If these walls could talk ... and in many ways, they do.
THE BACKSTORY
Where patients were once treated in St Mary's Hospital for the poor, built in 1847, and State Government bureaucrats toiled for more than a century - in the Lands and Survey department and the Printers Office, among others - The Tasman hotel opened in 2021, part of a $150 million redevelopment of Hobart's historic Parliament Square.
THE SETTING
For a stay in the Tassie capital, this location is gold: on the doorstep is the Hobart waterfront and its many attractions, including Salamanca Place. The ferry terminal for Mona museum is a short walk away, and turn left outside of the hotel's entrance and you'll soon be in the CBD.
THE STYLE
This eclectic hotel may be part of an international chain (Marriott's Luxury Collection) but it is singularly of its place, set across three buildings that span 180 years and three eras - Georgian, art deco and contemporary, all of them reflected, depending on where you are in the hotel, in the meticulous architecture and design. Many heritage features have been incorporated - from the original Hydro Electric Commission wood-panelled boardroom to a coal chute from the old hospital; even wall scribblings by long-ago bureaucrats.
THE ROOMS
There are 152 and mine is a Heritage Suite in the Georgian section. The ceilings soar, and it has an entry hallway, a separate lounge area and a large, marble and brick bathroom where you can pamper yourself in the freestanding tub with locally made Beauty and the Bees products. The generous space merges history and character (I love the unexplained doors and little hatches that go nowhere, and the exposed brick and convict-hewn sandstone walls) with gorgeous interior design that is all textures, natural colours and comfort. It's as though the room springs to life in welcome each time you return to it - the blinds automatically open and the gas fire flickers on.
THE FOOD
When I order room service for a late lunch, it's the old-fashioned way, via landline with a person at the other end. It arrives less than 15 minutes later - a lobster roll with soft potato bread and mayo. It's divine, and not big enough to spoil my appetite for dinner at the hotel's excellent Peppina Italian restaurant. Here, the ambience is warm and buzzy and the service attentive (there's even a sommelier at hand) as I dine on capesante gratinate - baked scallops, served in the shell with almond and chilli - and gnocchi with stracciatella and pangrattato. Breakfast is also served here - a buffet covering all bases, from cold cuts and local cheeses to fresh fruit and sausages. I order scrambled eggs at the table, from a menu that also tempts with breakfast cocktails. Make mine a Peppina Bellini, grazie.
THE ACTION
Take a high tea in the Deco Lounge (bookings essential), join a weekly tour of the hotel or, if your timing's off, immerse yourself anytime in The Tasman's remarkable heritage by just wandering through it. Keep an eye out for displays of artefacts found during work on the site, including a 1903 "Persons Entitled to Vote" poster, recalling in startling terms a key moment in Australian history.
UNFORGETTABLE
The Mary Mary cocktail bar channels gentlemen's club vibes in its wood and leather finishes, and the place heaves on a Friday night. From its masterful menu I select the Orchard, a mix of vodka, salt and nutmeg, and "heritage" apples - a salute to the state's apple-growing history.
SNAPSHOT
Where: The Tasman, A Luxury Collection Hotel, 12 Murray Street, Hobart.
How much: From about $305 a night.
Explore more: marriott.com
The writer was a guest of The Tasman.
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