Flexible deal at a Perth hotel with the Subiaco vibe

 

If you like to be in the centre of the action then Vibe Hotel Subiaco Perth might be right up your busy street.

Subiaco is one of Perth’s liveliest neighbourhoods and with Vibe Hotel Subiaco Perth’s Perth Getaway deal offers 5% off the hotel's best available rate and includes breakfast for two.

That means the best available rate is not actually the best available rate, but from $259 a night, guests can base themselves in the heart of Italian accented Subiaco, close to the neighbourhood’s restaurants, bars, boutiques and cafés.

Central Perth just a short drive, or long walk, away.

Subiaco is named after a commune outside Rome and lies about 3km west of the Perth CBD. The area has been extensively redeveloped and gentrified over the past couple of decades.
.

The fully flexible rate is useful if your plans change.

Book by October 31 2026, for stays from November 2026 to September 2027. 

If you time your run, UnWined is returning to Subiaco from October 24-25, celebrating the best of local wine producers with over 75 stalls for guests to explore along with gourmet food vendors.

 
See https://vibehotels.com/book-accommodation/perth/hotel-subiaco-perth/#hotel-deals

Is this Tasmania's ultimate luxury getaway?

Saffire Freycinet, Tasmania's ultra luxe retreat, has a new signature accommodation offer.

The Saffire Jewel Private Villa is being promoted as "a rare sanctuary where the grandeur of nature meets the intimacy of home".

The new villa is close to completion with bookings open.

From its location overlooking Great Oyster Bay, the Jewel Private Villa is said to "enjoy a sense of complete seclusion with 800m² of beautifully unhurried space, three master suites, expansive living spaces and a sunlit outdoor terrace with infinity pool and jacuzzi, all opening up to one of the most breath-taking views in the country".

The villa has its own dedicated concierge and private guide, the option to dine in residence, and experiences included in the tariff.

Think luxe touches like a private wine cellar, in villa breakfasts and your own fire terrace with views of The Hazards.

Stays at the Saffire Jewel will commence from December 2026. You can book at https://reservations.saffire-freycinet.com.au/ - but be warned, prices start from $25,000 a night for up to six people.

That includes all meals and drinks - and some little surprises. I hope to report back once it is open. 

A new look for a long-time Fijian favourite

Plantation Island Resort has long been a favoured destination for visitors to Fiji, and work is now underway to upgrade its facilities.

A "central facilities development" will begin this month and conclude by late 2026.

The work will introduce a range of new dining, wellness, and leisure experiences.

“The upcoming central facilities addition is a testament to our commitment to continually enhance the Plantation Island Resort experience,” said Lee Pearce, CEO of Raffe Hotels & Resorts.

“This development strikes the perfect balance between modern amenities and the authentic Fijian spirit that our guests cherish, making it a destination where every moment feels special.”

GM Rodney Samuels says: “With these upgrades, we’re ensuring that guests continue to experience world-class hospitality in a setting that reflects our rich cultural heritage and evolving needs.

“For many travellers, Plantation Island Resort is like a second home. So, with that in mind, each enhancement is designed with care to reflect the vibrant cultural heritage of Fiji, in a truly authentic setting, that we hope will appeal to both new visitors and the many generations of return guests we look forward to hosting each year."

Additions will include

• A new dining venue, Baravi Mediterranean Kitchen that will showcase Mediterranean flavours with a focus on an Italian woodfired pizza oven.

• Replacement of Brigham Bar with the beachfront bar re-created in a new location with enhanced offerings.

• A new buffet restaurant – The Copra Restaurant will be revamped.

• Expanded wellness facilities – Set to open this month, Senibua Spa will feature six treatment rooms offering a range of services designed by Debra Sandrau of Senikai Spas.

• New accommodation options with the resort adding six new beachfront bures and three new two-bedroom garden bures.

• A new pool will be lagoon style with a toddler’s pool and waterslide.

The resort’s dining options have also expanded with the opening of a la carte Tavola Restaurant & Bar and Bowl, a poke concept salad bar.

For more info see https://www.plantationisland.com/

Raffe Hotels & Resorts is a family-owned business that has been operating in Fiji for more than 50 years.

