12 best hotels in Tasmania inspired by nature

Tasmania is as wild as it wonderful. Its landscapes of prehistoric forests, snow-capped mountains and dramatic coastlines draw food lovers, adventure seekers and creatives. Together they’re the inspiration behind some of Australia’s most head-turning hotels. From luxury hotels to secret hideaways, these are Tassie’s most innovative places to stay.

Natasha Dragun

less than 2 min read

July 3, 2024 - 6:40AM

Escape

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1. The Keep, Goulds Country

Set on a 650m rocky pinnacle overlooking Tasmania’s northeast, The Keep is one of the state’s most dramatic abodes. Traditionally, keeps are a type of fortified tower built by European nobility as a refuge should the rest of the castle fall to enemies. The one here was constructed by loggers in the early 2000s to take in jaw-dropping views across the Bay of Fires – arguably the best panoramic perch is the outdoor tub, carved into a boulder. Today the sandstone tower has room for just two guests, with spaces heroing Tasmanian-designed furniture and original artworks. It has full cooking facilities but no nearby restaurants so BYO food and wine to enjoy beside the fireplace.

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2. The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart

Set across three structures – a Georgian-style former hospital from the 1840s, an Art Deco building and a gleaming glass-and-steel addition called the Pavilion – The Tasman has personality to spare, and rates as one of Tasmania’s top luxury hotels. Depending on where you check in, you can expect convict-hewn sandstone walls, gas fireplaces and blackwood bathtubs to bring character to your room; in public spaces, the site’s history is preserved in plaques, photos and display cabinets with artefacts discovered during the renovation.

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3. Pumphouse Point, Lake St Clair

In the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, you’ll find the adults-only boutique hotel Pumphouse Point, its rooms set across two buildings that once operated as a hydroelectric station. The Pumphouse is at the end of a long pier, while the Shorehouse is on the banks, enveloped by century-old myrtle forest. Rooms are sleek but pared back, so as not to distract from the real eye-candy outside. When you’re not hiking, biking or boating, enjoy meals in the dining room or tuck into goodies supplied in your personal larder.

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4. Saffire Freycinet, Coles Bay

Tasmania’s east coast has some of the most pristine water and cleanest air in the world. It also has Saffire Freycinet, tucked amid the native forest of Coles Bay in Freycinet National Park – looking over the pink granite Hazards mountains. The 20 suites at this luxury lodge are set apart for privacy, with floor-to-ceiling windows. Experiences vary from hikes to fabled Wineglass Bay with an Aboriginal guide, to oyster-shucking sessions that see you wading into the water to pluck your own – and slurp them fresh with Champagne while the sea laps around you.

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5. Corinna Wilderness Village, Corinna

On the wild north west coast, Corinna, once a gold-rush town, is undeniably remote. It’s the perfect place to detach from devices and soak up the wilderness – this is a gateway to the takayna/Tarkine rainforest. Settle in to cosy cabins and a fabulous restaurant after days hiking, kayaking on the Pieman River, and cruising on the vintage Huon pine river boat Arcadia II.

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6. Stillwater Seven, Launceston

Launceston’s 1840s flour mill at the mouth of Cataract Gorge is now Stillwater Seven, a seven-room hotel that pays homage to the best of Tasmania, from design to the dining room. Flickers into the mill’s past include weathered corrugated iron, heritage sandstone and giant Oregon trusses; sink into custom-made AH Beard beds and bespoke furniture designed and made by local Simon Ancher. The applauded Stillwater restaurant serves up dishes like baked Tasmanian scallops with XO butter, and Cape Grim beef tartare.

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7. Sea Stacks, Douglas River

Named after the minerals that comprise the granite shoreline of east-coast Tasmania, Sea Stacks’ design-driven lodges Feldspar, Mica and Quartz are as stylish as they are sustainable. Set in the foothills of Douglas Apsley National Park, between the ocean and the forest, the self-contained accommodations take inspiration from nature in design and are primed to access some of the state’s most fabled attractions, including Wineglass Bay just to the south. You also have Denison Beach on your doorstep.

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8. Satellite Island, D’Entrecasteaux Channel

The schmick beach house on Satellite Island comes with a well-equipped kitchen, equally well-stocked pantry, and an island manager to help out with whatever you need. There’s also a boathouse on the pier, which can house guests or be transformed into a lounge come wine time – while you’re by the water, pluck oysters and sea urchins from the rocks, and cook fish over a fire on the beach. The small island is an easy boat ride from Bruny Island (itself an easy boat ride from Hobart), with other watery diversions ranging from kayaking and fishing to snorkelling.

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9. Kittawa Lodge, King Island

King Island, in the west of Bass Strait, is remote. But that’s part of the appeal, and it means you’ll likely have most of it to yourself when you check in to Kittawa Lodge. On a secluded, oceanfront expanse, the property comprises two one-bedroom lodges, entirely off-grid. Gourmet Tassie produce is provided so you can prepare your own meals. Or call in a private chef to cook up a feast of Southern Ocean rock lobster, greenlip abalone and oysters from the waters you overlook. Diversions range from watching the nightly fairy penguin parade to hiking, surfing, or teeing off at a world-class golf course.

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10. Coastal Pods, Wynyard

A collection of up-cycled shipping containers, the self-contained Coastal Pods cut a dramatic form along the Inglis River in northwest Tasmania. Each pod has been lovingly constructed and styled to provide maximum comfort and energy efficiency, while retaining a design nod to the industrial beach foundation of the development. Your lounge opens onto an enormous north-facing private balcony where you can watch fishing boats unload their catch and sailboats navigate the river tides. This pocket of the state is known for its eye-popping geological forms – when you’re not on your patio, lace up your hiking shoes to explore the surreal landscape.

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11. Ship Inn, Stanley

An old sailors’ tavern reimagined as a storytelling lodge, the Ship Inn is a series of elegantly styled suites and apartments. Come dusk, guests mingle in The Ghost of Old John Peacock lounge, sinking into fireside leather armchairs while enjoying Tassie wine and charcuterie from the cottage store down the road. When not soaking up panoramic views from the patio, climb The Nut – a sheer-sided bluff and the remains of an ancient volcanic plug – for end-of-the-Earth vistas across Bass Strait.

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12. Krakani Lumi, North East Tasmania

Remote and ravishing, Krakani Lumi is accessible only on a four-day hike across the Bay of Fires with Wukalina Walk, led by an Aboriginal guide. The sleeping pods and communal lodge come with charred blackwood exteriors (to aid fireproofing and mimic the patina of banksias) and polished domed interiors. In the communal lodge there are indulgent rain showers and a sun-drenched dining room. Meals are prepared over an open fire – think scallops grilled in the half-shell, loaves of damper and roasted mutton-bird.

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What is the best season to visit Tasmania?

Visit in summer (December to February) to make the most of Tasmania’s stunning beaches and spectacular nature hikes with warm days and dry weather. Visit in winter (June to August) for the chance to make the most of Off Season deals, winter festivals and events including Dark Mofo, and a chance to spot the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis).

What is the most visited place in Tasmania?

Hobart is the most visited city in Tasmania, with the city’s Salamanca Market and MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) topping the charts as the most visited tourist attractions in Tasmania. Port Arthur Historic Site is another of Tasmania’s most visited ticketed tourist attractions with more than 300,000 annual visitors, while the state’s most visited national park is Freycinet National Park on the east coast.