So far as Tasmania and secrets and techniques go, it will take a neighborhood (me) to confess that we’ve got many. There are all the time a handful of eating places, bars and lodging experiences in every city we locals prefer to hold below wraps. However that being mentioned, the favored spots are all the time widespread for a motive. The reality is, we simply have so many nice companies within the hospitality and tourism sector that you can be spoilt for alternative. Why, you might surprise? Nicely, Tasmania’s economic system is closely reliant on tourism. So after we host a customer, we be sure that to do it nicely. And should you’re on the lookout 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 reasonably quietly stored secret?
Kittawa Lodge, an Oasis in Tasmania
I’ll forgive you should 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 quick 30 minute flight to succeed in King Island from Wynyard, or you may as well board a flight from every of Tasmania’s primary cities, Hobart or Launceston.
When you arrive on the island you’ll quickly see how simple it’s to loosen up. The locals are pleasant and principally hold to themselves, so it feels pretty simple 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 simple going. It ought to come at no shock, then, that almost all of Kittawa’s friends to this point hail from busy Sydney or Melbourne, keen to flee the rat race.
Discovering the magic of King Island
There aren’t any main points of interest on King Island however simply being right here is motive sufficient. The air is contemporary, the ocean breeze is balmy and the tempo of dwelling is very easy to adapt to. That being mentioned, there are many lovely seashores to go to and a handful of locations to cease in your journey. However the great thing about King Island is much less about doing and extra about being. You’ll see what I imply once you arrive.
If you’d like 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 excellent cease to replenish on native produce (by which I imply extra cheese)
Seal Rocks – Dramatic cliffs and tough seas. An awesome spot at sundown.
Cape Wickham Lighthouse – Australia’s tallest lighthouse and an exquisite spot up North.
Disappointment Bay – Something however disappointing! A stupendous 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 excellent excuse to see extra of King Island as quickly as we arrived, as a result of we quickly realised that Kittawa Lodge is a kind of locations you don’t need to depart upon getting arrived!
There are at present simply two lodges on provide, with plans to develop sooner or later. Every lodge is outfitted with all of the wizz bang home equipment like a Nespresso machine and dishwasher, however there is no such thing as a tv in sight (aid!) As a substitute you may excuse your self from the every day routine and tune out to tune in.
Every lodge is outfitted with a full kitchen, giant eating desk, ample seating within the lounge space and a wooden fireplace for these cool evenings with the ocean breeze. There may be additionally central heating all through the room so you may relaxation assured you’ll by no means go chilly – and should you do, simply throw a go surfing the hearth and sit back to look at the (nature) present outdoors.
There are an abundance of wallabies on the property who make for excellent leisure. You’ll usually see them outdoors the room munching on grass, coming proper as much as the window in an inquisitive vogue. A spotlight of our keep was seeing them go to our toilet window whereas within the tub and if the size of keep was something to go by, I believe they liked it simply as a lot as we did!
Non-public 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 further so as to add to your keep and dare I say essentially 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 life-style change. And once you style a few of Nick’s candy creations (the sticky date is a stand out!), you’ll begin to surprise if he might need a future profession in baking.
However when it got here to the personal eating expertise, that is when Aaron actually took centre stage! With Italian heritage that’s most demonstrated in his masterful lunch and dinner creations, Aaron’s love for meals is really 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 primary course – meat for my boyfriend and a vegetarian creation for myself, with Aaron all the time being too glad to accommodate dietary necessities. This was all completed off with a chocolate orange torte – actually 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 usually frequented by the native wallaby inhabitants. And in case you are something like me (an avid wildlife lover), you’ll profit from this! The trick is to time your tub instances at numerous elements of the day for the total expertise. An usually marshmallow pastel sky is a delight within the morning time, however a setting solar over the ocean is unforgettable.
Ebook your keep
I completely loved my time at Kittawa Lodge on King Island. A lot in order that I’m telling everybody I do know to e book a keep whereas they’ll! The lodge is changing into more and more widespread, particularly as Australian borders stay closed and extra of us are looking for out escapes throughout the nation. And positively in case you are on the lookout for an unique escape with out leaving Australia, this could be it.
Rooms are at present priced $880 per room, per night time.
Meals packages and personal eating experiences are optionally available extras.
