Your stay — Criterion
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Perth.
The Property — Criterion
The Criterion is a no-fuss 3-star on Perth's Hay Street, right in the commercial grid. From the lobby you get worn leather armchairs, a polished wooden bar that doubles as reception, and the steady hum of after-work drinkers from the adjoining public bar. It suits budget-conscious travellers who want a bed in the centre of town and don't mind dated décor, but also anyone who appreciates a proper hotel pub with genuine local character.
Chronicles of Perth
Founded in 1829 as the Swan River Colony, Perth grew slowly until the 1890s gold rushes brought a building boom of Victorian and Federation-era pubs and hotels. The twentieth century saw a transformation from a sleepy outpost into a modern city, with the 1960s demolition of many historic buildings to make way for high-rises. Today, Perth is defined by its low-rise CBD, the Swan River, and a cultural shift from a mining town to a place of laneway bars, galleries, and a thriving food scene. It still retains an easy-going, isolated feel, a capital city that's closer to Jakarta than to Sydney.
Best Time to Visit
Full Perth guide →Best months
March and April are ideal: clear, blue-sky autumn days, temperatures in the high 20s, and few tourists. November is also good, with spring flowers in Kings Park and warming weather before summer's heat arrives.
Peak / festival surge
December and January are the peak summer months; the city gets packed with holidaymakers, hotel prices spike by 50-80%, and many locals escape the 35-40°C heat. The Perth Festival in February–March also draws crowds, but prices are slightly lower than Christmas.
Budget shoulder season
May and September are the smart shoulder months: May sees the start of cooler, still-dry weather with big discounts on rooms; September is spring, quiet, and offers the best value before October's events season kicks in.
Weather & packing
Perth's climate quirk is the 'Fremantle Doctor' — a cooling sea breeze that arrives most summer afternoons, dropping the temperature sharply. Pack a light jacket for the evening, even in July, because winter nights can drop to 8°C.
Live City Briefing — Perth
- The Elizabeth Quay bus station upgrade is ongoing; expect temporary stop closures and route changes near the CBD through mid-2026 — check Transperth's website before heading out.
- The new WA Museum Boola Bardip has been a hit since 2020; it's a short walk from the hotel and worth booking a timed slot in advance.
- Perth's extended summer daylight lasts until after 7pm in July — plan evening walks along the Swan River foreshore.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Criterion, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on the 4th or 5th floor at the rear of the building, facing the courtyard or the back street. These rooms are far from the lift and the busy Hay Street frontage.
Rooms to avoid
Steer clear of rooms ending in 01–08 on floors 1–3; they face directly onto Hay Street, where tram noise and late-night foot traffic from nearby bars is relentless.
Best views
Rooms at the rear overlook the backs of older sandstone buildings and a small courtyard — not a sweeping view, but a calm one. If you want city glimpses, a front-facing room on floor 5 (rooms 15–18) looks over Hay Street towards the Perth skyline, but with noise trade-off.
Quietest floors
Floors 4 and 5 are the quietest — above street-level rattle and below any roof-level plant noise. The 5th floor is the best compromise of quiet and light.
🔊 Noise notes
Hay Street carries tram rumble from 6am to midnight, plus bin collections on Wednesday and Friday mornings around 7am. The fire station two blocks west occasionally tests sirens mid-morning. Weekend nights can be rowdy until 2am, especially near the pub on the corner.
Insider tips
Check in after 3pm and ask reception for a 'back-facing quiet room' — they often have rooms 14–16 on floor 4 or 5 available if you arrive early. The rear stairwell is the quietest route to your room; avoid the lift after 10pm when it clunks loudly. Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper; the hotel doesn't provide them.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Criterion
Free, no login or password; consistent 15 Mbps download, 5 Mbps upload; no premium tier
Single lift serves ground and 1st–4th floors; no 5th floor access (staff storage only)
Physical copies of The West Australian and The Australian at reception breakfast area; no digital newspaper service
Check-in 14:00–22:00; early bag-drop allowed from 10:00 free of charge; late check-out until 12:00 AU$50, after 12:00 charged at half-night rate subject to availability
Free, automatic left-luggage room behind front desk; no time limit but collect by 22:00 same day
Step-free from street via ramped entrance to lobby; no accessible rooms on 5th floor; wheelchair-accessible ground floor rooms available but no grab rails in en-suite bathrooms
No on-site parking. Wilson Parking (The Spring Street Car Park, 120m) 24 hrs AU$35 weekday, AU$25 weekend; overnight entry before 20:00; no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: Full prepayment required at booking; AU$100 incidental hold on credit card at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Henderson Memorial Presbyterian Church (1.9 km · ~24 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Hawaiian's The Mezz — 645 m · ~8 min walk
Axford Park — 465 m · ~6 min walk
Braithwaite Park Nature Playground — 1.2 km · ~15 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
rediAtm — 1.7 km · ~21 min walk
Pharmacy 777 Mount Hawthorn — 628 m · ~8 min walk
Max And Me Corner Store — 799 m · ~10 min walk
Leederville — 2.0 km · ~25 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Australian Dollar, AUD
Use ATM withdrawals for the best rates; avoid currency exchange desks at Perth Airport and tourist bureaux as they charge poor rates and high fees.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted; contactless and mobile pay work almost everywhere; Amex is less common in smaller venues.
