Saffire Freycinet opened in 2010 at Coles Bay on Tasmania's east coast, a lodge by Circa Morris-Nunn Architects whose sweeping roof, reminiscent of a manta ray, follows the curve of the shore and faces the pink granite of the Hazards across Great Oyster Bay. Suites are finished in Tasmanian timbers and open onto private terraces; Signature Suites add a deep bath facing the water, and Private Pavilions have separate living and dining areas, a courtyard and a plunge pool. Stays are all-inclusive. Dinner at Palate, kept for in-house guests, is a daily changing tasting menu or an à la carte choice drawn from the bay and nearby farms, with Great Oyster Bay oysters and cool-climate wines, after canapés and Tasmanian spirits in The Lounge. The signature outings belong to the same place: pulling on waders at a working oyster farm to harvest and taste straight from the lease, a bushland walk with the Palawa artist Mick Quillam, guided night-sky viewing, and a hectare of sanctuary for retired Tasmanian devils, part of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program. The spa uses native botanicals and hot stones carved from Hazards granite.
- Nearest airport
- Launceston Airport (LST), 67 Miles / 107 Kilometres
- Rooms
- 20 suites
- Taken whole
- The whole lodge and its 20 suites
Insider tip At the bar, order the Madame Baudin cocktail and ask about the local ingredients that go into it.
Why I choose it An all-inclusive lodge facing the Hazards, where the oysters, the wine and the guided outings all come from the bay around it.