Over the past few years, Hobart—and Tasmania in general—has experienced a surge of interest, with both domestic and international travellers flocking to Australia’s southernmost state. Satiating this influx of travellers is a healthy stream of new hotels, each competing for the coveted position of the best hotel in Hobart. But while the latest and greatest certainly have something to offer, it would be remiss to overlook the iconic heritage hotels that have stood the test of time.
Holding court within an assemblage of historic sandstone buildings that date back to the 19th century, the Henry Jones Art Hotel opened its doors in 2004. The buildings formerly served as the headquarters and factory for IXL Jam, which was founded by George and Margaret Peacock in 1874. However, it was under the leadership of Henry Jones—who started working in the jam factory at the age of 12 and purchased it from George Peacock just under two decades later upon the founder’s retirement—that the business excelled, with Jones expanding the business’ interests to encompass timber, hops, and fruit trade in addition to its own in-house jam. Jones later renamed the business IXL Jams, a nod to his personal motto of ‘I excel at everything I do’.
Following the factory’s closure in the early 1970s, the buildings were largely ignored—save for the parties the students from the adjacent Tasmanian School of Creative Arts had in there—and entered a state of disrepair. At the turn of the century, planning for the Henry Jones Hotel commenced, with the design by Australian architect Robert Morris-Nunn seeking to preserve the history of the building while making it suitable for contemporary use.
Today, the Henry Jones Hotel touts itself as ‘Australia’s first art hotel’. Adorning the sandstone walls of the former jam factory are over 400 pieces of contemporary and traditional art. The hotel’s vast collection evolves monthly, with the majority of its art—save for select pieces in the foyer and the John Glover collection in the hotel’s aptly named Landscape Restaurant & Grill—for sale.
The coalescence of traditional and contemporary is celebrated throughout the hotel, with the hotel’s signature shade of red used to demarcate new elements of the building such as walls and supporting beams that have been replaced. As for the former, the hotel is abundant in both covert nods and overt reminders of the building’s past. On the daily art and history tour (complimentary for hotel guests and complete with a welcome drink on arrival), my guide points out a dark, syrupy splotch on an original wooden beam. No, not the aforementioned red paint gone rogue, but an actual streak of jam remaining almost half a century after the closure of the jam factory.
The lowdown: Henry Jones Art Hotel, Hobart
The hook; why stay at Henry Jones Art Hotel?
Regardless of your artistic inclinations, the Henry Jones Art Hotel’s heritage facade, convenient location, and quirky details—not to mention its moody fine dining restaurant—make it a viable base for a sojourn in the Tasmanian capital.
Tell us more
Situated in a heritage sandstone building—the former site of the IXL Jam factory and headquarters—the Henry Jones Art Hotel takes prime position on Hobart’s Hunter Street Precinct. Overlooking the city’s working harbour docks, the front-facing rooms at Henry Jones Art Hotel offer direct waterfront views.
A hotel that celebrates the rich history of the building in which it resides—on warm days, it’s said that the scents of sugar and berries can be smelt emanating from the sandstone walls—as well as that of Tasmania as a whole, Henry Jones Art Hotel’s robust art collection and artist-in-residence program elevate it from a mere accommodation provider into a destination worth visiting in itself.
The hotel runs daily art and history tours every afternoon, with tour guides—easily distinguished by their old world costumes—adroitly elucidating the history of the building while showcasing the works of art within. Conducted with a glass of champagne in hand, the daily tours are complimentary for hotel guests and $20AUD for external attendees.
How to get to Henry Jones Art Hotel
The Henry Jones Art Hotel is located in the historic Hunter Street Precinct, part of the Hobart city centre, and is less than a 20 minute drive from the Hobart Airport.
Rooms and suites
The Henry Jones Art Hotel is home to 56 rooms and suites, with each of these boasting curated artwork within. As with the rest of the hotel, the rooms and suites are designed around the heritage architecture of the former IXL Jam Factory, with original features such as the sandstone facade and wooden beams embraced as part of the design. No two rooms are the same, each differentiated by the art on display.
During my stay at Henry Jones Art Hotel, I was accommodated within one of the hotel’s ‘Deluxe Spa Harbour View’ rooms. As promised, the room boasts waterfront views over the wharf, making for a beautiful vantage point to watch the sun rise and set. Prior to check-in, the hotel staff search the family names of each guest in a historical database, compiling a letter with the names of potential relatives who made their way to Hobart as convicts (as none of my family were convicts, it was of course wildly inaccurate — nonetheless, it’s fun to see all the fellow Angels who have indulged in petty crime centuries ago). Said list acts as a welcome gift, along with jam (naturally!) and locally made chocolate.
Working within the parameters of the heritage building, rooms are elongated and spacious. Upon entry, there’s a modular glass-and-steel pod that houses the decidedly contemporary bathroom (complete with a Kohler elliptical spa bathtub), while the bed is placed in the middle and a desk and lounge area reside at the far wall.
Heritage buildings are accompanied by a unique set of challenges when it comes to interior design, and Henry Jones Art Hotel has done a solid job of preserving the original features of the space while adding contemporary comforts.
