MY HUSBAND AND I ARE THINKING OF SPENDING TWO WEEKS DRIVING AROUND TASMANIA. I WOULD LOVE TO STAY IN OLD PUBS OR INNS, IS THERE A WEBSITE THAT WOULD GIVE ME MORE INFORMATION? WE WOULD LIKE TO SPEND A FEW DAYS AT FREYCINET AND A ROOM WITH A VIEW WOULD BE GREAT.
L. JONES, NEWCASTLE
The official Discover Tasmania website discovertasmania.com.au looks great but when you try and find accommodation – or anything else to help plan your journey – it shunts you into the hands of local specialists, another name for commercial operators, and suggests you contact them. For an island that derives so much from tourism it's highly unsatisfactory. As a starting point, the website does have self-drive itineraries that might help you work out where to go but the information on these routes is sketchy. What you might do is see which of these touring routes appeal, work out where you're likely to stay overnight and look for accommodation in each stop.
In Freycinet, you have luxurious accommodation at Saffire saffire-freycinet.com.au, set on the edge of Coles Bay with majestic views across the Hazards, which dominate the Freycinet Peninsula. Another much cheaper alternative is Freycinet Lodge freycinetlodge.com.au. This is set at the base of the Hazards and the accommodation is surrounded by bushland so you don't get the same views, but the sunsets from here will blow your socks off. In the meantime, Tasmania Tourism pull your own socks up, your island deserves better.
EUROPE TRAVEL GUIDE: TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN EUROPE
Travel tips for travelling alone: How to travel solo safely
10 FABULOUS PLACES TO VISIT IN EUROPE
10 BEST PLACES IN THE WORLD TO SPEND CHRISTMAS
10 FABULOUS TRAVEL EXPERIENCES THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST ONCE IN YOUR LIFE
Travel information about the Zika virus: What travellers need to know