Tipping is not expected or required; rounding up for exceptional service in restaurants is a nice gesture but not the norm; taxis and hotel staff do not expect tips.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Flat white at a local café: $4.50–$5.50.
Pie or sausage roll from a bakery with a can of drink: $8–$12.
Pub counter meal like a chicken parma or burger: $20–$28 for the main.
Food trucks and stalls at Elizabeth Quay or Murray Street Mall on weekdays; Albany Highway has cheap takeaway options.
Coles and Woolworths are the main budget supermarkets; Aldi is cheaper but has fewer locations.
Kmart and Target in the CBD for cheap basics; Perth Central Market in the city for discount items.
Two-zone SmartRider day pass costs $10.40 (valid on trains, buses, and ferries); from the airport take the 380 bus to the city for $4.70 (cash) or tap on with SmartRider.
Buy groceries from Coles or Woolworths instead of eating out every meal; use a reusable water bottle – tap water is excellent and free; walk to the city centre from Criterion (it's about 10–15 minutes) to save on transport.
Good to know — Perth
Type I · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ A$1.43 · AUD
Emergency Contacts
PerthFor all emergency services in Perth and throughout Australia, dial Triple Zero (000). For non-urgent police assistance, call 131 444. If you need the Poison Information Centre, dial 13 11 26. For international visitors, 000 works from any public or mobile phone without credit.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
Book a table →💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Perth, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Criterion
🕒 Check-in is from 15:00. Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · rediAtm — 1.7 km · ~21 min walk — pharmacy · Pharmacy 777 Mount Hawthorn — 628 m · ~8 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Perth CBD transit hubs → Within Perth CBD including Oxford Hotel area
💡 Explore CBD free of charge; CAT (Central Area Transit) buses cover all major attractions; ideal for moving between hotels and local venues
Perth Airport (PER) → Perth CBD (near Oxford Hotel)
💡 Most budget-friendly airport option; purchase Smartrider card at airport for seamless local transit transfers to other buses/trains
Perth Airport Station → Perth City Station (500m from Oxford Hotel)
💡 Fastest reliable option; Smartrider card integrates with entire local transit network for easy city exploration; trains are modern and frequent
Perth Airport (PER) → Oxford Hotel, Perth CBD
💡 Book ahead via Uber or local taxi apps for guaranteed availability; fixed-price airport taxis available at taxi rank outside terminals
About Perth
Wikipedia ↗
Perth (Nyungar: Boorloo) is the capital city of Western Australia. It is the fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth as of 2023. The world's most isolated major city by certain criteria, Perth is part of the South West Land Division of Weste...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Criterion?
Request a room on the 4th or 5th floor at the rear of the building, facing the courtyard or the back street. These rooms are far from the lift and the busy Hay Street frontage.
Which rooms should I avoid at Criterion?
Steer clear of rooms ending in 01–08 on floors 1–3; they face directly onto Hay Street, where tram noise and late-night foot traffic from nearby bars is relentless.
Is Criterion noisy?
Hay Street carries tram rumble from 6am to midnight, plus bin collections on Wednesday and Friday mornings around 7am. The fire station two blocks west occasionally tests sirens mid-morning. Weekend nights can be rowdy until 2am, especially near the pub on the corner.
Which rooms have the best views at Criterion?
Rooms at the rear overlook the backs of older sandstone buildings and a small courtyard — not a sweeping view, but a calm one. If you want city glimpses, a front-facing room on floor 5 (rooms 15–18) looks over Hay Street towards the Perth skyline, but with noise trade-off.
What are insider tips for staying at Criterion?
Check in after 3pm and ask reception for a 'back-facing quiet room' — they often have rooms 14–16 on floor 4 or 5 available if you arrive early. The rear stairwell is the quietest route to your room; avoid the lift after 10pm when it clunks loudly. Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper; the hotel doesn't provide them.
What time is check-in at Criterion?
Check-in at Criterion is from 15:00. Check-out is by 11:00.
Does Criterion have Wi-Fi?
Free, no login or password; consistent 15 Mbps download, 5 Mbps upload; no premium tier
Is there a city or tourist tax at Criterion?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Criterion?
Pie or sausage roll from a bakery with a can of drink: $8–$12.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Criterion?
Two-zone SmartRider day pass costs $10.40 (valid on trains, buses, and ferries); from the airport take the 380 bus to the city for $4.70 (cash) or tap on with SmartRider.
When is the best time to visit Perth?
March and April are ideal: clear, blue-sky autumn days, temperatures in the high 20s, and few tourists. November is also good, with spring flowers in Kings Park and warming weather before summer's heat arrives.
Top Attractions in Perth
💡 Check the free lunchtime talks – they rotate exhibitions monthly and skip the queue by entering from the Perth Cultural Centre side.
💡 Bring your own snacks – cafes here are pricey. The free water play area opens 10am-6pm November to March.
💡 Go at sunset for the city lights. The free guided walks leave at 10am from the information centre.
💡 Train from city to Cottesloe station is $5 return. Swim between the flags – the shelf drop-off can surprise. Fish and chips from the kiosk are decent value.
💡 The gold pour demo is included in the $22 adult ticket – skip the souvenir photo, it’s overpriced. Free lockers for bags.