Premier Mill Hotel

I was here for work and had no idea Katanning had a hotel this cool. The design feels like staying in a museum, but with the standards of a premium five-star hotel. It was spotless and the staff were great. If I’m back in Katanning, I’m staying here again.

The cellar bar is a charming little place for cocktails and nibbles. But for $360 a night, it’s frustrating that the air-conditioning controls are locked. Our room sat at a very warm 27 degrees all night. Not impressed.

The rooms are roomy and comfortable, with a lovely design that keeps the mill’s old character while giving it a modern feel. It’s a real gem, and I wouldn’t have expected to find one of the best hotels I’ve stayed in here in Katanning.

The price feels far too high at $360, especially with all the noise. The old mill look is an interesting idea, but it didn’t make this a good-value stay for us. We could hear people talking and shoes on the floor above through our wooden ceiling at night and again in the morning, and there was no sound cushioning. We were also two floors above the bar, yet the band was set up right outside our room. We’d been told there’d be music in the below-ground bar, but not that the band would be outside our door. When we arrived around 1.45, we got a gruff “we don’t check in until 2pm.” I asked if we should come back and was told no, but then heard the same check-in-time reminder again. The room itself was large and spacious, with four-metre ceilings. Very disappointing.