Samphire Rottnest, Perth, Western Australia
Rottnest Island – Perth’s picturesque playground. A short boat (or plane) journey across the water to an island of beaches, bays, bicycles and barefoot relaxation. With captivating quokkas and surreal natural beauty, it is a beautiful destination for both Perth locals and visitors to WA alike.
But while the laid-back and casual vibe is ideal for encouraging relaxation, it has long translated into a standard of accommodation that could be described, at best, as underwhelming. A recent glamping option was a significant step up from the age-old cottages, but there was still nothing on the island that could truly be considered luxurious.
So it was with much anticipation that discerning Perth-ites awaited the opening of Samphire Rottnest, the island’s first luxury accommodation, in October 2020.
And we are pleased to say, it was definitely worth the wait.
The Samphire Rottnest Story
Samphire Rottnest is a long-planned development by Perth hospitality company The Prendiville Group. Approved by the Rottnest Island Authority in 2018, the reported $30 million resort was styled by Perth architects Cristou Design Group, with a focus on modern sustainable design and relaxed luxury.
The resort occupies a prime beachfront position on Thomson Bay, the gateway to the island and location of most of its tourism infrastructure, and is adjacent to the iconic Rottnest Hotel (also owned by The Prendiville Group), towards the southern end of the Rottnest Island Settlement.
Samphire is a medium sized, low-rise resort, with 80 rooms arranged in three double-storey wings, along the front, southern side and rear of the resort. The fourth side of the square is composed of the restaurant Lontara, the Bayside Bar and the function rooms, fronted by the sandy-floored Beach Club. In the centre of the quadrangle is the outdoor area, with two pools, poolside cabanas and landscaped gardens.
The Rooms at Samphire Rottnest
Whilst Samphire’s reservation page reveals a plethora of room options, they can be broadly divided into three room categories:
On the south wing, facing outwards, are the 22 (somewhat enthusiastically named) Beach Lane Rooms, 30 square metre suites overlooking McCallum Avenue and the nearby heritage cottages.
Facing inwards on the south wing and inwards on the rear wing, are the 42 Poolside Rooms, again 30 square metres in size, with decks and balconies overlooking the central piazza and twin pools.
In the front wing are the Beachfront Suites, 16 rooms of 45-57 square metres, with views across Thomson Bay.
Within each of these room categories are options for ground floor or upper floor, bath or no bath, bedding configuration, and, in two of the Beachfront rooms, the option of an outdoor rain shower. Each of these permutations comes at a different price point.
We are in a Beachfront Super King Suite Bath, on the ground floor. And it is as lovely as it sounds.
Samphire Rottnest’s Beachfront Super King Bath Suite
A discrete door opens up to an elegant room, but the first impressions are of the view – the far wall of the suite is full-width glass, and beyond is Thomson Bay, filled with yachts bobbing in the turquoise water, and the skyline of Perth in the distance. It is entrancing, and on the perfect summer day of our arrival, it epitomises what Samphire Rottnest is all about (and in our opinion, makes the the extra cost of these Beachfront Suites well worth it).
Within our room, the design is modern and minimalist, with polished concrete floors in charcoal grey and bright white walls. This is offset with warm wooden fixtures – a long wooden bedhead adorns one wall, the wardrobe and minibar are panelled in light-hued timber, while the bathroom is enclosed in louvered wooden shutters. At the far end of the room, there are dual curtains, a blockout in grey linen and a translucent in breezy taupe.
The king bed is dressed with crisp white linen and slate coloured cushions.
There are two lounge chairs, a coffee table, a bed end bench in ash wood and light grey trim, and a matching desk with an upright chair. Around the bed is a large sisal floormat, and besides the beds are curved wooden bedside tables, each adjacent to powerpoints with twin sockets and a USB outlet.
There is a stylish and effective wood trim overhead fan, powerful airconditioning, and a 65 inch flatscreen television with soundbar. Wifi within the room is fast and seamless.
The generously proportioned bathroom is similarly modern and sleek, and continues the white and grey theme. Dark grey tiles line the floor and shower, and the long vanity with twin basins is in light grey ceramic.
