Veteran Perth bartender James Connolly, it would appear, is allergic to free time. Just in case overseeing the cocktail program across all of David Thompson’s Long Chim(opens in new tab) restaurants wasn’t responsibility enough, he’s also been heavily involved in rebooting the lounge bar at COMO The Treasury. His motive for getting on board the project? Giving the world-class Perth hotel – and, most importantly, its guests – a similarly world-class place to drink.

“If you’ve got one of the best hotels in Australia – if not the world – then why not aim to have one of the best hotel bars in the world?” says Connolly.

It’s a lofty statement, absolutely, but the Treasury Lounge & Bar 2.0 suggests that our protagonist isn’t just talking the talk.

Aesthetically, the lounge looks similar to what it did when COMO The Treasury welcomed its first guests in late 2015. Westraliana and objects d’art dot a series of three connecting rooms. Pangs of interior-design envy are a real and present danger. It’s all business as usual – and then you spy the bigger, boozier collection of bottles behind the bar. Featuring highly covetable whiskies, gins and vodkas, it’s the first sign the Treasury Lounge has lifted its sights.

An excerpt of Max Veenhuyzen’s article in Broadsheet Perth. Read on for the rest of the article on Broadsheet Perth.(opens in new tab)