Moss Hotel
Courtesy of convicts
Sociable Salamanca Place
Inspired by nature, Moss Hotel puts a fresh new spin on Hobart hospitality, sprawling across a duo of handsome heritage warehouses built by 19th-century convicts. To preserve the buildings’ historic and architectural dignity, the hotel worked with a top-notch firm, cherishing the hefty original timber, characterful ceiling beams and stately sandstone walls. Modern va-va-voom comes courtesy of moss-green Italian tiling, a lush living wall, handmade furniture, bespoke textiles riffing on Tassie landscapes, and hand-cut stone, sourced from all across the globe. Independent types will love it, since there’s no restaurant, bar or formal service; instead, Hobart beckons…
Facilities
Rooms
41, split across two separate buildings.
Checkout
12pm for Smith guests (usually 10am). Earliest check-in, 2pm. Both are flexible, subject to availability.
More Details
Rates don’t include breakfast.
Also
History fans will love the hotel’s two heritage warehouses, which date back to 1835 and 1841. The owners enlisted acclaimed Circa Morris Nun architects, famed for their work in preserving historic buildings, to help with the conversion.
Free Internet Access
At the Hotel
Living wall, snug lounge and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV, iPod dock, Huon Valley applesv, minibar with local snacks, air-conditioning, tea and coffee kit, Grown Alchemist bath products and a pillow menu.
Our Favourite Rooms
For sleeping in kingly splendour, opt for one of the light-filled Grove Rooms, which have a king-size bed, artful exposed brick, eye-pleasing sandstone and characterful ceiling beams. If you want to throw a balcony into the mix, opt for a Grove Balcony; some of these rooms have an inviting bath tub, too.
Packing Tips
Bring a windproof jacket for those island breezes, plus your appetite: Hobart’s dining scene is rightly lauded.
Also
Reception is manned until 7am to 9pm daily. Rooms are split across two different buildings, separated by a city block. The Moss 39 building has rooms adapted for wheelchair users.
Children
Little Smiths are welcome. The hotel can provide cots, baby bedlinen, black-out blinds and a selection of DVDs.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Dress Code
Anything goes here, but bonus points for nature-inspired colours and accents to match Moss.
Hotel Restaurant
The hotel doesn’t have a restaurant – but fear not, Hobart has plenty.
Planes
Hobart International Airport is 25 minutes away by car. Its name is somewhat misleading, since no international flights come here, but you can catch a flight from Australia, since most major Australian mainland cities have regular flights to Tasmania. Try Qantas, Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand. Hotel transfers from the airport are $75; a taxi from the airport to the hotel should cost around $40.
Automobiles
Hotel parking costs $20 a night – but Moss advises its guests to come without wheels. The hotel is right in the heart of Salamanca, Hobart’s cultural centre, with plenty of restaurants, bars, entertainment, galleries and the waterfront within walking distance.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
If you’ve opted for a balcony-toting room, sit out and watch the world go by on sociable Salamanca Square; if you’ve opted for a tub-toting room, run a bath and treat yourself to the Treatment Set by Addition Studio in your minibar. The Australian native clay mask, body scrub and bath soak make for blissful soaping and sudsing. Back on dry land, wander around the hotel admiring the specially commissioned photography by Derek Henderson, who spent a week in Tasmania capturing uniquely Tassie things that most visitors don’t get to see.
Don’t miss lively Salamanca Market, which takes over the picturesque waterfront on Saturdays. This award-winning shindig runs from 8.30am until 3pm, starring more than 300 stalls selling arts, crafts, jewellery, fresh food and produce, collectables and homewares. Visit the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Australia’s second-oldest museum, established in 1846 by the Royal Society of Tasmania. Thanks to a recent 30-million-dollar revamp, the museum has added sparkle, including more than 2,000 square metres of new public and exhibition spaces, a visitor hub and a new Courtyard Café. It’s practically illegal to come to Hobart and not visit MONA, the island’s dazzling and provocative Museum of New and Old Art, which houses David Walsh’s $110m private collection of art and antiquities, and hosts a busy exhibitions programme. MONA’s lures include the Moorilla winery, Source Restaurant, bars, a café, Smith-approved accommodation pavilions and more (including Moo Brew, an off-site brewery). Whisky-lovers can raise a glass at Sullivans Cove Distillery, which proudly handmakes its high-end single malt using traditional methods and 100-per-cent-Tassie ingredients. In warm weather, go for a refreshing dip at sandy Long Beach; on cooler days, stick to strolling (but take your camera).
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
