In the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, a new hotel on the historic Macquarie Wharf explores the Australian island’s eclectic history. From the group behind Tasmania’s Saffire and Henry Jones Art hotels, Macq 01 weaves together many facets of Tasmanian heritage through a historically sensitive exterior and interior design.
Designed by local architecture firm Circa Morris Nunn, the minimally constructed timber building resembles a shipping shed, capped by a cypress- and glass-clad pitched-roof structure (a nod to the Wharf’s past as the city’s principal shipping port).
The 114 guestrooms are each named after an infamous figure from Tasmania’s past with interiors to match: for example Ikey Solomon takes its name from the English-born criminal said to be the inspiration for Charles Dickens’ Fagin. Interiors are themed accordingly, modelled on traits exemplified by each historic identity – ‘Colourful and Quirky’; ‘Grounded Yet Exceptional’; ‘Fighting Believers’; ‘Curious and Creative’; and ‘Hearty and Resilient’. All are furnished by local artists and craftspeople, including timber lampshades by designer Duncan Meerding and photomedia triptychs by Tony Ruffels.
On-site tastings and cocktail classes, meanwhile, take the Tasmanian experience to another sensory level. The undeniable highlight, though, is the waterfront deck, which offers river and city views of Hunter Street’s 19th-century façades, as well as the ground-level Old Wharf Restaurant, Story Bar and Lounge. §
