Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Tasmania Hotel recommendations?

My wife and I are honeymooning in Australia in just a few weeks. Can anyone recommend hotels in Tasmania?

Hotels are in short supply in Tasmania.There are a few in Hobart.We stayed at one that is often reccomended-The Henry Jones but where underwhelmed.
A great restaurant is The source at Moorilla Estate about 20Km out of Hobart-they also have accommodation and I guess it may well be good for a honeymoon-you can check it out-
http://moorilla.com.au/
Most of the rest of the place has a few motels but upmarket B&bs and lodges.We also enjoyed Cradle Mountain Lodge-
http://www.cradlemountainlodge.com.au/
Other places we enjoyed but stayed far too long ago to comment are Stanley,Strahan and Bicheno.Obviously from this a car is a good idea in Tasmania.

Where abouts? Depending on hwere you are going depends on what type of accomadation you can expect. What sort of budget?

In Hobart? Tell us where in Tassie you are going.

Hey folks...am going to be in Hobart for 4 days in September and I found a good rate for the Fountainside Hotel. Any comments you can share about this place? Location? Etc...
Trip Advisor gave it pretty good ratings.

Hey folks...am going to be in Hobart for 4 days in September and I found a good rate for the Fountainside Hotel. Any comments you can share about this place? Location? Etc...
Trip Advisor gave it pretty good ratings.

fountainside is "interesting". Its on the edge of town, (which means its 2 minutes walk into the centre) and situated on a large roundabout. Its very plain. Apparently it was refurbished about a year ago, but I have never been inside so cant say what its like.

Can thoroughly recommend the Old Woolstore Apartments (http://www.oldwoolstore.com.au/home). They are close to everything and you can walk to the harbour.

fountainside is "interesting". Its on the edge of town, (which means its 2 minutes walk into the centre) and situated on a large roundabout. Its very plain. Apparently it was refurbished about a year ago, but I have never been inside so cant say what its like.

It's truely awful! It's a bit like a block of low rent flats without the charm ;) It's used by a lot of the cruise companies for pre/post cruise accomodation so can be very busy

In Hobart I always enjoy the Sommerset on the Pier hotel. The rooms are modern and like the name implies it's on a pier so you get nice water views. Lots of dining options and a short walk to Salamanca. Note that it is a fully non-smoking property.

Last trip I tried the Mercure just because I wanted to try their properties in Oz and was disappointed in the facility -- reminded me of a Best Western in the US with an upgraded lobby.

Thanks for your suggestions of alternate hotels after booking at the "interesting" Fountainside!
We are really looking forward to the trip and I'm doing all I can to find out hidden gems in Tasmania. It looks like a fascinating place!

It's truely awful! It's a bit like a block of low rent flats without the charm ;) It's used by a lot of the cruise companies for pre/post cruise accomodation so can be very busy

SNORT! Add that to the fact there is always a cheapo airlines ad on the roof and its an accurate rendition!

SNORT! Add that to the fact there is always a cheapo airlines ad on the roof and its an accurate rendition!

SNORT! ?? - that's not very ladylike :p Get back to your thesis ;)

I recently stayed at the Grand Chancellor in Hobart. It's near the Woolstore. Grand Chancellor is a relatively big chain in Aus and NZ.

The Grand Chancellor is a 3-star (the hotel may think it's 4-star itself) property. It's at a prime location though, you get a great view of the harbour on one side or Mt Wellington (one of the great landmarks of Hobart) on the other side.

As mentioned, there aren't many properties in Hobart, so rates are relatively high for the quality you get.

SNORT! ?? - that's not very ladylike :p Get back to your thesis ;)
Am working on thesis, as well as minutes of the meeting from Hades yesterday. BTW am on your side of the pond for a week in July.

Thinking 6 nights on the island this winter (July). Would it simply be best for a first time visitor to base in Hobart and take day trips?

Oops, sorry, didn't realize I was hijacking a thread...

Thinking 6 nights on the island this winter (July). Would it simply be best for a first time visitor to base in Hobart and take day trips?

Oops, sorry, didn't realize I was hijacking a thread...

You could easily spend 6 days in and around Hobart but it would be probably be a good idea to visit Hobart and another area but depends what you like to do? The east coast has beautiful beaches and some great walk, Bicheno is a good base. Strahan on the west coast is completely different and feels very isolated (in a good way). Cradle Mountain is a fantastic place to visit if you like walking and furry animals but July could be pretty cold here. The problem with Tasmania is that it has lots of very different attractions

You could easily spend 6 days in and around Hobart but it would be probably be a good idea to visit Hobart and another area but depends what you like to do? The east coast has beautiful beaches and some great walk, Bicheno is a good base. Strahan on the west coast is completely different and feels very isolated (in a good way). Cradle Mountain is a fantastic place to visit if you like walking and furry animals but July could be pretty cold here. The problem with Tasmania is that it has lots of very different attractions

I'm interested in the historical connection to Ireland and Britain. My girlfriend wants her own wombat, she loves most animals that she thinks are adorable. :) We both prefer cold weather and we're escaping Arizona in the peak of the incessant summer for this trip on purpose.