Reach for the SKYE: somewhere very pleasant to stay in Sydney

It is part of Zetland, an inner Sydney suburb which used to have little to commend it for tourists. 

Now Green Square is a lively lifestyle precinct full of eateries, up-market apartments and one of the best discoveries I have made recently: SKYE Suites.

Not only is SKYE Suites a little oasis just four kilometres from downtown Sydney, it is also directly above the Green Square Railway station, which links you directly to both the domestic and international terminals at Sydney Airport in around five minutes. 

Perfect for anyone with an early flight departure, or late flight arrival, but also a very good base for tourists wanting to spend a few days exploring Sydney. You are one stop from Central Station, with its links to both Sydney light rail routes and multiple buses. 

And you get an entire well-equipped apartment rather than a pokey city centre hotel room. 

You've got cooking facilities with Smeg and Miele appliances, a large fridge, dishwasher and coffee machine, fast wifi, wide-screen TV with Chromecast capability, plenty of charging ports and a compact but functional bathroom with classy Smith&Co amenities.

Bedrooms have super comfy Sleeping Duck memory foam mattresses. 

On-site, you can swim, use the gym, heated spa, sundecks with private cabanas and sunbeds, or walk just a couple of hundred metres to a range of restaurants and - to keep the kids happy - a Maccas, KFC and Taco Bell. 

There are two supermarkets - Asian and Australian - within a short stroll as are Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, grilled chicken eateries and cafés. 

So location, location, location. And it is a non-party, non-smoking property, so a good sleep is assured.  

Property developer Iwan Sunito is now the full owner of both the 90-room Skye Suites Green Square serviced apartment hotel and the One Global Conference Centre, each part of the $575 million Infinity Park precinct. 

“We are looking to take the SKYE Suites hotel to the next level, under a new brand ‘One Global Resorts',” Sunito said.

“We are looking to elevate the guest’s experience more along the lines of luxury international hotels. 

"We will embark on developing a new hotel chain beginning with SKYE Suites Green Square, followed by our site at Macquarie Park, with more planned.”

The suites stretch over 20 storeys as part of an "urban resort" - and just as importantly, the staff at the 24-hour reception desk are excellent. I arrived early and asked to store my luggage, but was quickly installed in an alternative room. Impressive. 

If you think some of the images look familiar, it is because SKYE Suites was recently the location for the the latest season of Channel Nine’s Married At First Sight series. 

The property offers a range of apartment types including a studio, one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments that can cater for a large family group. 

The bottom line: This is an urban sanctuary that's perfect for both overnight or longer stays. Very well priced, too. 

For more details check out https://www.skyegreensquare.com.au/

# The writer was a guest of SKYE Suites Green Square. Images: Winsor Dobbin 

This new Bangkok hotel looks a bit special

Gourmet on the Road receives a swag of press releases about new hotels.

Some are accompanied by pictures of building sites, so the media can imagine what the end result might look like when work is completed.

Others go the cheap route and employ photographers with very little talent.

The smart ones Others wait until they are on the verge of opening and send stunning render shots.

That's the case with INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, the first INNSiDE hotel in Thailand, and set to open in July.

I have had previous good experiences with the Melia Group - and Bangkok, crazy, noisy Bangkok, is one of my favourite travel destinations.

Situated in the heart of Bangkok’s lively On Nut (also known as Upper Sukhumvit) neighbourhood, the 208-room INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit’s design draws its inspiration from some of Bangkok’s most famous landmarks.

A sky-high transparent infinity pool, pool bar and a Spanish tapas bar (Melia is a Spanish hotel group) crown the new hotel’s two uppermost floors, the 34th and 33rd floors. Views await.

“Together with my imaginative team, INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit would have to be, hands down, the most dynamic hotel project I’ve worked with hitherto; the buzz is palpable,” said the hotel’s general manager Aarron Nelson.

“Our new hotel challenges convention by offering the unexpected, with its endless opportunities to seek stimulus, inspiration and adventure with every step – and occasionally time to relax too.”

The hotel is a 30-minute ride from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Here are a few images that whetted my appetite, and hopefully yours.