Accor is set to open its first Handwritten Collection hotel in Australia at the Forrest Hall Precinct, Perth in early February 2023, following the launch of the bespoke midscale hospitality brand last week.

Wonil Hotel Perth, located on the bank of Swan River adjacent to The University of Western Australia, will offer an intimate and stylish short-stay accommodation experience with 66 rooms and a premium dining offering.

The hotel completes development of the precinct, which also includes 52 rooms for scholars and fellows, and office space for one of Australasia’s largest philanthropies, Minderoo Foundation.

As part of the Forrest Hall Precinct, the hotel’s unique operating model will see net revenue invested into the Forrest Research Foundation (FRF), which was established in 2014 to drive the state’s research and innovation capacity.

“We are delighted to partner with the University of Western Australia in this venture, which will provide financial support for the Forrest Research Foundation,” said Accor Pacific CEO, Sarah Derry.

“We will give our guests an extraordinary experience, providing accommodation and dining options, while helping to sustain the important work of the FRF.”

Director of Forrest Research Foundation, Professor James Arvanitakis, welcomed the support of Accor, which he said shares similar values and goals to the Foundation.

“Accor will support the Forrest Research Foundation’s mission to build Western Australia as an international research destination,” he said.

“In addition to Wonil Hotel being an ideal accommodation location for visiting academics and others staying in Perth, guests will know the profits from their stay flow directly into FRF to fund more scholarships – something that will have long-lasting benefits to the research eco-system in WA.”

The property was named Wonil – the Noongar name for peppermint tree – after the peppermint trees that surround the property, following consultation with Elders by UWA’s School of Indigenous Studies, Lecturer and Cultural Adviser, Dr Richard Walley OAM.

“The name wonil links the hotel’s place and purpose together,” Dr Walley said.

“This is a significant site by the river that was known to the Noongar as a place of rest and the wonil has many uses in Noongar culture. It’s used in medicine but also as an abode for birds and other animals and a place of wisdom.”

Accor’s Handwritten Collection is a new portfolio of bespoke hotels that showcase the individual personality of each property. Hotel Morris in Sydney will be the next hotel to open as part of this collection.

“Handwritten Collection is a curated selection of hotels that exhibit charming and one-of-a-kind concepts; they are hotels sought out by travellers who appreciate heart-warming travel experiences and cherish the unique personality of a hotel,” Derry said.  

“Wonil Hotel is the first Handwritten Collection hotel to open in Australia and is tailored to guests who wish to be located near the campus and surrounding areas, and value high standards in style, amenities and design.”