Saffire Freycinet, Freycinet National Park

Location

The hotel itself is discreetly positioned between the Hazards Mountains and Great Oyster Bay. A coastal sanctuary, its mountain views, powder-white beaches and turquoise waters are reasons to linger while its hinterland, teeming with wildlife, are reason enough to head outside. Roughly a two-hours’ drive from Hobart, this newly opened luxury hotel has the fortune of being one of the few to sit in Freycinet National Park.

Accommodation

The 20 intimate guest rooms feature locally made timber furniture and Egyptian cotton sheets, plus floor-to-ceiling windows that make the most of the beautiful coastal scenery surrounding the hotel. It was designed by the award-winning Tasmanian architects, Circa Architecture, who drew inspiration from the colours of the peninsula – the pink granite of the Hazards Mountains, the sandy beaches, the sapphire-blue sea and the grey-green of the bush.

Dining

The region has a rich food heritage where produce can be gathered directly from source, including crayfish, mussels, scallops, beef and blue-eye trevalla. Wade into the bay to enjoy a unique dining experience of champagne and oysters as the water gently laps at your galoshes. Back inside, the kitchen uses home grown produce to offer traditional and contemporary styles. Equally, the lodge is just a short drive away from some of Tasmania's finest cold-climate vineyards, many of which have garnered both national and international acclaim.

Facilities

Treatments and grooming can be had on site at the indulgent Spa Saffire – which uses sapphires, diamonds and gold in its facials. Guests can also take part in a wide range of complimentary activities, including visits to a local oyster farm, wine tasting at a vineyard, canoeing and bird watching in the nearby Swanport Estuary, and guided walks in Wineglass Bay. In the national park, hiking, biking, quad bike tours and gourmet picnics are all on offer or learn about the island’s famous cuisine on a cooking course.