So far as Tasmania and secrets and techniques go, it will take a neighborhood (me) to confess that we now have many. There are at all times a handful of eating places, bars and lodging experiences in every city we locals wish to hold below wraps. However that being mentioned, the favored spots are at all times fashionable 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 selection. Why, you might surprise? Nicely, Tasmania’s economic system is closely reliant on tourism. So once we host a customer, we be certain to do it effectively. And if you happen to’re on the lookout for the most effective of the most effective in Tasmania, Kittawa Lodge on King Island is about nearly as good because it will get. Oh, and did I point out it’s nonetheless a reasonably quietly saved secret?
Kittawa Lodge, an Oasis in Tasmania
I’ll forgive you if you happen to’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 achieve 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 simple it’s to chill out. 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 visitors to date 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 recent, 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 if you arrive.
If you’d like a number of pit stops to 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 ideal spot at sundown.
Cape Wickham Lighthouse – Australia’s tallest lighthouse and an exquisite spot up North.
Disappointment Bay – Something however disappointing! An exquisite seashore 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 type of locations you don’t wish to go away upon getting arrived!
There are presently simply two lodges on provide, with plans to broaden 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 may excuse your self from the day by 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 hearth for these cool evenings with the ocean breeze. There’s additionally central heating all through the room so you may relaxation assured you’ll by no means go chilly – and if you happen to do, simply throw a go online the hearth and relax to observe the (nature) present outdoors.
There are an abundance of wallabies on the property who make for nice 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 lavatory 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
Should you do only one factor throughout your keep at Kittawa Lodge, make it the non-public in-room eating expertise. That is an non-obligatory 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 way of life change. And if 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 non-public 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 actually a spotlight of your keep. And when the non-public 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 – actually the proper meal!
Oh and the way about that bathtub!
You’ll be able to’t go to Kittawa Lodge with out taking a day by 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 take advantage of this! The trick is to time your tub instances at numerous components 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 ebook a keep whereas they’ll! The lodge is turning into more and more fashionable, particularly as Australian borders stay closed and extra of us are looking for out escapes inside 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 presently priced $880 per room, per night time.
Meals packages and personal eating experiences are non-obligatory extras.
