The therapeutic benefits of a hot, relaxing bath have long been known, and the benefits of nature immersion are also well documented.

And sitting in a glistening stainless steel round tub, breathing in the fresh country air and looking out across rolling hills, while enjoying the sounds of a gentle breeze rustling through the trees and the laugh of kookaburra in the distance, was exactly the sort of therapy needed to remedy the stress of a busy week.

The hot tub was just one of many highlights of my two-night stay at The Roundhouses, on the outskirts of Cygnet, where a hobby farm on 4.7ha has been cleverly transformed into an eco-luxury retreat. Here, two sustainably-built architecturally-designed houses are nestled into the hillside, providing sweeping rural views, a sense of peace and tranquillity for guests and easy access to the property’s resident sheep, goats and alpacas.

As the name suggests, The Roundhouses are round buildings (the round shape all adds to the eco-design) and were made with natural materials including strawbale, local timbers and lime render. Small fully-equipped homes, both houses are cool in summer and warm in winter, with under-slab insulation, double-glazed windows, underfloor heating and cosy wood fires.

The first house as you drive through the automatic gate is “Otter”, which is designed for couples, while “Bear” is further down the hill and is better suited to families, with a bunk room off to one side, adorned with woodland-inspired bedding and decor, which my boys (aged 5 and 8) adored.

The animal theme continues throughout each of the round houses, from wall art and furnishings to round bear and otter stained-glass windows as features above the kingsize master beds.

The focus on sustainability also continues throughout – the property owners Niki and Andrew aim to have no single-use plastics, they recycle everything possible, and compost on site. They also limit the property’s carbon footprint by sourcing most provisions from the Huon Valley – freshly baked bread was waiting for us on arrival, along with a selection of jams in recycled jars, eggs from the property’s free-range organic chickens and firewood from surrounding bushland.

The fully-equipped kitchen includes eco-friendly appliances, dishwashing and laundry cleaners from environmentally-conscious companies, and all linens are line-dried.

“Basically, we do everything we possibly can to limit our (and your) carbon footprint, while providing a luxury experience,’’ Niki says.

Tucked away in our round house, we definitely appreciated all those added touches of luxury, from the cosy linens and the selection of herbal teas to the remote-controlled electric blinds which allow you to watch the morning sun rise without leaving the comfort of your bed. I also appreciated the hot, high-pressure shower – surrounded by textured stone tiles, and a breeze coming in through the open porthole window, I felt a bit like I was standing under a cascading waterfall.

Getting to and from the property was easy, with text messages providing directions, an automatic gate that could be opened via SMS, and text message updates from the owners, confirming essential details like what time the hot tub would be at optimum temperature each night.

The mindfulness colouring book and pencils in the room were a nice touch which my boys – and many guests before us – clearly enjoyed. There was even a bear-themed storybook for bedtime reading.

Our evening visits to the chemical-free hot tub were made a little more luxurious with a basket of goodies perfect for the occasion – plastic drinkwear, bath robes, pool towels (including hooded kid-sized bear towels for the boys) and an aromatic house-made blend of bath salts with an assortment of dried fruit and flowers (the hot tub is emptied after each use to water the surrounding garden and refilled for the next lot of guests). You can also order local wines and cider as well as cheese and cider platters directly from The Roundhouses if required.

It would have been easy to spend the entire time tucked away in our private oasis, but we did venture to Cygnet and the surrounding area to explore parks and beaches and visit some of the many cafes and eateries – the light-filled conservatory cafe of Cygnet Old Bank was our favourite place to dine for lunch (the boys enjoyed meeting Gordon the resident chicken and checking out the apple orchard at the rear of the property), while the Cygnet Japanese Diner proved to be a great place for fresh takeaway sushi and stir fries. We also enjoyed the pies and pastries – and the quirky black and white mural – at nearby Poolish & Co.

But our holiday highlights definitely came from the time we spent at The Roundhouses – eating pizza on the timber deck one evening, watching three wedge-tailed eagles soar across the sky in front of us for about an hour the following afternoon, and also watching – and feeding – the farm animals, just a few steps from our front deck.

The goats, alpacas and sheep came running to say hello soon after we arrived, clearly aware that we had a cup of animal food waiting for us in our round house. The boys quickly ran out to feed them, easily befriending the creatures, with many more visits to see the animals throughout our stay.

On one rare occasion there were no animals in sight, but my eldest son soon realised that if he started making loud bleating sounds the goats would quickly come running, a discovery which resulted in much laughter at the time, and has continued to make us all laugh, long after we checked out and returned home to Hobart.

The Roundhouses owners Niki and Andrew were both born in England and between them they lived in a dozen countries before deciding to call Australia – and Tasmania – home. They purchased their Cygnet property in 2015 (they still live on site) and opened The Roundhouses in March last year, inspired by Niki’s previous role as an academic researching eco-behaviours in consumers.

They were drawn to the property partly because of its fertile soil, but mostly because of the impressive view of the valley.

And it’s not hard to understand why they were so captivated. I could happily stare at that mesmerising rural view all day. Especially if that dose of ecotherapy also involves me sitting in a steaming hot tub, armed with a refreshingly cool drink, admiring the changing colours of the sky as the sun sets.

The Roundhouses (215 Sandhill Rd, Cygnet) are a 45-minute drive from Hobart, and a few minutes from the Cygnet township. Prices for “Bear” and “Otter” start from $660 for a two-night stay for two people. Bear can also sleep up to two children in a bunk room for an additional $50 per child. The hot tub experience is an optional extra for guests and is $50 for two people or $60 for four people. To book call 0480 030 215 or visit theroundhouses.com

The author was a guest of The Roundhouses.