 dots, "elegant & spacious rooms", offers you a club-floor

Fraser Suites - 5 dots, "city centre - East", is at the edge of town

Crown Metropol (Casino) - a bit seedy to be 5-star, but plenty of golf nearby

Hilton - If using hilton com, book each night separately.

There are other 5-star hotels but they're either poorly located (Richardsonl, Wyndham) or expensive (Best Western).

4-Star
Novotel - Lastminute com au, it's the secret hotel with 4.5 stars ("near the park")

Rydges - priorityguestrewards.com.au, join up (free) to get the regular prices. Book each night separately.

Travelodge - Lastminute com au, it's the secret hotel with 4 stars ("centre of the CBD") but actually the listed rate is the same

There are many other 4-star hotels but they're either poorly located (Crowne Plaza, Peninsula) or horrid (too many to mention, Perth hotels can get away with a lot in this boomtime economy)

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For Hilton week-nights especially Tue & Wed, or any Perth hotel midweek prices are astronomical, best to use points+cash booking as far ahead as possible. Monday nights Rydges has an under-$200 price for members, join up, it's free.

If you're just looking for somewhere central to stay at a reasonable price there are some apartments in East Perth which are on a free shuttle-bus route. Check lastminute.com.au, select Perth then East Perth, for the Mont Clare apartments, the Regal Apartments or - if you're not planning watching TV - the Alderney apartments. If you don't mind slumming it there are acceptable 3-star properties in town: Perth Ambassador and the Comfort Hotel East Perth (not the Comfort-Wentworth Plaza, that's a pub.) Also the Ibis but you'll need an Accor sale to get a decent rate.

Properties to avoid: Ascot Quays, Seasons, the Criterion, Miss Maud, anything in Northbridge. Have also had poor experiences at the Crowne Plaza, the IC which is out of town at Burswood, and Kings hotel.

On Lastminute.com.au for weekend nights only you will find a 4-star secret hotel advertised as "right in in the CBD" (center) in the $100 range which is the Travelodge - quite ok, but fierce internet charge. There's another 4-star secret hotel sometimes, priced $120-$150, usually that's the Mercure.

There's also a 4.5 star secret hotel on Lastminute.com.au which is the Novotel, they usually have a $135 rate on Fri and Sun but nothing for Sat.

UPDATE - Wotif and Lastminute now have 4 "secret" 5-star properties, three with 5 dots and one (the PanPac) with 5 stars.

1. The ex-Sheraton, now Pan Pacific, 5 stars, description mentions "Close to the historic Perth Mint".

2. The Hilton - 5 dots, and the short description at the end mentions "1km from Kings Park"

3. The Hyatt - 5 dots, and the description mentions "spacious room". Often offers the option of a room on a Club floor.

4. The "Fraser Suites", 5 dots, (a new development about 2km from town), 5 dots, says "this hotel is located in the Perth CBD (East)."