Happy to see an Autograph Collection property opending on Jan 1, 2022 in Hobart. I will bw there in May & appreciate comments on its location?

Maybe you could give a few more details? Do you have an address?

Are you referring to The Tasman? (Technically Luxury Collection, not Autograph; the distinction doesn't matter much, though Autograph kind of straddles the 3.5-4.5 star range while Luxury is more 4.5-5 stars, so that suggests this should be quite a nice hotel.) It's been in "opening soon" status for quite a while now -- originally planned to open late 2018: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...ct-2021-a.html

I'm guessing there may have been some construction delays, and then either more construction delays or a decision that it wasn't worth opening while Australia's (internal and/or external) borders were closed.

It's a pretty good, central location in Hobart, though the main parts of Hobart are easily walkable anyway so location doesn't matter that much. But it does look like it will be a nice hotel and will be good to have a points option. I don't know if I'd spend more than a few nights in Hobart proper, but this could be a nice place to stay paired with somewhere more nature-focused if I was making a longer trip of Tasmania.