As the name of our room suggests, we also have a large freestanding bath.
The shower has both a waterfall showerhead and a standard showerhead, and pleasingly, both can be on simultaneously (for sociable showering).
The louvered wooden walls can be adjusted to balance between privacy and gazing out upon the view (and fortunately, even with the lights on in the bathroom, it is almost impossible to see into the bathroom from outside the villa (yes, we checked!)).
The bathroom amenities are by Australian brand Hunter Lab, with soap, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner provided (but of note, none of the other “usual” amenities, such as vanity sets, shower caps, bathroom tissues, etc).
Also within the suite is a wardrobe with hanging space, shelves and two large drawers, including an ironing board (which seems uniquely unnecessary here on Rottnest!).
There is a bar fridge (contents charged on consumption) with a range of chocolates, nuts and drinks including from WA companies such as Sandalford Wines, Pirate Life (kinda West Aussie), Ogilvie and Co Fine Food Merchants, The Hippie Food Company and Carton & Co.
There is also a kettle and teabags from T2, and a Nespresso coffee machine with all important milk frother. Coffee pods by Segafredo are provided, as is a small container of fresh milk in the fridge. The tea, coffee pods and milk are complimentary, as are two bottles of still water provided on the first day (although not replenished thereafter).
At the front of the room, the large windows have a vast sliding door that opens onto a private deck, complete with double daybed, two wide upright chairs and a small coffee table, again in natural fabrics and neutral tones. Beyond, a wire fence separates the villa from the cycle path and the beach entrance. Unfortunately there is no gate for direct access from your villa to the shore. And admittedly, at this early stage of the resort’s existence, there is a fair bit of gawking (and sometimes even friendly questions) from passers-by, so it is not the most private of retreats (the upstairs suites may provide a greater degree of seclusion). Nevertheless it is a lovely location to sit and watch the world go by (and to be seen, if so motivated), especially in the evening as the last of the light fades from the sky and the bay is infused with a soft pink hue, with the lights of Perth twinkling in the distance.
Facilities
When venturing outside our suite, the resort is small and compact, with an emphasis on breezy, open-air relaxation.
The centre of the quadrangle is occupied by two heated pools (one specifically for kids), both modest in size but enticing and in a pretty setting. They are surrounded by a good number of daybeds and shaded cabanas, for poolside reclining. Beyond, there are pathways through gardens of the future (although at this stage the plants are just seedlings, surrounded by bright green protective plastic netting).
Dining
The restaurant at Samphire Rottnest is Lontara, and is open for breakfast from 0700 to 1000 daily, lunch on Wednesdays to Sundays from 1200 to 1500, and dinner on Wednesdays to Sundays from 1730 to late. Reservations are definitely required for lunch and dinner as it is not exclusively for resort guest use and tables are currently in short supply (we tried to book a week in advance of our visit, and were only able to secure a single seating across 6 days!). Even breakfast is on a first-come, first-served basis, and places may be hard to come by for late risers!
The restaurant occupies a beautiful location within the resort, with views over the villas and outwards towards the ocean. It is predominantly open-air, with only a small portion housed under a solid roof, while the remainder is shaded by a woven matting that results in a picturesque dappled light for daytime diners. In the evening, it is lit by incandescent globes hanging from ornamental rope candelabras. There is a small indoor section of restaurant, but on the beautiful summer days of our visit, this was appropriately unutilised.
Breakfasts are from an a la carte menu, featuring many of the usual suspects, from bircher and granola, to pancakes and pannacotta, to eggs benedict and full breakfasts. We sampled nearly the full selection over the course of our stay, and all were excellent. Cold-pressed juices and (ever improving) coffees are available, as are a selection of breakfast cocktails.
