I spent the weekend in Hobart with my boyfriend, which was the first time either of us had ever travelled to Australia’s southernmost state, Tasmania. I was so blown away by how beautiful this part of Australia is, I am already dreaming and scheming of ways to return. I’ll be posting more details of our trip this week, but I wanted to start by sharing our experience at our accommodation, Hadley’s Orient Hotel, because it was a really special part of our trip.

I acknowledge the Palawa people as the First Nations owners of the lands now recognised as Tasmania. I pay respect to their Elders, lores, customs and creation spirits. I recognise that these lands have always been places of great natural beauty, culture and community. 

We flew in Saturday morning and flew out Sunday evening, so we decided to stay somewhere extra nice on the one night we were in town. We’re really glad we treated ourselves to a nice hotel rather than going for the cheapest lodging we could find. Budgeting is a huge part of travelling, but I definitely think it’s worth spending your hard-earned cash on experiences rather than things, and supporting local businesses who put their heart & soul into their work.

Hadley’s Orient Hotel

Built in 1834, Hadley’s Orient Hotel is one of the oldest hotels in Australia. The hotel hosted Australia’s first royal visitor, Prince Alfred, in 1866 and has since been the hotel of choice for a long line of celebrities, including Dame Nellie Melba.

Last year, the hotel re-opened after a $2 million restoration, which involved heritage architects & designers to restore the hotel to it’s former glory and grandeur.

Walking into the foyer feels like stepping back in time, especially with cute touches like the hat stand covered in gorgeous 18th century hats! Just like the 19th century, but with free WiFi.

The Suite

On arrival, we found out we had been upgraded to the Heritage Suite! I was already excited about the beautiful standard rooms, so I was just about jumping out of my skin when I saw our suite.

Recently restored, it has the heritage charm and glamour of yesteryear, but feels totally fresh. We entered through two sets of double doors, into a spacious living room. High ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows flooded it with soft light.

We had two large windows with street views across to St David’s Church, but the room was perfectly soundproof – and the heavier block out curtains meant we could sleep in (until the very last minute, before leaping out of bed and making the dash to the MONA ferry!)

Despite having a leather chesterfield sofa, an antique TV unit, a coffee & tea making station, four chairs, a side table, a small dining table & a desk, the living room was still very spacious!

Through a set of French doors was the spacious bedroom – and the most comfortable hotel bed I’ve ever slept in. We had two naps on Saturday, it was too good!

Finally, the bathroom had it’s own surprise – a giant spa bath! I’ve never seen one so big, it was almost the size of our spa ( AKA hot tub) in the back yard at home! It was so incredibly relaxing, I wish we’d stayed another night purely so I could have another spa bath.

The amenities are also worth a mention – Beautiful Appelles shampoo, conditioner, hand & body wash and a B5 moisturising cream. Exactly what I needed in chilly Hobart!

The Location

Hobart has a compact city centre, so the hotel’s location on Murray Street meant everything we wanted to see & do was a short stroll away. It’s just a couple of blocks from Salamanca Square (home to the famous Salamanca Markets) and the Hobart Waterfront, where you’ll find local providores, cafes, restaurants and the MONA ferry.

It’s also a ten minute walk from the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery. We couldn’t have been more central if we tried!

The Experience

The service at Hadley’s was friendly & attentive and our stay was comfortable and luxurious. On Saturday afternoon we had High Tea in the beautiful atrium (more on this soon!), which really added a special touch to our stay.

We didn’t have time to eat at the Orient Bar, but from what I spied as I walked past in the evenings, it looked delicious. It’s also worth noting that the mini bar & room service menu were really reasonably priced! If we’d woken up in time, we were planning on getting room service for breakfast on Sunday because the menu looked tasty and wouldn’t break the bank.

Verdict

As you can see from the  snapchat below, I was pretty thrilled with our suite at Hadley’s. Having such a lovely, comfortable room to stay in made our trip extra special, and was especially appreciated as we were both exhausted when we landed in Hobart – we left Hobart on Sunday evening reaping the benefits of a relaxing weekend.

I’d highly recommend Hadley’s for a luxurious, relaxing weekend break. It’s in the centre of town, has a restaurant & room service, and has free WiFi, so it’s also perfect for business travellers too.

Have you visited Hobart? Is it on your list?

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