So far as Tasmania and secrets and techniques go, it might take a neighborhood (me) to confess that we’ve got many. There are at all times a handful of eating places, bars and lodging experiences in every city we locals prefer to maintain underneath wraps. However that being stated, the favored spots are at all times widespread for a motive. The reality is, we simply have so many nice companies within the hospitality and tourism sector that you may be spoilt for alternative. Why, you could marvel? Properly, Tasmania’s economic system is closely reliant on tourism. So after we host a customer, we be certain that to do it effectively. And when you’re searching for one of the best of one of the best in Tasmania, Kittawa Lodge on King Island is about pretty much as good because it will get. Oh, and did I point out it’s nonetheless a fairly quietly stored secret?
Kittawa Lodge, an Oasis in Tasmania
I’ll forgive you when you’ve by no means heard of Kittawa Lodge. Tasmania’s latest luxurious lodge has solely opened to the general public not too long ago and it’s tucked away on the serene King Island, a small island situated off the North West coast. It’s only a brief 30 minute flight to succeed in King Island from Wynyard, or you can too board a flight from every of Tasmania’s essential cities, Hobart or Launceston.
When you arrive on the island you’ll quickly see how straightforward it’s to loosen up. The locals are pleasant and principally maintain to themselves, so it feels pretty straightforward to mix in (even when everybody is aware of you’re an out-of-towner!) However the tempo right here is typical of island life – stress free and straightforward going. It ought to come at no shock, then, that almost all of Kittawa’s company thus far hail from busy Sydney or Melbourne, keen to flee the rat race.
Discovering the magic of King Island
There aren’t any main sights on King Island however simply being right here is motive sufficient. The air is recent, the ocean breeze is balmy and the tempo of dwelling is very easy to adapt to. That being stated, there are many stunning seashores to go to and a handful of locations to cease in your journey. However the fantastic thing about King Island is much less about doing and extra about being. You’ll see what I imply while you arrive.
In order for you just a few pit stops on your arrival, these are some highlights we discovered from our keep:
King Island Dairy – Free cheese tastings and an amazing cease to replenish on native produce (by which I imply extra cheese)
Seal Rocks – Dramatic cliffs and tough seas. An incredible spot at sundown.
Cape Wickham Lighthouse – Australia’s tallest lighthouse and a wonderful spot up North.
Disappointment Bay – Something however disappointing! An attractive seaside for dawn.
The Rooms at Kittawa Lodge
After a day to sight see across the island, we checked in to Kittawa lodge round 2:00pm. This was an amazing excuse to see extra of King Island as quickly as we arrived, as a result of we quickly realised that Kittawa Lodge is a type of locations you don’t wish to go away after you have arrived!
There are presently simply two lodges on supply, with plans to increase sooner or later. Every lodge is outfitted with all of the wizz bang home equipment like a Nespresso machine and dishwasher, however there isn’t any tv in sight (reduction!) As a substitute you possibly can excuse your self from the every day routine and tune out to tune in.
Every lodge is outfitted with a full kitchen, massive eating desk, ample seating within the lounge space and a wooden fireplace for these cool evenings with the ocean breeze. There’s additionally central heating all through the room so you possibly can relaxation assured you’ll by no means go chilly – and when you do, simply throw a go online the hearth and chill to look at the (nature) present exterior.
There are an abundance of wallabies on the property who make for nice leisure. You’ll typically see them exterior the room munching on grass, coming proper as much as the window in an inquisitive style. A spotlight of our keep was seeing them go to our rest room window whereas within the tub and if the size of keep was something to go by, I believe they beloved it simply as a lot as we did!
Personal In-Room Eating Expertise
In case you do only one factor throughout your keep at Kittawa Lodge, make it the personal in-room eating expertise. That is an optionally available additional so as to add to your keep and dare I say probably the most memorable a part of our go to. The house owners of Kittawa Lodge, Nick and Aaron, have been made for hospitality. And regardless of having very totally different roles on the lodge, each of them felt important to the expertise.
All through your days at Kittawa Lodge you’ll inevitably meet each of the house owners, who’re integral to the success of the lodge. Having had a imaginative and prescient when visiting some years in the past, the pair packed up their lives and careers in Sydney to make a way of life change. And while you style a few of Nick’s candy creations (the sticky date is a stand out!), you’ll begin to marvel if he may need a future profession in baking.
However when it got here to the personal eating expertise, that is when Aaron really took centre stage! With Italian heritage that’s most demonstrated in his masterful lunch and dinner creations, Aaron’s love for meals is actually a spotlight of your keep. And when the personal eating expertise promised foraging for herbs alongside the seaside, I knew it was a night we couldn’t cross up.
The 4 course meal included a scrumptious blue cheese beetroot starter, adopted by Aaron’s well-known gnocchi as a beneficiant entree. Then got here the principle course – meat for my boyfriend and a vegetarian creation for myself, with Aaron at all times being too blissful to accommodate dietary necessities. This was all completed off with a chocolate orange torte – really the right meal!
Oh and the way about that bath!
You’ll be able to’t go to Kittawa Lodge with out taking a every day dip in your stone tub tub. Not solely are the views spectacular, however they’re additionally typically frequented by the native wallaby inhabitants. And in case you are something like me (an avid wildlife lover), you’ll take advantage of this! The trick is to time your tub occasions at varied elements of the day for the complete expertise. An typically marshmallow pastel sky is a delight within the morning time, however a setting solar over the ocean is unforgettable.
Ebook your keep
I totally loved my time at Kittawa Lodge on King Island. A lot in order that I’m telling everybody I do know to guide a keep whereas they’ll! The lodge is turning into more and more widespread, particularly as Australian borders stay closed and extra of us are searching for out escapes throughout the nation. And definitely in case you are searching for an unique escape with out leaving Australia, this is able to be it.
Rooms are presently priced $880 per room, per evening.
Meals packages and personal eating experiences are optionally available extras.
