Hanging out with Henry Jones


A far cry from the derelict quarters that illegal squatters created by piling up jam tins during the 1970's the Henry Jones Art Hotel on the Hobart waterfront is a deserved award winner.

Henry Jones Art Hotel Hobart 

Artist Leo Schofield noted how pleased he was to see the imaginative, discreet and intelligent model of adaptive use of an old building. Hobart got this one right, he declares in reference to the Henry Jones Art Hotel. Gazing across the fishing boats berthed at Constitution Dock, I know exactly what he means as I observe the horrid exterior of a nearby hotel suffering from the bland architectural style of the 1970's. The Henry Jones Art Hotel has been carefully crafted from a handsome row of historic waterfront sandstone warehouses dating from the 1820s. The hotel sits on the former Hunter Island, and was opened almost 200 years to the day, on the same site that Governor Collins founded Hobart town.

Opening in 2004, the hotel on Hobart's buzzing waterfront has deservedly collected a bunch of awards across a broad spectrum. From Best Hotel, Unique Accommodation, Best New Tourism Development through to awards for architecture, design, boutique accommodation, food and customer service, the Henry Jones is a consistent award winner. Wandering the sandstone-lined corridors, whether on your own or on the Friday afternoon art tour, it's easy to see why.

      Henry Jones Art Hotel Hobart, IXL Atrium      
Stepping into the lobby with its raw, exposed timber trusses and pitted sandstone block walls partially concealed behind large canvases, I'm immediately captivated. Invitingly plush black leather couches are mellowed with cushions of seductive burnt scarlet splashes, which soften the harshness of raw materials, adding warmth into the timber and stone. Archaic machinery pokes out from sandstone blocks and hangs from the rafters, a reminder of the buildings' former use as the IXL jam factory.

The hotel is anything but predictable, and is actually a destination in itself rather than somewhere to just dump your bags and go exploring. Even though Hobart's fascinating waterfront beckons, I urge you to stay with Henry Jones a little longer to soak up the ambience of understated elegance. There is so much of interest right here in these old sandstone warehouses that I encourage you to wander and enjoy. Unlike other hotels with their unadorned walls and non-descript decor, the Henry Jones exudes charm from every angle. 		Henry Jones Art Hotel Hobart 

In-house Art Curator Christine Scott describes the challenge of displaying artworks to their best advantage in a gallery that is anything but conventional, noting that lighting is deliberately toned down from the usual gallery-like intensity. Christine is so enraptured with her role as curator that she often wanders the building observing guests reactions. She laughs as she recalls overhearing a couple trying to find their way back to the room, which the husband described as "being near the bloody big pig," a striking canvas hung outside their door.

Works by students at the Tasmanian School of Art complement the large collection of  original pieces by established and emerging artists. Most works are available for sale, creating an ever-changing exhibition of works that are exhibited in guest suites, bar, restaurant and function rooms, as well as lining the corridors and stairwells. Don't miss the Friday afternoon art tour, which includes a glass of champagne as Christine takes guests for a relaxing tour through the public areas. Pressed to name her own favourite artists, Christine happily declares her choice changes regularly: she's in the enviable position of being able to take the stuffiness out of art and make it accessible and fun as she moves works around to suit demand.

 Henry Jones Art Hotel Hobart IXL Atrium 


But while one of the pleasures of the Henry Jones Art Hotel is found in the gallery-like corridors, I urge you to proceed to your room without delay. Intimate delights are revealed as soon as you are shown to your suite. And make no mistake; the rooms are genuine suites of suite-like proportions. No poky little square boxes here, as the architect has gone to great lengths to retain the original structural charm and integrity of the buildings.

Unexpected combinations of art, objects and furniture blend into a charming room that is delightfully unpredictable. Textured silk cushions add colour to the earthiness of contemporary industrial styling, while natural timber hues add lightness. The bathroom has been cleverly constructed as a stand-alone pod, made entirely from translucent glass that sits within the room creating a glow from within. And they're generously sized bathrooms, with a walk in shower and over-sized spa bath, all gleaming in white, stainless steel and glass.

  Henry Jones Art Hotel Hobart

Floor to ceiling windows are double glazed, more to keep out Tasmania winters I suspect, than to keep big city noise pollution at bay. Positioned dockside overlooking historic Sullivans Cove, the only visible noise you're likely to hear comes from fishermen unloading their catch or yachtsmen swapping yarns about wind strength.

But wandering the docks is for another day. For now I'm content to wonder about the people who have slept beneath these beams that I gaze at from my king sized bed. Recalling the squatters who illegally camped in the derelict building in the decades after the jam factory closed in the 1970's I'm grateful that Hobart visionaries got this one right.

 Henry Jones Art Hotel Hobart 
Checklist
Contact Henry Jones Art Hotel 25 Hunter St Hobart Tasmania Australia Ph 03 6210 7700
Tariff Artist Studio Lofts start from $220 per night. Deluxe Spa Harbour View Suites from $390 per night. The two best suites in the house are the double story Peacock Terrace complete with Tasmania's oldest spiral staircase, or the Henry Jones Suite, previously home to the great man himself, both suites from $850 per night.
When to Go Summer is the best time to be able to wander the docks and nearby Salamanca Place, though it is extremely busy from late December to late January, particularly when the Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht racing fleet is in town. During winter snow capped Mt Wellington is visible beneath the clouds, with this spectacular mountain view visible from many rooms.
Getting Around Many of Hobart's charms are immediately outside the doors of Henry Jones Art Hotel. For those wanting to venture further afield, Avis has a depot at Hobart Airport, while  Hobart Yellow Water Cab will pick up outside the hotel and take you anywhere on the Derwent River as far south as Kettering Ph 0407 036 268
We Adore The way the charismatic charm of the building remains intact while providing superior hotel amenities
We Abhor Enthusiastic parking inspectors who patrol the public carpark on Hunter St outside the hotel. Ask at the front desk about valet parking.



 



 
 

 Updated January 2009
 


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