Facelift: The view over Scarborough's beachfront from the Rendezvous Grand.
A $60 million upgrade has given Perth's Rendezvous Grand Hotel a new lease on life, but is it enough to fix its image problem? Fleur Bainger finds out.
The Rendezvous is arguably the most talked-about hotel in Perth, but the chatter hasn't always been good.
Prominent Western Australian entrepreneur Alan Bond erected the 25-storey wedding cake on the Scarborough beachfront in 1986. Eager to squeeze every dollar from the America's Cup yacht race being staged in Fremantle in early 1987 he built skyward, ignoring furious public complaints and residents' tears over lost coastal views.
Bondy called it Observation City, and while the name's been changed by its Singaporean owners it still sticks out like a sore thumb, visible from most of Perth's coastline.
The hotel enjoyed a heyday, hosting Michael Jackson and Cher, but time took its toll and news reports of mouldy balconies and drab rooms sullied its reputation. The suburb, too, became better known for pub brawls and bogans than its stunning beaches.
Now, 18 months after launching a $60 million renovation, the tide may be about to turn. Eighty-five per cent of the 336 rooms have been significantly refurbished - the remainder got a cosmetic flourish - and while the new glass facade is still a construction site, internal works are complete.
A room at the Rendezvous.
Frankly, they look rather spiffy. Checking in, I'm impressed by the cavernous lobby and its artsy chandelier. En route to my 24th-floor suite, I note scarring on some walls and doors and am relieved when a svelte room opens up before me.
Flecked chocolate carpet leads to a leather couch and a plush bed draped in white sheets and plump pillows. A geometric feature backs the flat-screen TV and a scoop lounge chair sits by the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The view of Perth's brilliantly clear turquoise waters steals the show. My large courtyard opens out to Bondy's original observation deck - where one could just spot the competing yachts - an old binocular stand the only relic left. Once outdoor furniture is added, the view will feel even better.
My huge bathroom has a spa - yet to be renovated - and more windows. It's all going swimmingly until night falls and I realise the verandah lights don't have an off-switch. A call to reception reveals they can't help, so curtains are pulled instead. So much for morning ocean views.
I check out the base-level superior and one-step-up deluxe rooms. At 30 square metres to 32 square metres they've been similarly refreshed, minus the spa. What with the upgrade and Perth's chronic hotel bed shortage, it's no wonder the hotel regularly reaches 80 per cent occupancy. A renewed restaurant and gym plus outdoor heated pool add to the allure.
The major downside remains Scarborough itself. The beach may be beautiful and the waves surfable, but there's little else to do save grab a latte from the uncharacteristically cool cafe across the road called Boho Espresso. Harley-Davidson owners stake their turf opposite the hotel, while men with seven-day growths slouch at a nearby bar and people in thongs and trackies exit Coles.
The more enviable locales of Cottesloe, Fremantle and Perth CBD are all a 15- to 20-minute taxi ride away.
But give it time and things might be different. After the WA Premier described the precinct as "tired and old", the state government pledged $30 million to fix the beachfront, and an application for a resort-style development is being considered.
Currently, there are nicer locations to stay and better value to be had, but the Rendezvous may just be leading a Scarborough revival. And for those who don't mind a bit of bogan, it's definitely a good option.
The writer was a guest of Rendezvous Grand Hotel.
TRIP NOTES
WHERE
The Esplanade, Scarborough, Western Australia, 6019.
(08) 9245 1000.
HOW MUCH
$299 a night for a base-level superior room, up to $750 a night for a suite.
TOP MARKS
Impressive room upgrades.
BLACK MARK
Lighting oversights: verandah lights with no off-switch and blue LEDs near the bedhead.
MORE INFORMATION
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