Indulge in a luxury adults-only foodie getaway just minutes from Hobart’s CBD

Relax, unwind and indulge your tastebuds at a luxury 11-room hotel nestled in the foothills of Mt Wellington. LOOK INSIDE >>

The longer I live in Hobart, the more I appreciate – and am captivated by – the ever-changing moods of kunanyi/Mt Wellington.

Whether it stands proud against a crisp, clear, blue-sky winter day, glows orange during a spectacular sunset or peeks out from behind an angry cluster of grey storm clouds, the mountain is always there to frame our days and remind us of the magnificence of nature.

And it was during a stay at The Islington Hotel, nestled at the top end of Davey St, in the foothills of Mt Wellington, that I was reminded once again of the mountain’s powerful allure, as it provided a calming, serene backdrop for a relaxing night away from home.

The grandness of The Islington, a stately 1847 homestead that now operates as a luxury 11-room hotel, seems to perfectly match the grandness of the mountain it sits beneath.

The Islington Hotel in Hobart. Picture: Mauricio Esteban Mozo

During my recent stay, I found the mountain impossible to ignore – I could see the snow-dusted summit in the distance as I walked through the gates to the property, and again through the glass ceiling of the conservatory while dining. The mountain also featured as a backdrop while wandering the property’s leafy heritage gardens and was reflected back at me in the still waters of the reflection pool. And when I retreated to my room – where large windows framed the view and invited me to gaze at the mountain – I was able to relax and watch the day dissolve into night as the sky turned from brilliant blue to rich shades of purple and pink as the sun set.

As a busy parent of two young children, I found a solo stay at this luxury adults-only hotel to be exactly the kind of restorative break I needed.

A luxury room overlooking the mountain at The Islington Hotel. Picture: Paul Yonna

Apart from mountain gazing, I was also able to curl up in a comfy chair with a book, enjoy a bubble bath using the house-made bath crystals featuring lavender from The Islington’s garden, sleep uninterrupted on the very comfy “Angel” beds which are custom made for the hotel by Tasmanian manufacturer AH Beard using latex and wool for added warmth and comfort, and enjoy some birdwatching while listening to kookaburras laughing in the garden.

I also got the chance to toast some marshmallows by the open fire in the conservatory, enjoy some Tassie gin cocktails, and dine on delicious meals prepared using fresh, seasonal, ethically-sourced local produce by chef Anthony Illingworth, who also incorporates produce from the Islington’s own vegetable and herb garden into his menus.

A room at The Islington Hotel is a luxury retreat, just minutes from Hobart’s CBD. Picture: Mauricio Esteban Mozo

And, of course, a stay at The Islington was also the perfect opportunity to indulge my sweet tooth, with a new Islington High Tea recently added to the hotel’s offerings.

As soon as I stepped inside my room on arrival at the hotel, I was greeted by a welcome plate of house-made cakes, which tasted as good as they looked. I was also served an impressive dessert after dinner, bringing together a mix of citrus, berries, chocolate, meringue, fairy floss and other sweet elements which, on paper, seemed an odd pairing but all came together beautifully.

A welcome plate of sweets, served to guests at The Islington Hotel Picture: Linda Smith

So I had high hopes for high tea. And I was not disappointed – The Islington really is a haven for sweet tooths.

With a colourful display of pistachio cannoli, cherry brandy cones, delicate macarons, berry and citrus tarts, blondie slice, caramel slice, madeleines and assorted other treats, arranged beautifully on floral china, it was difficult to decide what to try first.

Savoury lovers aren’t forgotten here either, with goat cheese, walnut and beetroot tarts, profiteroles filled with crayfish and dill cream cheese, as well as a twist on traditional sandwiches, with fillings including smoked trevalla, yuzu pearls, chive and tomato.

High Tea at The Islington Hotel in Hobart. Picture: Paul Yonna

And then, when my stomach and tastebuds already felt like they might explode, out came the scones with jam and cream.

