Pumphouse Point - Hotel Review | Condé Nast Traveler
"Why book? Pumphouse Point lies within a national park that protects some of the rarest forest on earth. Mossy, misty, and mysterious, this tract of cool-temperate rainforest in central Tasmania is full of Gondwanan species that date from the era before the island drifted free of the Australian mainland. This lost-in-time forest frames glacial Lake St Clair, Australia’s deepest lake, and the wilderness retreat of Pumphouse Point. It’s surrounded by some of the best hiking tracks in the Southern Hemisphere and plenty of wildlife, with the comforts of blazing log fires, deep sofas, and pour-your-own bars stocked with hard-to-source, cool-climate Tasmanian wines and spirits. Set the scene This adults-only retreat straddles land and lake. At the turn of the last century, work began on an ambitious network of hydroelectric power stations, one of which was located incongruously in the middle of Lake St Clair. It remains a dramatic sight: a 1940s Art Deco-style industrial building in a lake, connected to the heavily forested shore and a former pumping sub-station by an exposed 240-meter flume (jetty). The backstory This is a curious tale of the pumphouse that never pumped. Opened in 1940, it housed huge water turbines designed to pump water from the lake into a lagoon, and then to a highland hydroelectricity station. But the pumphouse was never used—it only ever operated for routine maintenance and was decommissioned in the 1990s. After a decade of work on the heritage-listed buildings, local developer Simon Currant opened the retreat in 2015. (On the subject of power: Tasmanian authorities announced recently the island was entirely self-sufficient in renewable electricity generation, thanks largely to the hydro scheme founded more than a century ago.) The rooms Nineteen rooms and suites, most with lake views, have low-key interiors featuring Tasmanian timbers and industrial-style lighting and bathroom fixtures. Six rooms are tucked in the Shorehouse, a converted substation, which also houses the dining room and one of the guest lounges. Try to book one of the dozen rooms located in the three-story Pumphouse for a sense of splendid isolation, superior views, and a soundtrack of gently lapping water. The luxe option is The Retreat, a very private love shack on the lakeshore featuring a roll-call of Tasmanian handcrafted and designed furniture and ceramics, indoor and outdoor tubs, and accessed via the clever optical illusion of a “burrow.” Food and drink Guests gather in a simply furnished lakefront dining room for communal breakfasts and dinners of hearty seasonal fare. More robust than refined, menus are designed to satisfy high-end hikers rather than gourmands, and these shared meals (and defined check-in days, minimizing comings and goings) foster a sense of camaraderie. Pour-your-own honesty bars in three guest lounges are stocked with Tasmanian wines, ciders, and spirits—a good place to get acquainted with the island’s thriving cool-climate drinks scene. Assemble lazy lunchtime platters or picnics to fuel cycling or hiking trips from the larder in each guestroom, stocked with artisanal cheeses, cured meats, pickles, and sourdough loaves baked each morning. The spa It’s not so much a spa as a tiny studio in the bush. Book a post-hike massage in advance. Or retire to a new glass-and-timber “pod” in a secluded forest glade for self-guided yoga and meditation. The area Set out on foot or take the courtesy e-bikes—there’s a network of 100 kilometers of walking tracks nearby. Or paddle about Lake St Clair in a rowboat (also complimentary) for occasional sightings of platypuses. The service There’s a Tasmanian sense of cheerful outdoorsy-ness among the largely local staff, which suits the wilderness location. Quiz them about day walks to suit your energy level and mood, and special picnic spots. For families Pumphouse Point is for adults only—no guests under 18. Accessibility All communal areas and a number of guestrooms are wheelchair accessible, and there are electric buggies for quiet transport around the property and along the flume to the Pumphouse. Anything left to mention? From Tasmania’s two cities—Hobart in the south and Launceston in the north—it’s a 2.5-hour drive to Pumphouse Point through World Heritage-listed wilderness. For maximum exhilaration, arrive by helicopter from Hobart. Or walk here—Pumphouse Point is located at the southern end of the Overland Track, the celebrated 65-kilometer alpine trek through Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park." - Helen Anderson
