We stayed at... Wander Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Made of natural stone and finished in a dark grey terrazzo, its oval-shaped sides are curved just so.

The fact that this bath exists is reason enough to visit Kangaroo Island. Picture: Supplied

There’s a bathtub at the end of the world.

Made of natural stone and finished in a dark grey terrazzo, its oval-shaped sides are curved just so. Perched high on a vertiginous paddocked hillside that tumbles down to the coast, it looks straight out across a broad, blue sea.

That this bathtub exists is, in one sense, all you need to know about Wander Kangaroo Island. Relax into it with the supplied salts (and a self-supplied beer or wine, perhaps) and you will immediately get this place. An entirely unique experience, it goes some way to explaining the not insignificant task of plonking these four self-contained apartments on this isolated patch of Kangaroo Island, overlooking an isolated Snelling Beach.

Out here, at around the midpoint of the northern coast of the island, we’re a 50-minute drive from Kingscote, the island’s largest town, and 80 minutes from the Sealink ferry that delivers tourists from the South Australian mainland.

The South Australian island is renowned for its beautiful beaches. Picture: Supplied

Wander Kangaroo Island opened in December 2022, the week after our visit, and that shows around the edges, with a wee bit of landscaping to be completed here and there. But otherwise, the fact these “luxury eco-aware Wanderpods” were built in Adelaide and delivered to site more or less complete means there’s an impressive lack of teething problems.

Co-founder and CEO Cassandra Sasso has a background in hotel interior design and you immediately sense the thought that has gone into the layout, materials and furnishings (you can even buy some of it online via the Wander website, including the king-sized Wanderbed mattress and eco-friendly Zero Co cleaning products).

And of course you're bound to see a few of its namesake animals. Picture: Supplied

My 110-square-metre two-bedroom pod, named Vela, is decked out in dark timber floors, a timber kitchen countertop with a handsome black-tiled splashback, rain shower, stove fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling windows running the length of its northern side, giving you uninterrupted views of Investigator Strait and the steep coasts of Althorpe Island, which resembles a sea-locked Uluru off in the far distance.

The furniture is all by high-end Aussie designers Globewest, the linen that super-comfy European flax sort from hip Sydney brand Cultiver, and the crockery Eclipse Uno stoneware. On the shelf is a Marshall Bluetooth speaker, a nifty Carrie table lamp by Norm Architects, and a copy of the First Nations Food Companion cookbook by Damien Coulthard and Rebecca Sullivan.

If only this much thought went into every hotel room.

The Wanderpods are perfectly positioned. Picture: Supplied

My pod is much the same as the other three on the property, but for an additional room with its own bathroom and ensuite separated from the living area by an open entranceway.

Continue through the entranceway and you find a timber deck that leads to the bathtub, as well as a couple of fancy Mooi Living beanbag sun loungers – perfect for watching the sun go down, or the moon and stars come up.

Wander works hard to represent the local communities where it places its pods (there are already Wanderpods in Queensland’s Scenic Rim, with more locations to follow around Australia) and that’s expressed on arrival in a Tastes of Island Pantry Box that’s available for pre-order.

Food is just as much of a focus as the scenery. Picture: Supplied

Ours is stuffed full of Angus steak; fancy South Australian Skara bacon; chicken marylands; Kangaroo Island beetroot relish, chipotle sauce and dukka; local barn-laid eggs; and various vegetables along with a bunch of other supplies. There’s so much food that the wider group we’re travelling with has more than enough together for three slap-up communal dinners over the course of our stay.

Isolated Wander Kangaroo Island may be, but there’s a lot to do right outside the gates.

Gastronomo’s Sensorium and (during the warmer months) Enchanted Fig Tree dining experiences, where the quality of the food, wine and service are far better than something this far off the grid has any right to be, is at the bottom of the hill; classy, unfussy cellar doors such as The Islander Estate are a relatively short drive away; and tour operators such as Exceptional Kangaroo Island and RAD KI will collect you from your door for adventures on both land and sea.

There's a huge amount to do right on your doorstep. Picture: Supplied

Still, what are we here for, really? It’s to reconnect with nature, sure, but it’s also to unplug from the city (although, yes, there is Wi-Fi), and that’s perhaps best done indoors by the fireplace, on the deck in the late afternoon sun or in that bathtub, with a book or a card game, and a bottle of something local. With digs like these, you’ll only want to wander so far.

Wander Kangaroo Island is based at 6208 N Coast Rd, Middle River. Rates start at $390.

For more information, click here.

The writer was a guest of Wander.

Room 9/10

Cleverly conceived to make the most of the surrounding scenery, the pods nail an impressive level of thoughtful design, meaning they quickly start to feel like a home away from home.

Staff 8/10

If you’re expecting a 24-hour concierge, you’re out of luck – this is very much a self-piloted experience, with an automated keypad check-in. But fleeting interactions with cleaning staff and the like indicate a team of friendly locals who care about your experience.

Food 8/10

There are no on-site bars and restaurants, sorry, but the Tastes of Island Pantry Box comes well-stocked, and Gastronomo – one of the best regional dining experiences you’re likely to encounter – is two minutes away in the car.

Verdict 8/10

Perfectly pitched and cleverly executed in a one-of-a-kind location, a stay at Wander Kangaroo Island is an entirely unique experience.

See also:

The ultimate 4-day guide to seeing Kangaroo Island

Underrated reason to visit Aussie island

Deadset: This island is heaven on a plate

Is one day enough on Kangaroo Island?

Originally published as We stayed at... Wander Kangaroo Island, South Australia