DoubleTree Perth Northbridge

This is the current Diamond welcome amenity.

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Two 600ml waters, apples, premium nuts, note and the cookie. Not bad for a DT with very reasonable rates, when combined with upgrades, late check-outs and additional lounge access.
 
I'm interested in any current comments on the lounge. I'll be staying at the DT in a little while.
I like it. It's pretty quiet, Seats about 40. I've never seen it totally full, but has been busier lately of an evening. Only on the 2nd floor so no view, but OK. Through the day coffee machine plus fridge of the usual soft drinks available. Some OK snacks (nuts, trail mix as well as biscuits and muesli bars) available.

Breakfast is basic continental with poor quality cold cuts. Plus scrambled eggs and bacon. (I think - only popped in briefly one morning). The main restaurant is available to Diamonds (and some Golds) and is OK for a DT. Good service and also quiet, which makes up for a bit of a lack of anything out of the ordinary.

Service is excellent throughout. Andrew and Sinead particularly good in the EL. Every night I've been or popped in there the food has been different. Ranging from bog standard spring rolls and sausage rolls on busy nights, to dumplings, siu mai and pork buns on others, and even spinach and cheese cannelloni and chicken cacciatore (very nice) on others. Salads vary too. Some nice cold canapes, plus a soup every night.

Booze served by staff but they are pretty attentive. Wines are OK. Spirits basic but fine.

Probably now one of the better Hilton lounges in Oz. I'd put it well ahead of Adelaide and Brisbane, and on par with Cairns. (Never stayed at H-SYD).

My observations from the last fortnight.
 
Diamond and booked via Velocity/Expedia, which I do the majority of times. In the past still received lounge and breakfast benefits but was told at check in, no lounge or breakie but got extra (sympathy) cookies.

But found out the day later our name "is on the list" for breakfast so happy to enjoy 2 x breakies per day.

Easy access to public transport and restaurants and I don't care/not bothered by sex shops or night clubs downstairs/across the road. Tiny bit of club music noise noticeable on level 10 but doesn't wake me/keep me awake. 20% discount applied for inhouse dining.

Parmelia is more polished and has valet and evening bar canape vouchers but I would prefer staying here in future. Love how I can just walk outside and have choices. Parmelia is on the quite side of town.
 
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Diamond and booked via Velocity/Expedia, which I do the majority of times. In the past still received lounge and breakfast benefits but was told at check in, no lounge or breakie but got extra (sympathy) cookies.

But found out the day later our name "is on the list" for breakfast so happy to enjoy 2 x breakies per day.

Easy access to public transport and restaurants and I don't care/not bothered by sex shops or night clubs downstairs/across the road. Tiny bit of club music noise noticeable on level 10 but doesn't wake me/keep me awake. 20% discount applied for inhouse dining.

Parmelia is more polished and has valet and evening bar canape vouchers but I would prefer staying here in future. Love how I can just walk outside and have choices. Parmelia is on the quite side of town.

Good review, I stay in the Parmelia 3 or 4 times a year and I'd be open to Northbridge if it's of a decent standard.
 
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Just checked into this hotel today and the service is amazing, I checked in during the morning and they go into great depths explaining everything and give you plenty of channels to communicate with them (text via phone, text via app or the good old phone call), and everything is addressed very quickly.

Can't comment about the breakfast yet, but so far it is one of the best doubletree I stayed in.
 
Executive traveller is reporting that the executive lounge has been permanently closed. The refurbishment of the Parmelia Hilton was incorporating an executive lounge and the new doubletree waterfront will apparently also have a lounge
 
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Executive traveller is reporting that the executive lounge has been permanently closed. The refurbishment of the Parmelia Hilton was incorporating an executive lounge and the new doubletree waterfront will apparently also have a lounge
Unfortunately has been the case for many months now.
 
Have a stay planned here in a few weeks. As a Diamond, can anyone comment on the service?
 
Good review, I stay in the Parmelia 3 or 4 times a year and I'd be open to Northbridge if it's of a decent standard.

