Tassie unique stays
The best breaks aren’t necessarily the longest ones. What really makes a holiday unforgettable is the sense of escaping the everyday in a place that has a charm all of its own. These one-of-a-kind stays, perfect for couples, are guaranteed to linger longer in your memories.
Dive deep into nature
The temptation is there. When you are ensconced in your domed tent at Gleneagle Tasmania, west of Devonport, looking out across the tranquil lake to the Dial Ranges and listening to the birds call, there seems no reason to step outside. The owners of Gleneagle want you to resist the urge to nest, however. They would rather you enjoy the area’s wildlife, which includes Tassie devils, quolls and platypus. That is why they have left backpacks, binoculars and spotlights – even fishing gear – in each dome.
Alternatively, head further afield for a hike through Leven Canyon, before an end-of-the-day soak in your outdoor tub.
Get back to basics
The smell of salt air filtered through gum leaves. The gentle sway of a hammock strung between tree trunks, and the early-morning stillness of a deserted beach. No wonder guests at The Stand Alone, a bush retreat at Lufra Cove on Eaglehawk Neck, quickly feel the tension falling away. Finding the beauty in simplicity, the compact Stand Alone has everything you need and nothing you don’t.
Fill one of the handmade mugs with freshly brewed coffee, light the wood-burning stove if a chill is creeping into the air, and let your thoughts drift like the passing clouds.
Lean into a vintage vibe
Leave your alarm clock at home. When you are tucked into your comfy bed in Bushy Summers on Lettes Bay near Strahan, the call of wild ducks drifting across the lake is a wonderfully gentle way to wake up. That is just one of the old-fashioned seductions in store at this simple shack. Lovingly restored by artists Claire Lloyd and Matthew Usmar Lauder, Bushy Summers is full of vintage details, from the wooden shutters to the clawfoot tub, as well as the occasional boho touch such as the oyster-shell chandelier above the bed. There is no television but the view across the bay, with its ever-changing sky, more than makes up for that.
Credit: Rachel Fields
Credit: Claire Lloyd
Chill out in splendid isolation
At The Keep, it’s all about the views. Perched like a sentinel on a rocky outcrop 650m above the Blue Tier Forest Reserve in Goulds Country, The Keep offers 360-degree views across coast, forest and blue-stained hills. On a fine day, the on-property trails are a great way to stretch your legs; when the weather sweeps in, curl up in front of the fire and watch the show. But there’s more.
The alfresco granite bathtub, tucked in among sheltering boulders is the perfect place to retire after dinner and watch shooting stars blaze their way across the heavens.
Credit: Aaron Jones
Credit: Near Far Productions
Wake up in a designer dream
Let’s be clear. Sea Stacks, three architect-designed “shacks” that overlook the Denison Rivulet, would be spectacular no matter where you put them. Set on this marshy estuary, however, the boldness of the clean design and textured interiors – all wood, metal and stone – are thrown into even sharper relief. The large windows seem to draw the outside in and although they share a design DNA, the shacks – each one named after a different mineral – are distinguished by their signature features. We love the brass kitchen and bathroom in Mica, the stone-clad bathroom in Quartz and the magnificent copper tub in Feldspar.
Credit: Adam Gibson
Credit: Adam Gibson
Relax into luxury
Looking for a surefire recipe for relaxation? Kittawa Lodge on King Island has just what you need. Take one part ocean views stretching to the horizon. Add a pinch of wildlife in the shape of curious wallabies peering in at the window. Mix together with chic bush-toned interiors, a tub with a view and a full kitchen stocked with local produce (did we mention you can also book a private chef to whip up dinner?) Outside your villa King Island’s many delights await – from beaches and melaleuca forests to golf courses and penguin colonies – but when your lodgings are this inviting, why would you want to leave?
Credit: Adam Gibson