When a hotel is repeatedly branded Australia’s best within the first decade of opening its doors, suffice to say there’s an element of sui generis at play — it’s in a class of its own.

Housed within Perth’s (Boorloo) State Buildings, a group of iconic 19th-century buildings in the heart of the city, COMO The Treasury blends heritage and modern luxury to a tee. The flawless transformation was overseen by acclaimed architect Kerry Hill, who ensured the building’s historic elements weren’t lost when it was transposed into a space where guests could unfurl in contemporary elegance. A world-class hotel with an air of ‘home away from home’ at its periphery, as was the vision for the hotel from the beginning, says Director of Kerry Hill, Patrick Kosky.

“The design was intended to feel timeless and to not be overly traditional or modern in its nature, but to complement the existing building,” he explains.

Drawing on inspiration from Western Australia’s landscape and heritage hotels from across Europe and Australia, The Treasury assimilates serene spaces. “We wanted the building to feel cohesive and to provide a seamless experience for guests throughout the building,” Kosky says, explaining they were also responsible for the design of the common areas outside the hotel tenancy, which allowed them to consider the guest journey not only within the hotel itself but throughout the whole precinct. A marked achievement accomplished by retaining continuity of materials, lighting, and architectural details, such as travertine floor, steel and glass doors, and aged brass handrails along the stairs within the hotel. Moody, softly lit corridors continue the journey, leading to lofty, light-filled guest rooms adorned in hues of cream and tan; 48 spacious guest suites in total, designed to evoke a sense of serenity and calm. “Each room is different, designed individually. In a typical hotel, you would normally have a handful of room types repeating, however at COMO The Treasury each room is unique,” Patrick says. “Public areas are intentionally more vibrant and dynamic in their design, contrasting with the restrained, soft palette of the guest suites.”

It’s now a vibrant cultural hub that’s home to some of Perth’s most lauded dining establishments, such as Wildflower, a rooftop restaurant dishing up contemporary cuisine with a local flair. Wildflower’s farmer- and -forager-driven menu is seasonal, revolving around the six indigenous seasons of the Noongar people: Birak, Bunuru, Djeran, Makuru, Djilba and Kambarang. Other dining experiences include Post - originally the post office franking room, the space is now an osteria with a modern slant on Italian cuisine. There’s also the Cape Arid Rooms where guests can sample The Treasury’s celebrated afternoon tea. While heavenly gastronomic affairs are a fine way to indulge your time, it’s worth carving out a moment to pause at the hotel’s wellness epicentre: Shambhala Urban Escape. With wellness the polestar of COMO hotels, Shambhala is the embodiment of peace, literally. A Sanskrit word translating to ‘peace’, the space is about harnessing balance, blending modern science with ancient practices to bring the body to a state of harmony. A place to reflect and unwind, the hotel spa occupies the old Land & Titles vault rooms with its design drawing on this history, featuring a darker palette and more introverted spaces, says Patrick. When redesigning the building, each space and its new function were carefully considered to ensure the design and arrangement were appropriate within the context of the heritage building, says Patrick. The result is a hotel that sits quietly within its surroundings, allowing an impeccable amalgam of the original building and the modern realm that bustles at its exterior. No ordinary feat. This, as The Treasury continues to demonstrate, is when the magic happens. When an ostensibly ordinary building becomes something extraordinary. And the world, it seems, takes notice.