Nothing disinterests me which has been my issue trying to plan roughly a week there. We've got about two weeks and I'm spending the majority in TAS because it's always interested me and it's not the typical destination.

I'm interested in the historical connection to Ireland and Britain. My girlfriend wants her own wombat, she loves most animals that she thinks are adorable. :) We both prefer cold weather and we're escaping Arizona in the peak of the incessant summer for this trip on purpose.

Nothing disinterests me which has been my issue trying to plan roughly a week there. We've got about two weeks and I'm spending the majority in TAS because it's always interested me and it's not the typical destination.


The novel The English Passengers gives some great background about the founding of Tasmania and the social structure that was formed.

If you want to see wombats in the wild then you are guaranteed a sighting in Cradle Mountain and there is also a Natioanl Park just north of Launceston that has a huge lawn area where wombats stroll in the evening - you can see an example here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/46144772@N00/2332265289/in/set-72157604117706281/

Wombats not garunteed but highly likely at www.rainbowretreat.com.au .
Peter and Ian are registered wildlife carers, who always have a wombat or two just being released who thinks that customers = cuddles.

I didn't know whether to reply to this thread or start a new one. There's another recent Tassie thread as well. I'm opting to reply, forgive the transgression if I'm taking this too far off the topic of the original post.

Looking for comment / suggestion on my rough TAS itinerary:

Day 1:
Arrive at HBA
Sleep in Hobart

Day 2:
Sleep in Hobart

Day 3:
Drive to Strahan
Sleep strahan

Day 4:
Sleep in Strahan

Day 5:
A: Drive to Devonport, sleep Devonport
B: Drive to Launceston, sleep Launceston

Day 6:
A: Depart Devonport on evening ferry
B: Sleep Launceston

Day 7:
If option B = TRUE, depart LST for MEL this morning.

I'm not getting too specific about what will be done each day, I always keep that flexible. May possibly add a third night in Hobart, removing one night from Devonport/Launceston.

The biggest question I have is what would others suggest - visiting Devonport and area or Launceston and area? Hire car works perfectly from either, as Alamo has return desk at the Devonport ferry terminal.

I didn't know whether to reply to this thread or start a new one. There's another recent Tassie thread as well. I'm opting to reply, forgive the transgression if I'm taking this too far off the topic of the original post.

Looking for comment / suggestion on my rough TAS itinerary:

Day 1:
Arrive at HBA
Sleep in Hobart

Day 2:
Sleep in Hobart

Day 3:
Drive to Strahan
Sleep strahan

Day 4:
Sleep in Strahan

Day 5:
A: Drive to Devonport, sleep Devonport
B: Drive to Launceston, sleep Launceston

Day 6:
A: Depart Devonport on evening ferry
B: Sleep Launceston

Day 7:
If option B = TRUE, depart LST for MEL this morning.

I'm not getting too specific about what will be done each day, I always keep that flexible. May possibly add a third night in Hobart, removing one night from Devonport/Launceston.

The biggest question I have is what would others suggest - visiting Devonport and area or Launceston and area? Hire car works perfectly from either, as Alamo has return desk at the Devonport ferry terminal.

You are trying to fit in a lot in quite a short period of time and one thing to bear in mind is that it will take you longer to drive some of these distances than it may appear from a map.

The drive from HobartLto Strahan isn't too bad but the Lake St Clair area gets very cold even in the summer so you would need to be prepared for cold weather. There is a great drive from Strahan up the Western Highway (gravel track and ferry) but you would need a 4X4 to do this.

Personally I wouldn't bother with Devonport but instead stop at Stanley which has a lot of things to do and see including the Nut and some great stops on the way to Launceston such as Fossil Bluff, Boat Harbour Beach. Penguin, Latrobe and Liffey Falls.

Rather than Launceston consider a bit further north - somewhere around Beaconsfield or Beauty Point - more intresting area and you can also visit the Narawntapu National Park and see wombats. There are some great walks and drives in the area and some great examples of early colonial architecture.

I'd personally go home via Lonnie - Devonport is ok, but its DEAD after 7pm. Also you would lose a night going back to MEL on the ferry.

We stayed a the Fountainside. Rate was great, hotel staff friendly, hotel clean, and breakfast was very good and price more than reasonable. Location good too. I do recall other nice hotels we could have selected in Hobart, but the Fountainside's rate was just too good to pass up.

Be sure to visit the Cascade Brewery and take a tour. The tour was excellent, and the beer samples fantastic. Of all the beers I sampled while in Australia, I found that I personally enjoyed Cascade beers the best, but that's just my opinion.