Where to stay · Hobart · Australia
Where to stay in Hobart
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Cliffano Subagio, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Waterfront and CBD. Fishing docks, ferry piers and the compact grid of the city centre. Best alternatives — budget: North Hobart; nightlife: North Hobart.
Key facts
- First visit
- Waterfront and CBD
- Families
- Waterfront and CBD
- Budget
- North Hobart
- Nightlife
- North Hobart
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Waterfront and CBD | Fishing docks, ferry piers and the compact grid of the city centre |
| Families | Waterfront and CBD | Fishing docks, ferry piers and the compact grid of the city centre |
| Couples | Salamanca and Battery Point | Sandstone warehouses below a hill of 19th-century cottages |
| Budget | North Hobart | A strip of restaurants, pubs and an art-house cinema on Elizabeth Street |
| Luxury | Salamanca and Battery Point | Sandstone warehouses below a hill of 19th-century cottages |
| Nightlife | North Hobart | A strip of restaurants, pubs and an art-house cinema on Elizabeth Street |
| Food lovers | Waterfront and CBD | Fishing docks, ferry piers and the compact grid of the city centre |
| Solo travellers | North Hobart | A strip of restaurants, pubs and an art-house cinema on Elizabeth Street |
| Quiet stays | Sandy Bay | Riverside suburb of the university, the casino and Long Beach |
| Beach | Sandy Bay | Riverside suburb of the university, the casino and Long Beach |
Hobart neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and food lovers
Waterfront and CBD
The streets between Elizabeth Street Mall and the docks hold most of Hobart's hotels, from heritage pubs to modern waterfront towers. Constitution and Victoria Docks have fish punts and restaurants, Brooke Street Pier is the departure point for the MONA ferry, and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery sits beside Franklin Square.
- Good
- Walk to almost everything; MONA ferry on the doorstep; Best choice of hotels
- Watch out
- Quiet streets after dinner on weeknights; Waterfront hotel prices rise sharply in summer
- Nearby
- Constitution Dock, Brooke Street Pier, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
$$$$ · Best for couples, culture, food lovers and luxury
Salamanca and Battery Point
Salamanca Place is a row of Georgian warehouses now holding galleries, bars and restaurants, with the Saturday market out front. Kelly's Steps lead up to Battery Point, a former mariners' village with Arthur Circus, a ring of Georgian cottages around a green, plus bakeries and cafés on Hampden Road. Accommodation is mostly boutique hotels and heritage B&Bs.
- Good
- Hobart's most attractive streets; Restaurants and bars at the door; Walk to the waterfront
- Watch out
- Expensive and books out for the Saturday market and festivals; Steep streets
- Nearby
- Salamanca Market, Arthur Circus, Narryna Heritage Museum, Princes Park
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, budget and solo travellers
North Hobart
The stretch of Elizabeth Street known locally as the Restaurant Strip has Thai, Indian, Italian and modern Australian restaurants side by side, plus the State Cinema with its rooftop bar and the Republic Bar for live music. It is about 1.5 km from the waterfront, an easy walk or short bus ride.
- Good
- Good-value dining; Local, lived-in feel; Lively evenings
- Watch out
- Few hotels, mostly apartments and guesthouses; Uphill walk back from the waterfront
- Nearby
- State Cinema, Elizabeth Street restaurants, North Hobart Oval
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and beach
Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay stretches south of Battery Point along the Derwent, with the University of Tasmania campus, Wrest Point casino hotel, a shopping strip on Sandy Bay Road and small beaches at Long Beach and Nutgrove Beach. Buses run frequently into the city in about ten minutes.
- Good
- River views and beach walks; Quieter than the centre; Frequent buses
- Watch out
- Spread out along a busy road; Most restaurants are back in town
- Nearby
- Long Beach, Wrest Point, Mount Nelson
$$ · Best for quiet stays, culture and budget
South Hobart
Climbing towards the mountain along Macquarie Street, South Hobart has the Cascade Brewery, the Cascades Female Factory World Heritage site and a walking track beside the Hobart Rivulet that runs into the city. A handful of cafés cluster at the main shopping strip, and trails up kunanyi start nearby.
- Good
- Close to mountain trails; Peaceful residential streets; Lower prices
- Watch out
- Limited accommodation; Cooler and damper than the waterfront
- Nearby
- Cascade Brewery, Cascades Female Factory, Hobart Rivulet Track
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and beach
Bellerive
Bellerive sits across the Derwent on the Eastern Shore, with a boardwalk, a beach, the historic Kangaroo Bluff Battery and Bellerive Oval, Tasmania's main cricket and football ground. The commuter ferry crosses to the city waterfront, and the airport is about 15 minutes' drive.
- Good
- Views of the city and mountain; Closer to the airport and Tasman Peninsula; Calm, family-friendly streets
- Watch out
- Fewer restaurants; You depend on the ferry, buses or a car
- Nearby
- Bellerive Beach, Kangaroo Bluff Historic Site, Bellerive Oval
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfront and CBD | $$$ | Constitution Dock, Brooke Street Pier, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery |
| Salamanca and Battery Point | $$$$ | Salamanca Market, Arthur Circus, Narryna Heritage Museum, Princes Park |
| North Hobart | $$ | State Cinema, Elizabeth Street restaurants, North Hobart Oval |
| Sandy Bay | $$$ | Long Beach, Wrest Point, Mount Nelson |
| South Hobart | $$ | Cascade Brewery, Cascades Female Factory, Hobart Rivulet Track |
| Bellerive | $$ | Bellerive Beach, Kangaroo Bluff Historic Site, Bellerive Oval |
Getting to your hotel
Hobart Airport is about 17 km east of the city, roughly 20 minutes by car via the Tasman Bridge. An airport shuttle bus links to central hotels, and taxis, rideshare and hire cars are available at the terminal.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Hobart for first-time visitors?
Waterfront and CBD. The streets between Elizabeth Street Mall and the docks hold most of Hobart's hotels, from heritage pubs to modern waterfront towers.
+Where should families stay in Hobart?
Waterfront and CBD: Walk to almost everything.
+Which area of Hobart is best for a budget stay?
North Hobart ($$): A strip of restaurants, pubs and an art-house cinema on Elizabeth Street.