Cradle Mountain Hotel

On the edge of the spectacular Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park, this hotel is an excellent base for experiencing the rugged nature of Tasmania. Each room is comfortably furnished and has its own small balcony so you can instantly step outside to the sounds and scents of the surrounding wilderness. Wildlife sightings here are common – look out for pademelon, a small marsupial that resembles a miniature kangaroo, and the short-beaked echidna, a timid relative of the platypus with hedgehog-like spines. Deluxe Spa Rooms include a large corner spa bath for a long soak after a day of walking. And staying in the wild certainly doesn’t mean you are restricted with food options. Seasonal dishes at the Altitude Restaurant are beyond what you might expect in a national park, and the Hot Rocks Experience presents Tasmanian tasting plates on a hot stone for a flavour of this wild country.

Avid photographers and artists can look for inspiration in the Wilderness Gallery, with free access for hotel guests to the Tasmanian wilderness beautifully captured in different art forms. Tasmania offers some of the most impressive natural phenomenon in Australia and at Cradle Mountain Hotel, you are in the best place to explore it all. All year round, the nearby Dove Lake is hemmed with forests and mountains which provide ample walking trails from a leisurely meander along the lake to epic alpine tracks for the keenest of walkers.