Luxury accommodation in Tasmania for an idyllic escape

Once known as The Grand Old Dame by the River, Woodbridge on the Derwent dates back to 1825 and was originally a convict-built riverfront mansion. Impeccably restored in 2004, the Heritage-listed hotel has eight luxury rooms and suites and combines original features like 200-year-old blackwood floors and windows with contemporary furnishings and mod cons.

Only 25 minutes from Hobart, this small luxury hotel is ideal for couples who enjoy an indulgent but intimate travel experience. In the Three Bridges Suite, the hotel’s signature spa suite with separate bedroom and living area, you can sit out on the garden terrace under the shade of almond trees. Or, cosy up in front of an original fireplace before luxuriating in your own whirlpool tub.

Breakfast and dinner are both served in The Pavilion restaurant, where you can taste seasonal local produce while trying to spot the resident platypus along the river’s edge. Dine on crostini of fresh fig with Tasmanian blue cheese and Leatherwood honey, followed by local wallaby shank braised slowly in Pinot Noir and served with creamed truffle potato. Finish your evening with an after-dinner tipple in the Ballroom.

On the edge of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, you won’t have to go far from Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge to find a spectacular view or hiking trail. Take the three-hour Dove Lake Circuit Walk to snap a photo of the iconic Boatshed, or stay on-site to spot wombats and wallabies between eucalyptus trees on The Enchanted Stroll.

When you want to relax, you can revitalise with a treatment at The Sanctuary at Waldheim Alpine Spa, surrounded by verdant forest and overlooking Pencil Pine River. Heat up in the dry sauna and wet steam room before plunging into the vitality pool, or skip straight to the outdoor hot tub to restore your muscles.

You’ll have four styles of lodging to choose from, including the King Billy Suites with a private outdoor Jacuzzi and double-sided wood fire – the ideal place to enjoy a complimentary glass of port or quench your thirst with a schooner of Tasmania’s iconic James Boag beer while playing pool at the Tavern.

For dinner, head to Highland Restaurant, with open fireplaces and comfy leather seats reminiscent of an Alpine lodge. Choose from a menu focused on paddock-to-plate dining, where you’ll find local produce like Cape Grim beef, Perrigold truffles, Ashgrove cheese and Anvers chocolate.

Centred on architecture and design, Hatherley Birrell Collection offers tranquillity in the heart of downtown Launceston. Even check-in and check-out are managed by pin code, and you’ll find your fridge filled with sourdough bread, muesli, home-poached fruit and bottles of juice and milk for easy mornings. No need for a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign here – you could go your entire stay without seeing another soul.

Guestrooms are art-filled, with La Petite Chambre Matisse showcasing a rare hand-drawn lithograph by Matisse. You might also be lucky enough to spot works by Picasso and Charles Blackman. Alongside original features like high ceilings and ornate fireplaces, the 1830 building also has modern touches like glass bathrooms, moon windows and origami-inspired roofs. To really pamper yourselves, choose one of the two new garden pavilion rooms with an outdoor bath made from volcanic stone, ideal for stargazing.

You’ll also be close to plenty of outdoor activities, what with Cataract Gorge and National Park just a 10-minute drive away. You can also coast through the Tamar Valley and explore local wineries and berry farms before stopping at historic George Town, Australia’s third-oldest settlement.

Billed as a ‘storytelling hotel’, Macq 01 on the Hobart waterfront promises guests an insight into Tasmania’s history and personality. Each of the 114 guestrooms is named after a prominent Tasmanian, grouped into categories like ‘the hearty and resilient’ or ‘the colourful and quirky’.

The team’s professional storytellers can take you on a complimentary walking tour of the building, or out onto the harbour to learn about the city’s fascinating history. Continue the story in the lobby lounge around the river-stone fire pit surrounded by Indigenous artefacts, or enjoy a cold draught beer at Story Bar, plastered with historic newspaper front pages and offering an open-air terrace with water views.