I appreciated the more unusual selection of teas on the menu, which included a Mount Wellington/kunanyi tea – black, with eye catching blue cornflowers, fruit and vanilla which is hailed as being “as delightful as the mountain itself” – which I thought was fitting. You can also opt for barista coffee or free-flowing Pommery Champagne.

The surroundings and service here are just as beautiful as the food, with the warming winter sun streaming into the glass atrium (tip: make sure you pack your sunglasses, you may need them, even inside!)

Inside the conservatory at the The Islington Hotel in Hobart. Picture: Mauricio Esteban Mozo

My only disappointment – and it’s a good problem to have – is that there was too much food for me to eat, especially after the delicious breakfast I’d been served at The Islington only few hours earlier. So my best advice would be to ensure you arrive for high tea with an empty stomach so you can make the most of all the delectable treats on offer.

You don’t have to be a guest of the hotel to enjoy high tea, and the same applies for other meals – but bookings are essential as preference is given to in-house guests.

The Islington was taken over by the La Vie Hotels & Resorts earlier this year, but the hotel’s general manager Gabriela Montesinos says the essence of the historic property remains unchanged.

The Islington Hotel is popular with visitors celebrating milestone birthdays, anniversaries and honeymoons. Picture: Mauricio Esteban Mozo

As Montesinos offers me a tour of the property, I discover that she hails from Mexico City – she came Australia on a scholarship to finish her studies and not only discovered the beauty of Tasmania, but also fell in love with a Tasmanian.

She is clearly passionate about the state and the historic property, which prior to Covid attracted many visitors from the UK and US, but is now seeing an influx of visitors from Melbourne and Sydney as well as Tasmanians looking to explore their home state.

The average stay at the property is 2-3 nights, although it’s not uncommon for guests to stay for a week or more.

Many guests are celebrating – birthdays, anniversaries or honeymoons – and many enjoy their stays so much they return, year after year, to continue to mark those milestones.

Some stay to sightsee around Hobart, but many, like me, are simply looking for a quiet retreat.

And it really is a place to retreat – the attentive staff have seemingly thought of everything. I returned to my room after dinner to find a deep sleep meditation playing on the in-room iPad, an a pot of Islington ‘dream blend’ tea, a “tried and tested Tasmanian brew which encourages the perfect night’s sleep’’.

Of course many guests also come for the architecture, antiques and the world-class art collection – the hotel is a showcase for hundreds of pieces of eclectic art, including works by Warhol, Picasso and Matisse.

A view of Mt Wellington/kunanyi as the sun sets, from The Islington Hotel in Hobart. Picture: Linda Smith

But of all the art adorning the walls at the Islington Hotel, it was a piece of poetry, etched into timber bookcases in the formal dining room, that spoke to me the most.

Up, up, by broad highway whence, gazing down

the quiet city seems to lie asleep;

and the broad river, like a mirror, gleams

in rounded sweep;

framed grandly by grey, forest-girdled hills,

and lawny slopes with pleasant homes besprent,

embowered with gardens, rich with varied bloom and honeyed scent

I don’t know whether the author – Louisa Anne Meredith, the great-great-great-grandmother of former Islington Hotel owner David Meredith – wrote the poem about Mt Wellington or another landscape closer to her home at Swansea, on Tasmania’s East Coast. But it seems a perfectly fitting mantra for a stately home, surrounded by gardens and nestled in the foothills of a grand mountain.

MAKE A NOTE

The Islington Hotel is a luxury, 11-room adults-only hotel located at 321 Davey St, in South Hobart, in the foothills of Mt Wellington. Rooms start from $469 per night for two people, including breakfast. Islington High Tea is served from 12.30pm-4pm on the first and last Saturdays of the month. Cost is $85 per person (including tea and coffee), $115 per person (with a sparkling wine package) or $135 per person (with free-flowing Pommery Champagne). Bookings are essential. islingtonhotel.com