I'll be going back to the Parmelia once its upgrades are completed and things are running back at normal speed. I'm quite interested also in the Doubletree waterfront as that should be an exceptional hotel.

I've stayed a half dozen times at DT northbridge and ultimately its not for me.

- As someone in the thread has mentioned, breakfast in the EL is quite poor, even by Australian standards (which are not good overall). As a Diamond I always have a peek and then, disappointed, go downstairs to the main restaurant where the selection is small but more than adequate for a hotel of this size and type.

- Parking! Insanity. Seriously, over all my stays, which has spanned enough time to sort themselves out, they just can't.

There is no onsite parking which is a problem that surely should have been thought about during construction (underground parking for goodness sakes?). Anyway, fine, lots of hotels in this position, even the Parmelia. However, other hotels almost invariably offer some sort of massively overpriced valet service. Overpriced always, Parmelia was $55/24 hours last time I was there, but, despite the price, its a good service to have.

I don't want to be wandering all over the place potentially with my luggage in the middle of the night. The DT Northbridge apparently has some sort of arrangement with local paid carparks but this arrangement is largely unknown to the carpark operators and every single time I've used this I've been locked in the carpark unable to leave because of ticket issues that require a phone call to the operator, then the hotel, then the operator ... usually a 30-45 minutes frustration. Its enough to make it ultimately just too much trouble.

I understand that a DT is not a Hilton, but, given they've made the conscious business choice to operate off James St, with no onsite parking, and no other easy way to park, why not reach for the low hanging fruit, revenue wise, and offer a paid valet service?

I note that the information available for the DT Waterfront suspiciously omits to mention any valet service ... but _does_ specifically note that there is no onsite parking. Its not open yet so lets see how that ends up, but its not a good look.

- Top floors in their so-called Panoramic rooms are the ones to get. High enough to be out of the noise of the area. If you don't score one of these then prepare yourself. Northbridge is a noisy area. The hotel is not tall enough for most of the accommodation to escape this.


Otherwise its been fine I guess, not exceptional but fine. On the other hand, despite being old, the Parmelia Hilton has some of the best service in Australia imho. The rooms are large, in some cases ridiculously so (hello King suite!). I've not had a problem with noise. Valet parking makes me wince (I'm stingy haha) but its a service worth using. Breakfast has always been exceptional. Big problem there has been no executive lounge - they have traditionally offered a drink and tapas coupon which is sort of fine, but not the same ... if the new renovations bring an EL then it will be very hard to fault this hotel.
 
The Doubletree Northbridge is more than adequate for most. Yes, the area is  urban, but so is Tribeca in NYC. If you want to stay in a more upscale property, in a prestigious area, choose one of the many closer to the waterfront or Elizabeth Quay, but pay the premium and walk or drive a bit further to have more dining, drinking or shopping choices. I loved the option of walking out the door of the DT Northbridge and finding a myriad of dining, drinking or entertainment options within a 5 minute stroll.
I was upgraded to a corner panorama room, as are most elite HH Diamond members. While not overly large, the layout is practical and the views from my particular corner to both the CBD and west Perth were appealing. Breakfast, in the lobby level James St. Bar & Kitchen restaurant, was complimentary and included the full hot and cold buffet. The quality was good, not great, with the coffee and scrambled eggs being poor, but the fruits, cereals, smoked salmon, hash browns, beans, pastries, breads and salad items being good. There is no longer an Executive Lounge. I did receive two large bottles of water, one sparkling and one still, as well as a fruit plate and two tiny chocolate boxes as a welcome amenity.
Staff were largely friendly, especially in the restaurant and at the front desk. There was a smallish outdoor pool with deck chairs, but temperatures were too cool to make its use inviting. I found the location suited me perfectly. It was an easy 10 minute stroll to the Murray Street Mall, even closer to Yagan Square. For the money, I found the QPR to be exemplary. I'd certainly not hesitate to stay again.
 
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