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Rekindle the romance in Perth

Perth is one of the fastest-growing cities in Australia right now with an explosion of bars and restaurant openings, new entertainment precincts and beautiful coastline to explore. This makes it an ideal place for a romantic getaway where you and your partner can escape the every day and have a couple of days of fun, as a couple. You might be an active pair up for some fun in the sun, or a pair of foodies ready to explore Perth cuisine, but there is plenty to bond over in the WA capital.

The couple that plays together

Base yourself centrally so you can explore the best of what Perth has to offer. The Parmelia Hilton Perth (14 Mill St, Perth; perth.hilton.com) is located in the centre of the city and is an easy walk to many city attractions.

How about a picnic in Kings Park, the huge expanse of green beloved by Perth locals and home to the Botanic Gardens? Personalised Picnics (personalisedpicnics.com.au) will help you select a location, set your picnic up including blankets, cushions and decorations and then pack it up for you and whisk it away – because there is nothing romantic about cleaning up. For a secret picnic spot, try Chidley Reserve in the suburb of Mosman Park, this dramatic riverside position offers 180-degree water views of the Swan River and the chance of a patch of grass all to yourselves.

Elizabeth Quay is one of the newest entertainment districts in the city. The million-dollar development is designed to reconnect Perth with the Swan River and couples can put a romantic spin on things with Gondolas on the Swan (gondolasontheswan.com.au) which lets you take to the water on the centuries-old vessels – all plush seating, red drapes and steered by a fully costumed gondolier– that are renowned for plying the water around Venice in Italy.

Nothing screams romance quite like sitting amongst grape vines in a vineyard with a glass of wine in hand, and the Swan Valley (swanvalley.com.au) is under half an hour’s drive from the Perth city centre. Make it a day out and either drive yourself or get one of the 20-odd guided tour operators to look after you. Visit wineries like Fig Tree Estate Winery (100 Bisdee Road, Millendon; figtreeestate.com.au) a family-owned and operated affair specialising in shiraz and grenache or Harris Organic Wines (179 Memorial Avenue, Baskerville; harrisorganicwine.com.au) a certified organic boutique operation. And if you need a break from the grape there are also a range of Swan Valley breweries to visit.

A trip to Perth with your partner is not complete without a sunset at Cottlesloe Beach. Set yourself up at the fairy light-filled beer garden at the Cottlesloe Beach Hotel (104 Marine Parade, Cottesloe; cottesloebeachhotel.com.au) and toast the day with a sundowner with Perth’s social set.

 Indulge yourself in the elegant suites
 Enjoy a relaxing meal in the contemporary surrounds of the Adelphi Grill
 Experience the fiery fillet steak, rubbed with the Adelphi Grill’s secret spice blend
 There’s a beer, cider, cocktail or wine option for every taste at the Adelphi Wine bar

Spoil yourselves

Perth’s dining and bar scene has taken off recently and is the perfect place for a date night. Start with dinner at the popular Adelphi Grill (14 Mill St, Perth; adelphigrill.com) where steaks and fresh fish are simply grilled leaving the produce to stand out. Sit yourself at a table close to the open kitchen to watch the chefs work their magic, then move to the comfortable Adelphi Bar for a digestif.

One of the first Perth small bars, Helvetica (101 St Georges Terrace, Perth helveticabar.com.au), is a welcoming local joint in the CBD with friendly bar staff and lounges to snuggle up on. But if you fancy a nearby night out make your way to Northbridge, a suburb that is leading the charge with Perth’s bar scene. There is the dark and brooking Sneaky Tony’s (facebook.com/sneakytonys), a so-secret-it-is-almost-impossible-to-find speakeasy that specialises in rum, rum and more rum. Try the Dark and Stormy that is said to be one of the finest in the country.

Have an al fresco cocktail in the exposed-brick rooftop garden of the Mechanics Institute (Rear lane, 222 William St, Northbridge; mechanicsinstitutebar.com.au) where they will add a dash of chipotle chilli to your margarita to spice up your night. Or rock out together at Joe’s Juice Joint (232-234 William St, Northbridge; facebook.com/joesjuicejoint) a poster-covered dive bar that reeks of rock ‘n’ roll.

Treat yourself to a couples’ getaway in the city.

 Start the day with a Hilton buffet breakfast
 Swim laps or relax on the sun loungers at the recently renovated outdoor pool
 Keep up with your fitness routine with the new 24-hour Hilton Fitness by Precor gym
 Discover a home away from home in a stylish suite
 Luxury bathrooms

Stay

Perfectly placed to explore all the great bars, eateries and sites of Perth, the Parmelia Hilton Hotel has 284 guestrooms in the Perth CBD, with 22 spacious suites for romantics keen on a weekend they won’t forget.

The hotel offers a full Hilton buffet breakfast and has dining in the Adelphi Grill as well as more casual bar snacks in the Adelphi Bar. There is complimentary wifi in the hotel lobby, restaurants and while you lounge by the pool, as well as all the mod cons you would expect.