With that in mind, the layout of the room does leave a little to want for. While the ample space of the room prevents that ‘cabin fever’ feeling brought on by hotels less well endowed in the square footage department, the elongated rectilinear shape of the room necessitates thoughtful spatial planning; the placement of the desk and lounge area seem to accentuate the room’s spaciousness in a way that veers into sparseness, while the bathroom pod is a little visually incongruous. The lounge area is devoid of natural light and is oriented towards the television, which seems like a missed opportunity to direct eyes towards the stunning waterfront.
That said, the harbour views acts as a successful cure to any furnishing ails, with simply dragging the desk chair over to the window going a long way towards improving one’s outlook—both literally and figuratively.
An in-room minibar contains a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks for purchase, while Nespresso coffee and T2 teas are complimentary.
Comfort factor
Rooms and suites are generously sized, with ample space to stretch one’s legs. King sized beds are firm but comfortable and bed linens are soft, while the air conditioning system is swift and reliable (a must during Tasmanian winters!). The water jets of the elliptical spa bathtub are the perfect way to massage any tension out of the day.
Bathroom products?
Bathroom products are by Australian brand Appelles. In addition to shampoo, conditioner, and hand and body wash in the shower area, and hand and body wash and body moisturiser by the bathroom sink, bath salts are also thoughtfully provided to ensure a satisfying soak in the spa-style bathtub.
Food and drink
The Henry Jones Art Hotel is home to a restaurants, cocktail bar, cafe, and casual dining lounge.
The Landscape Restaurant & Grill is a formal dining option. Named for its collection of John Glover landscape paintings that depict life in colonial Tasmania, the restaurant serves modern Australian cuisine in a moody setting akin to an art gallery. There’s an emphasis on local produce—the freshly shucked oysters are not to be missed—as well as steaks cooked on the Asado Grill, which is fired up with a selection of sherry, bourbon or port casks from the Tasmanian Cask Company. Hyperlocal touches make for a meal rooted in place; the restaurant’s take on pavlova sees it paired with pepperberry (a plant native to Tasmania) curd and roasted rhubarb sorbet, making for an elevated take on the humble Australian staple.
Cocktails, local whisky, and an extensive wine menu can be found at the IXL Long Bar — for something different, try one of the bar’s ‘blazers’. Invented by Jerry Thomas—author of the first bartending book—in the mid-1800s, a blazer is a whisky cocktail that’s set alight prior to serving, with the blazing process said to trigger chemical reactions in the cocktail, caramelising sugars and aerosolizing aromas while smoothing flavours on the palate. Best consumed during winter, it’s said to have medicinal properties.
Breakfast is served in the lounge each morning and comprises a continental platter to start (think fresh fruit, pastries, and cured meat and cheese) and an item off the à la carte menu.
Spa and facilities
Those wishing to squeeze in a workout will be happy to note that the hotel has an on-site gym, while complimentary self-service laundry facilities as well as a laundering and dry cleaning service ensure sweaty gym clothes are swiftly dealt with.
Business travellers are well taken care of with conference and meeting spaces, a quiet working area in the lounge, and printing facilities.
The service
The front-of-house hotel staff are welcoming and efficient, and happy to dole out a recommendation for local dining and activities.
The managerial staff in the Landscape Restaurant & Grill are well-versed in both the food and wine offerings, with the decidedly unpretentious sommelier at hand with thoughtful beverage pairings. Waitstaff are enthusiastic though a little unpolished; rather than asking if I was ready to order, my waitress would instead come to my table without a word and smile expectantly. Later, as I was midway through my bread and knife deep in the butter dish, she was quick to ask whether I was still going with the butter which makes one feel a little rushed (though to be fair, she may have been looking out for my waistline).
Waitstaff in the lounge at breakfast are similarly friendly if a touch overzealous, with a few minor missteps like clearing plates from the table while they’re still being eaten and trying to jam a second plate right next to my elbow when the entire table in front is vacant.
The hotel’s tour guides are the highlight of the stay. In addition to in-depth knowledge of the art within and history behind the building, they’ve mastered the art of storytelling and are eloquent and engaging.
Sustainability initiatives
Considering it occupies a heritage building, the Henry Jones Art Hotel makes use of several passive design features. Internal funnels and voids utilise natural heat built up in the atrium throughout the day to create a cycle of passive heating and cooling from day to night. While the original corrugated iron roofs are on display, insulated roofing has been implemented to reduce reliance on air conditioning.
In rooms, the hotel emphasises its desire to reduce single-use plastics, encouraging visitors to drink straight from the bathroom taps and promising it’ll be “the best water you’ve ever tasted” (they’re right — the Tasmanian water is indeed beautifully pure and crisp tasting). With that in mind, we’d like to see refillable bathroom products over the mini disposable single-use plastic packaged ones currently in use.
AR Verdict
A fusion of contemporary and traditional art, heritage architecture, modern comforts, and hyperlocal fine dining—not to mention a prime location—make the Henry Jones Art Hotel the ideal basecamp for a Hobart jaunt.
Henry Jones Art Hotel is open for bookings, with rooms priced from $290 to $980AUD/night.
Address: 25 Hunter St, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Words by T. Angel
