What’s old is new again at this restored city-edge Hobart stay

Collected Places, North Hobart

North Hobart, on the edge of the CBD, is one of this old city’s older suburbs, and with that comes an array of period-style cottages, terrace houses and public buildings. Ours is a double-fronted Georgian terrace, looking bright and freshly painted and renovated. We’re in apartment one of three (you can rent the whole house if you want); there’s off-street parking for us, but the narrow drive will test your reversing skills. The door codes are emailed once the cleaners are done and the apartment is ready.

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Inside 75A Tasma Street, our apartment, “The Georgian”, is part of a smart renovation – exposed brick and big sandstone blocks are features of some walls, with fresh plaster and painted bricks on others. The floors are polished timber boards with rugs here and there. The first floor apartment has a balcony, ours on the ground floor has an entrance from the street, through a small garden of plants clipped to a sphere and on to a porch of pavers with a couple of chairs to watch the world go by. It’s very much design-forward, here and at Collected Places’ sister property in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo. The couple behind the venture is artist and interior designer Laura Wells and her partner Stewart Wells.

Inside are two bedrooms with plush beds, electric blankets and electric panel heaters on the walls. The lounge area has a four-seater dining table, large couch, flat screen TV above the fake fire heater. The kitchen runs along one wall and is well-equipped – all the implements you might need for short-stay self-catering. Polished concrete floors lead to the bathroom which has an alcove for the lavatory, a pedestal sink and a bath which also hosts the shower. Hanging and shelf space throughout is adequate.

Generous supplies are here to greet you and that includes cheese and crackers, but not any old cheese – for us it’s a Bream Creek Truffle Brie – a sourdough loaf, some Duck River butter and a jar of honey. There’s a small bottle of local Sommers Bay gin and in the fridge you’ll find Fever Tree tonic for the gin, half a dozen eggs and some milk. In this area, you’re spoilt for choice for food to eat in or take away with Italian, Vietnamese, Greek, Indian and more all along Elizabeth Street, which is just around the corner.

It’s a 10-minute walk to the city centre and another 10 if you’re heading for the waterfront and maybe the MONA Ferry to take you out to that spectacular adventure in art. The markets are also nearby – Salamanca for something of everything on Saturday and the Farm Gate for fresh produce on Sunday. For restaurants, try Aloft or Maria on the Brooke Street Pier for dinner and, if you can get in, Fico for Sunday lunch.

The city-edge location and generous size of the apartment combine to make this a great stay. Smart interior design enhances the experience.

Apartments from $350 a night in peak season or $280 a night off-peak. Tasma Street, North Hobart, 7000. See collectedplaces.com.au

HIGHLIGHT The food and drink hamper – if you’ve flown in or blown in empty-handed, there’s everything here to get you going.

LOWLIGHT Taking a shower involves climbing into an old-style claw-footed bath and drawing the plastic shower curtains. I’d sacrifice the bath for a walk-in shower.

The writer was a guest of Collected Places.

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