Once Rosh has departed, I get to really look around our deluxe king suite, which is located in The Tasman’s new glass-ensconced, contemporary Pavilion section, around the corner from Tasmania’s historic Parliament House, and features a panoramic view of Salamanca Place and the harbour.

Our suite is on the sixth floor and still has that new-room smell (we’re staying on the hotel’s opening night) and the furnishings and amenities, many of which are locally made and produced, are opulent and lavish. The decor reminds me of the similar understated luxury that you’ll find in some of Tasmania’s other finest establishments, such as Stillwater Seven and Pumphouse Point.

The marble bathroom is lit by the soft light of a round, illuminated mirror, and includes a generous walk-in shower and local products such as handmade soap from Salamanca-based Beauty and the Bees.

The suite includes a large comfy bed adorned with luxury Frette linen and a well-stocked mini bar and pantry. The contents of both the bar and pantry, as well as the bathroom amenities, indicates the hotel’s focus on promoting Tasmanian produce and businesses. From the James Boag and Moo Brew beers, the Lark Distillery’s Docks Release single malt whisky, Ashgrove cheeses, Cygnet’s Nutsnmore gourmet nuts, to the Coal River Farm chocolate in the pantry, guests have plenty of Tasmanian food and drink options when taking in the spectacular view.

From our sixth-storey room we look out over Hobart’s busy waterfront and Brooke St Pier and down the River Derwent.

Another of the first things I notice when exploring the room is a tissue-paper wrapped gift that’s been left for opening-night guests which includes more Tasmanian produce including Lark whisky and a sachet of Beauty and the Bees’ Milk Oat and Honey bath salts, and a handwritten note from the hotel’s Hobart GM Stephen Morahan.

For me, it’s these little things … that attention to detail and the genuinely warm welcome from hotel staff that makes The Tasman’s service next-level good.

The Tasman has managed to create a truly spectacular and modern hotel that respects and honours the history of the original buildings. While we stayed in the modern part of the hotel, guests can choose sections that integrate aspects of the original heritage building or, alternatively, the Art Deco wing which was designed in the 1940s by well-known Hobart architect of the day, Sid Blythe.

After settling into our room, we did a quick tour of the building, as I was intrigued to finally see what the inside of the place was really like.

Like most Hobartians, for more than a year we’d been watching the transformation of a dusty building site into a posh, luxury hotel.

On the night of our stay as we head down for pre-dinner drinks at the hotel’s cocktail bar we are met by a housekeeper in the hallway who politely asks if we’d like our turndown service done now. Not wanting to be a bother – I feel as though getting someone to turn back the doona and dim the lights is not something I really need doing – I tell her ‘that’s OK but I think we can manage that ourselves’. However, she then surprises me with a little smile and a sparkle in her eyes. “Oh, but you WILL want your turndown chocolates that I was going to leave on your pillows!” And with that she gives me a wink and places two delicate squares of dark chocolate deliciousness in my hands.

We then proceed to the hotel’s cocktail bar Mary Mary, hidden deep within the original heritage section of the hotel, which dates back to the 1840s. The bar takes its name from the former St Mary’s Hospital which was built on the site in 1841.

On the way to the secluded, moody bar, nestled behind a small green door, with its exposed sandstone walls, low ceilings, soft lighting and dark, wooden wall panels, I spy some old graffiti, possibly left by one of the original stonemasons, etched into the wall which is one of the many historical reminders of the building’s colonial past that remains intact.

Other windows to the past, which can be found in the heritage wing, include original floorboards, fireplaces and artefacts. Some of the relics which are showcased in glass cabinets dotted around the heritage section’s hallways include china, glass marbles and old bottles featuring the names of businesses, such as Drake & Co. Pharmacist Hobart, that would have proliferated in old Hobart Town during the mid-19th century.

On opening night we were also treated to a meal in the hotel’s signature restaurant Peppina, which has one of Hobart’s most well-known chefs, Massimo Mele, as the culinary director.

Peppina prides itself on the use of seasonal Tasmanian produce in its traditional Italian dishes that are influenced by Mele’s childhood in Naples.

The restaurant is named after Mele’s nickname for his beloved Nonna who first inspired his love of cooking.

At dinner we are again offered an amazing level of service with waitstaff Luciana expertly and efficiently attending to our every need.

Standout dishes for me at Peppina were the freshly-shucked oysters and pickled sardines with fennel agrodolce entrees while my husband really enjoyed the homemade pasta and tasty pork products, including the succulent pork belly from Berkshire pigs raised on Fork it Farm, in Lebrina in the state’s northeast.

The large chunk of tiramisu for two to round out the meal was a sweet way to end a lovely dinner.

On return to our room after our meal we are pleasantly surprised to find a cheese platter featuring a trio of cheeses from Coal River Farm and a Lark whisky tasting flight, set in a paddle made of Huon pine. The whisky is served, pre-poured, in Lark’s crystal Glencairn glasses and includes shots of the Saint, 1792 and George varieties, some of which are sourced from the distillery’s Rebel Yell bourbon small batch and include tasting notes of vanilla, brown sugar and toasty tobacco.

Not that we needed more food after such a satisfying meal at Peppina, but the cheese board and nightcaps, together
with another handwritten note, were still
a nice touch.

The next day after a restful slumber (no noise to be heard from the streets and revellers below behind this hotel’s thick walls and windows) we made our way back down to Peppina for breakfast. In the morning, guests in the light and airy restaurant are again well attended by a generous number of staff, and diners can choose to either eat inside or in the alfresco area.

The offerings for breakfast include the Peppina pantry experience which features more fresh local produce from fruits and cereals to cured meats and pastries, or you can have a hot cooked brekkie with eggs done any way you like.

Once breakfast was done it was sadly time to head back to reality and my normal life where there is no one to turn back my doona, carry my bags and keep me in the manner to which I’d become accustomed during our short stay. But I guess that’s the beauty of staying at a place like The Tasman – this is a special hotel where you can expect exceptional service and luxury experiences and dining that is above and beyond – and it’s right here in our very own river city.

Well done Marriott International, you’ve brought an extra touch of class to Hobart.

The author was a guest of The Tasman Hotel

MAKE A NOTE

The Tasman Hotel, is located at 12 Murray St, Hobart, overlooking Salamanca Place and the waterfront.

The hotel features 152 rooms which include restored features and exclusive locally made amenities.

While you’re there guests can choose to dine in at the hotel’s signature restaurant Peppina which offers traditional Italian food with a Tasmanian twist and opens for breakfast and dinner; drink in the elegant cocktail bar Mary Mary; or in the hotel’s modern Australian restaurant Deco Lounge, which is open for lunch and dinner.

Rooms start from $398 for two per night.

For further inquiries phone 6240 6000 or go online to marriott.com.au