Some destinations give you a lovely holiday, then politely wave you goodbye. Tasmania has other ideas. It quietly gets under your skin, serves you something delicious and leaves you looking for an excuse to return.
Across three visits, including journeys in June 2024 and January 2026, I found that the Apple Isle has a rare talent: making a city break feel like an adventure and an island escape feel like the ultimate indulgence. My five-star verdict comes from those visits, not from a hotel classification or an official tourism award.
★★★★★ Crowne Plaza Hobart – City Luxury Without the Fuss
A good hotel should make exploring a city easier, not turn getting back to your room into another expedition. Crowne Plaza Hobart, at 110 Liverpool Street, earns its place in my travel memories for its central position and inviting contemporary comfort.
From here, Hobart’s waterfront, restaurants and galleries are within easy reach. As a solo traveller, I particularly valued the freedom to head out, follow my curiosity and return to a comfortable city base. Luxury need not shout. Sometimes it simply remembers that convenience is a pleasure in its own right.
★★★★★ MONA – Art That Refuses to Behave
The Museum of Old and New Art, or MONA, isn’t for people who like their art neatly labelled and politely explained. It is daring, occasionally baffling and all the more rewarding for it.
The architecture, atmosphere and unconventional collection encourage visitors to look twice and think again. Some works may delight you; others might raise an eyebrow. Either way, indifference is unlikely. For future visitors, the museum operates a ferry service from Hobart’s Brooke Street Pier, making the journey part of the occasion.
★★★★★ Winter Feast – Hobart Turns Up the Heat
Tasmania in June is not the place to pretend you have packed for the tropics. Yet the cooler weather gives Hobart some of its greatest character.
During my winter travels, the Dark Mofo Winter Feast captured that spirit beautifully: glowing fires, lively crowds and tempting food in a city determined to make the most of the dark. The 2024 event took place at Princes Wharf 1 across 13–16 and 20–23 June. It was a wonderful reminder that winter can be a reason to visit, rather than an excuse to stay home.
★★★★★ Wellness – The Luxury of Doing Very Little
Not every memorable holiday moment needs a museum ticket or a restaurant booking. A little spa time offers welcome breathing space between days of discovery.
I love the contrast: one moment, Hobart is busy feeding the senses; the next, a wellness pause gives you permission to switch them off. A holiday should leave you refreshed, not needing another holiday to recover.
★★★★★ Hobart Dining – Good Taste Comes Naturally
Hobart takes its food seriously without making the occasion feel solemn. Beautifully presented dishes, seafood and imaginative desserts added another dimension to my visits.
Frank Restaurant on Franklin Wharf stood out among my dining memories. Its waterfront setting fits a city where a good meal is never far from a good view. The pleasure here isn’t just what arrives on the plate, but the unmistakable sense that local produce deserves celebration.
Tasmania’s truffle-topped pasta serves luxury by the forkful
★★★★★ Bruny Island – Scenery with a Gourmet Side
If Hobart wins you over with culture, Bruny Island makes a persuasive case for slowing down. Reached by ferry from Kettering, a 15- to 20-minute crossing, the island rewards visitors with a striking coastline, quiet beaches, and an appetite for local produce.
Adventure Bay brings the coastal beauty. At Great Bay, Get Shucked offers the oyster experience that gives seafood lovers every reason to linger. Then there are the island’s breads, honey, artisan cheeses and wines. It is the sort of food trail where the phrase ‘just one more stop’ can become an entire afternoon.
The Secret Squirrels Verdict
★★★★★ FIVE STARS — HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Three visits have done nothing to cure my affection for Tasmania. Quite the reverse. Hobart’s art, hospitality, winter festivities and dining combine beautifully with Bruny Island’s relaxed coastal charm.
Whether you are travelling solo, hunting down memorable food or treating yourself to a well-earned escape, Tasmania offers something increasingly rare: a destination that makes returning feel every bit as exciting as arriving. I would happily go back. Again.
By: Vera Lee – © 2026.
Read Time: 4 minutes.
Author Bio:
Vera has spent her life making travel happen for other people. Now she gets to write about the best bits, especially when lunch is involved.
She started in aviation at Lauda, working in reception and as personal assistant to Richard Froggart, before spending five years in reservations with Austrian Airlines. LTM Travel and TravelEdge followed, including online consultancy in 2007-08, a London chapter in 2008–09 and a return as TravelEdge’s Online Manager.
From 2009 to 2014, Vera managed travel-and-expense implementations and projects at BCD Travel. Motherhood brought two boys, a new timetable and considerably less predictable departures.
She later owned Royal Aquatics and oversaw the business for more than eight years.
Today, semi-retired but hardly idle, Vera writes about luxury travel and food, combining industry knowledge, an appetite for discovery and a belief that good service is never an accident.