For lunch and dinner, Lontara transforms into its specialty of south-east Asian fusion, focusing on the cuisine of the islands of the region, and with an emphasis on fresh WA produce. Both meals feature a selection of small and large plates designed for sharing. At lunch, this includes chicken, lamb or pork belly satay, fresh Asian-style salads and curries of chicken, beef and fish. At dinner, signature dishes include Rottnest Island scallops with nahm jim, pork belly with native berries, chargrilled beef short rib with wild ginger and saltbush, and crisp lamb ribs with dried chilli and nam pla prik. At dinner, there is also the option of a “Feed Me” menu with a chef’s selection of oysters, salads and mains. (For more information about Lontara, see our upcoming post).
Libations
In front of Lontara, directly facing the water, is the Bayside Bar. Here a full selection of drinks and cocktails are professionally prepared by the bar staff, with seating arranged outside to drink in the beautiful views. It is also possible to order food here from the adjacent Hotel Rottnest, who deliver to your table (for slightly more serene dining than at the thumping Hotel next door, though you will still hear every beat).
Beyond the Bayside Bar is the Beach Club, a sandy-floored enclosure with low-slung easy chairs and beanbags, sheltered with bright white umbrellas and retractable shade-sails, for the ultimate in barefoot relaxation. The Beach Club is also available to book for private functions, and was very popular for staff Christmas functions at the time that we visited.
Service
The final aspect of the resort is the compact Reception area, at this front corner of the resort, staffed by cheerful and friendly staff, for check-in and check-out, restaurant bookings, in-room spa reservations, tour bookings and all manner of Rottnest-related questions.
The (New) Best Place to Stay on Rottnest
There is no denying, Samphire Rottnest is the new best place to stay on Rottnest Island.
As to the luxury level, it is important to remember luxury means different things to different people. Because while Samphire is by far the most luxurious place to stay on Rottnest, based on feedback from friends and other reviews we have seen, we would suggest expectations of luxury do need to be tempered just a little.
While you may have hoped for something extra special that could really put Rottnest, even WA, on the map in the luxury travel stakes, this is not an exclusive, bespoke experience.
And this is not in the realm of many Luxury Lodges of Australia – it is not Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island (before its unfortunate demise), Sapphire in Tasmania or Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island. It is not an all-inclusive, personalised service, nor is it ultra-luxurious.
And while the initial marketing may have fuelled said high expectations, the truth is Samphire Rottnest is not actually pitched nor priced at that market. It is simply a very lovely, stylish and sophisticated resort on a beautiful island that has been crying out for a high-class accommodation option for years.
And to that end, it is eminently successful – it is beautiful, it is chic and it is a wonderful place to stay while exploring the playground of Rottnest.
Initial Success, with Minor Growing Pains (but We Have Already Booked Again)
Given its opening in 2020, and reservations commencing at a time when Western Australians were locked into their own state due to hard border restrictions, it is no wonder that Samphire is currently enjoying near full occupancy over the summer months.
With the rush to open, and the high occupancy, as with any new resort there are a few teething issues.
As in nearly all of WA hospitality, there is currently a lack of highly qualified staff available, and the reception team at Samphire was a bit hit-and-miss (though a special shout-out to Holly and Penny for their professional, customer-centric, can-do attitude). There are also some aspects of the design of Samphire that seem to have forgotten its Rottnest locale. On an island where nearly everyone brings or rents a bicycle, there is a a dearth of bicycle storage, which results in bikes haphazardly scattered about the resort – in stairwells, in the gardens, and outside rooms, which really detracts from the look of the resort. Similarly, given everyone is in and on the water on Rottnest, some more hooks and racks to hang wet gear would be appreciated (and again prevent these being strewn from balconies and decks).
It will be interesting to observe in the coming months as to whether these initial issues are addressed, or whether the fully booked resort will rest on its laurels.
Nevertheless, we can confirm we had a great experience at Samphire Rottnest, and evidence of that is the fact we have already secured our return visit for early 2021!
Samphire Rottnest is a modern, stylish resort, with sleek rooms, an excellent restaurant and a fabulous locale. It is a sophisticated option for those who want to holiday on Rottnest in style. This is particularly for those who, like us, have not stayed on Rottnest since we were kids, and have forgotten what a magical place it is – Samphire is the perfect excuse to come back and reacquaint ourselves with this wonder of our own backyard.
