Peppers Seaport Hotel, Launceston

Location

Launceston, Tasmania’s second city, presents a charming combination of colonial architecture and greenery. The city’s parks are a delight while heading past its borders will reward you with rolling hills that host a thriving wine industry. It’s unsurprising, then, that the city is becoming something of a foodie destination with restaurants fuelled by an influx of fresh, local produce from the surrounding farmland. The hotel itself is right on the city’s marina with views over the Tamar River.

Accommodation

To fit with the hotel’s dry-dock location, its contemporary building draws its shape and inspiration from seagoing ships. You’ll have to choose between river view rooms or city views that look back over Launceston to northern Tasmania’s mountain ranges. All contemporary rooms feature en suite bathrooms and comfortable furnishings and come with complimentary WiFi access. For longer stays, the larger suites feature fully equipped kitchens, laundry facilities and a separate lounge and dining area. Their real draw, however, are balconies that make the most of the hotel’s sweeping vistas.

Dining

Begin the day in the Cube Café where you can enjoy a cooked breakfast and coffee as the wharf starts to wake up. For lunch and dinner, the ground floor Mud Bar and Restaurant serves an eclectic mix of international cuisine. Carefully matched with some superb Tasmanian wines, meals can be served overlooking the marina and North Esk River for year-round Tamar Valley views. Take a stroll down the same wharf and you’ll reach award-winning cafés, restaurants and bistros, many specialising in Tasmanian seafood.

Facilities

Sip on a glass of local wine and watch the comings and goings of the seaport dock or simply take in the view from your room. Friendly staff can also advise you as to the sights and pleasures of the surrounding countryside including the bushland and towering cliffs of Cataract Gorge, just a ten-minute walk from the city centre. Guests also have access, for a fee, to the facilities at Health & Fitness World, a three minute’s walk away.