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The capital city of Western Australia, Perth is recognised as the most isolated city in the world with the nearest Australian city being over 1000 miles away. As such, the city has a distinct history, character and culture which has relied on a succession of peoples from the indigenous population through the colonial settlers, mainly from Britain and in more recent times from Europe and South East Asian areas such as Jakarta and Singapore, both of which are geographically closer to the city than the capital Sydney. The hotels Perth has are well placed to reflect the dynamic culture of the city and offer first class accommodation for visitors.
Once known as the Swan River Colonies, much of Perth's sights, structures and activities are centred around the river today. River cruises are particularly popular and offer a way to view the city from a unique perspective. Some of the colonial buildings and sights remain and have been added to by a selection of modern architecture and features which give the city a dramatic visual appeal. Many cycle and walking tracks also follow the river and there are water sport options too.
The city centre has all the modern facilities expected from a city of this stature, with shopping malls, restaurants and entertainment options in plentiful supply. It is certainly the place to stock up on all the necessities for spending time on the wonderful beaches of the Sunset Coast which stretches north from the city. All the most popular beach and sea activities are on offer and the relaxing ambience is a world away from the more tourist oriented beach resorts of the world. There are excellent facilities for al fresco dining in the many cafes which serve the beach and it is the place to be for the superb sunsets which give the coast its name.
Also on offer just a short drive inland from the Sunset Coast is the Sunset Hinterland, which comprises native Australian bush land in which there is a National Park containing koalas and kangaroos and also displays of aboriginal dance and culture.
During colonial times, ships would bring their cargo, and convicts, through Fremantle Port, south of the city centre. Fremantle remains the main port for Western Australia but has grown to encompass a great many visitor attractions in its own right. A strong and vibrant artistic community now occupy many of the old warehouse buildings of the port and local artwork is readily available to purchase.
The cosmopolitan cafe dining on the 'Cappuccino Strip' further typifies Fremantle and for superb seafood there are few better places to dine. A lot of the colonial appeal remains in the old buildings and sights and a main visitor attraction is the historic Fremantle Prison.
The hotels Perth possesses are well located for the most popular attractions of the city, beach or port and offer a range of accommodation options from charming little lodges to ultra modern luxury hotel developments. Being the capital and hub of all the political and commercial interests in Western Australia the Central Business District of the city is home to a great many hotels which specifically cater for the business traveller.
Business oriented hotels will have a full range of facilities to conduct business in the city. This will certainly mean the rooms and suites have features such as international direct dial telephones with voicemail and also work desks with dataport and internet connection. There will also likely be a 24 hour business centre complete with print, copy and fax facilities with options for the rental of PCs laptops, mobile phones and videoconferencing technology. There may also be secretarial and courier services and event hosting for business conferences and meetings.
In addition to the business features and services, luxury hotels will also offer all the comforts and services associated with luxury hotels anywhere, such as sophisticated climate control, and state of the art technologies in satellite televisions and audio systems. There will also be a raft of leisure facilities which often comprises swimming pools, fitness suites, sauna and spa facilities and sports courts for tennis or squash. A selection of first class dining environments and lounge areas, often with live entertainment, will also likely be available.
Certainly in the larger hotel resorts, such as those on the Sunset Coast, the facilities on offer will be oriented more towards families and leisure visitors and there will often be tours and excursions organised to allow visitors access to much of the region's most popular sights and activities, whether on the beach and sea or inland in the nature reserve or the Swan Valley wine region. Resort hotels will also likely have a wider selection of family oriented features such as children's clubs, entertainment options and onsite services such family-friendly dining and babysitting.
While the Perth CBD may have all the ultra-modern hotels designed for business, there are other accommodation options throughout Perth which feature some charming traditional architecture, particularly within Fremantle which has a more historic ambience. The smaller, more intimate establishments are more evocative of the boutique hotel concept where style, character and individuality more than make up for any lack of on site facilities.
As well as independent establishments all the major global hotelier names are present too in the city so when it comes to the hotels Perth can offer there is no shortage of choice to suit any purpose whether in the city for business or pleasure.
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