Spacious premium rooms come with views over Hobart’s streetscapes, while others have unobstructed sight lines across the Derwent Estuary. You can even upgrade to a hosted luxury suite, where your personal butler will help shine your shoes, fill your tub or get you a table at the best dining spots in town.

At Macq 01’s Old Wharf Restaurant, you can feast on fine local produce like freshly shucked or tempura oysters, scallop pies and Marion Bay chicken breast. Afterwards, relax with a nightcap of local whiskey at Evolves Spirit Bar, surrounded by fossils from around the world (some dating back 550 million years).

Taking home second place in the trivago Awards 2019 for the best five-star hotel in Australia, the Islington Hotel is an 11-room boutique hotel in a Regency-style home dating to 1847. Antiques and fine art fill the communal spaces, including a library stocked with books about early Tasmania.

Stroll through tranquil gardens designed by Andrew Pfeiffer, past mulberry trees and cherry blossoms to find the ancient weeping willow said to be over 100 years old. You’ll follow the smell of freshly baked muffins to the conservatory to fill up on a breakfast made of homemade pastries, sourdough, charcuterie and cheeses. From the marble-paved terrace and infinity pond, you can see majestic Mount Wellington – if you’re up for it, take on the challenging hike!

In the evening, enjoy an exclusive dining experience available only to guests and their friends. You’ll savour dishes like Islington queso with asparagus and duck pastrami, followed by boarfish with Catalan sauce and olive crumb. Afterward, retire to the drawing room with a drink from the honour bar stocked with local wines, beers and spirits.

You can choose to stay in the original old house or in a ground-floor garden room in the new extension. You’ll sleep soundly with custom-made King-sized Islington Dream beds, or stay up watching complimentary streamed movies. In the morning, freshen up in the deep soaking tub or relax under the rain shower before stepping out into your marble bathroom with heated flooring.

Located in Falmouth, halfway between the Bay of Fires and Freycinet National Park, Saltwater Sunrise Villas offers luxury accommodation on the absolute seafront. Only 50 metres from the property’s private beach, breathtaking ocean views are standard in all five open-plan villas.

You can choose between a modern studio-style couple’s villa with kitchenette and living area, or upgrade to a luxury spa villa with a private detached Spa Hut. Sip a glass of local sparkling wine as you watch the sunset from your private Jacuzzi, or sit out on your sundeck and try to spot migratory whales. You can even release some toxins in your own infrared sauna before cooking up a banquet of local meats and seafood on your Weber BabyQ.

If you’re coming with friends, reserve the Saltwater Residence with its fully equipped kitchen and dining space. The residence’s private timber deck is made for long conversations under the star-filled sky, or you can wander down to the beach to explore the coastline filled with rock pools.

Just under two hours from Launceston airport and three hours from Hobart, this is the ideal spot to discover the east coast of Tasmania. You can reach the sandy beaches of the Bay of Fires in an hour, considered one of the most beautiful spots in Australia, or hike up to Wineglass Bay Lookout to capture one of the most iconic views in the state.

On a wild coastline just two hours from Hobart and close to the seaside town of Swansea, Piermont Retreat is a serene getaway made up of stone cottages, modern suites and luxurious facilities. Using your map from the original Georgian homestead building, walk through eucalyptus and dune grass to find your individual stone cottage or suite. Open the French doors to breathe in fresh sea air from your private deck, or light a fire and warm up in a cottage of one, two or three bedrooms.

You’ll work up an appetite strolling the extensive grounds – we’re talking two private sand beaches, a polo field with horses and an outdoor saltwater pool. Borrow kayaks or mountain bikes to explore further afield, or stay on-site for a game of tennis. At the Piermont Pantry, you can stock up on delicious local cheeses and cured meats before heading to the waterfront for a seaside picnic.

In the evening, head back to Homestead Restaurant to taste the award-winning chef’s six-course degustation menu, curated from neighbouring farms and vineyards. Or you can browse the à la carte menu for local oysters, abalone and Cape Grim beef. A nod to Piermont’s Argentinian owner’s heritage, the kitchen also features an asado grill.