First look at Perth’s Station Hotel after £2m investment

After a £2 million refurbishment, The Station Hotel in Perth is set to open as a four-star offering.

Built in 1888, the hotel now has a new look as it becomes part of the Radisson Blu group.

The lobby, restaurant, function rooms and bedrooms have all been overhauled.

Hotel manager Asen Panagonov says new rooms have been constructed within the old ones.

“There are new walls, ceilings, floors, plumbing, wiring, decoration and furniture,” he says.

“Even the walls were enclosed in new plasterboard and insulation has been put in.

“It’s astonishing how different it looks, but what people don’t see is the work underneath.”

Mixing modern and traditional

While the hotel is brand new on the inside, the design pairs well with the traditional Victorian facade.

The refurbishment ties the old and the new together, balancing modern and traditional.

The hotel has remained open throughout the refurbishment, but the official unveiling of the new Radisson Blu is planned for Tuesday September 13.

Hotel guests have been impressed, says the hotel manager.

“Guests appreciate that we’ve kept the spirit of the building and it’s not some futuristic modern design,” says Mr Panagonov.

“The facade is very particular and something we cannot replicate, but we tried to keep a clear line that connects to it.

“The designers managed to bridge the history and the frontage with what comes indoors, but without making it too traditional.

“We’re very glad, because that’s what we were trying to do.”

Rooms on the first and second floors are ready for guests, but the third floor will be refurbished over winter. There will be 75 rooms in total.

Perth Station Hotel to help city

After a swathe of shop closures in Perth city centre, Mr Panagonov hopes the hotel can help bring business back in.

By “doing the building justice” and restoring it to Perth’s prime hotel offering, he thinks the wider area will also get a boost.

“Business is done with people and for that you need accommodation and meeting space,” he says.

“It’s very good that we finally have that in the city and hopefully that will be the missing piece of the puzzle.

“It would really help with all the rest of the things that the council has done, as it does a good job in promoting Perth as a business hub.

“Hopefully it will bring investment and boost businesses in the area, as well as get businesses to relocate here.”