The best short break stays in Tasmania

Heritage delights and gems in wild places make these Tassie retreats the ideal base for the weekend.

Scamander Sanctuary Holiday Park, Scamander

This delightfully situated holiday park, located next to a peaceful nature reserve in the seaside town of Scamander, has glamping to suit all comers, from cosy, couple-friendly bell tents to two- and three-bedroom safari tents with all the requisite mod cons.

Scamander Sanctuary Holiday Park, Scamander.

Head north to explore the likes of Bay of Fires, Binalong Bay and Peron Dunes (all less than 30 minutes away) or south to the penguins at Bicheno. You can also stay put and make the most of the hamlet’s long, uncrowded beaches.

Inside the luxurious glamping tents at Scamander Sanctuary Holiday Park.

Thousand Lakes Lodge, Liawenee

This former Antarctic training facility in Tasmania’s Central Highlands is now a stylish wilderness lodge surrounded by World Heritage-listed nature. Perched at the edge of Lake Augusta, Thousand Lakes Lodge (owned by racing legend Marcos Ambrose) has been designed and redeveloped to sit lightly on the landscape, with each of its nine rooms providing unpretentious comfort at the end of a day of walking, fishing or e-biking.

Thousand Lakes Lodge, Liawenee. (Image: Alice Hansen)

The Red Feather Inn, Hadspen

One of the joys of a weekend escape in Tassie is the wealth of truly charming accommodation options on offer. Case in point, the Red Feather Inn. Located in Hadspen, just eight kilometres from Launceston, a stay in one of this B&B’s impossibly cute suites and sandstone cottages is like being transported to Somerset or the South of France, with bucolic surrounds and lots of Georgian and French-provincial-style elements. There’s a cooking school and restaurant for in-house guests, so you need never leave.

The Red Feather Inn, Hadspen. (Image: Tourism Tasmania/ Rob Burnett)

Piermont Retreat, Swansea

Sitting on the east coast looking out to Great Oyster Bay, Piermont Retreat is a haven of style and substance, with 15 sustainably built stone and wood cottages scattered throughout the existing she-oaks and gum trees, all anchored by the 180-year-old homestead that houses the property’s casually elegant restaurant. Inside, the one-, two- and three-bedroom cottages come with log fires, spa baths and full kitchens, while outside there are two private beaches, a pool, tennis courts and a great swathe of pristine Tasmanian nature to experience including the nearby Freycinet National Park.

Piermont Retreat, Swansea.

Freycinet Lodge Coastal Pavilions, Coles Bay

Surrounded by the rugged coastal landscape of Freycinet National Park and towered over by the hulking expanse of The Hazards, Freycinet Lodge’s mix of cabins and rooms cater to all at a range of price points. The crowning glory here, however, are the Coastal Pavilions, a collection of sleek wood, metal and glass pods that offer stunning views out to the waters of Great Oyster Bay, indulgent appointments and complete seclusion.

Freycinet Lodge Coastal Pavilions, Coles Bay. (Image: RACT Destinations)

Moss Hotel, Hobart

Right on the waterfront at Salamanca Place, this boutique hotel’s sleek, modern interiors have been retro-fitted into a collection of original sandstone buildings. The moss-inspired colour scheme runs throughout, with bathrooms decked out in glossy green tiles a standout, layered with everything from cushions to bespoke furniture and artworks by local Tasmanian artists and designers. The shiny red apples on the bedside tables are a cute touch.

Moss Hotel, Hobart. (Supplied)