Wild, beautiful and wonderfully unique and accessible, Tasmania is the kind of destination that invites you to slow down, explore at your own pace and stay a little longer. From places with electric beds, easy lift recliners and stunning views, you are bound to find something suiting you.
Our Tasmanian road trip began in style at Citadines Elizabeth Street Pier Hobart, a brand-new waterfront hotel in an incredible location right on Hobart’s iconic pier.
The hotel offers six super-spacious accessible rooms – and one of the best parts is the view! All rooms overlook the water, making it a pretty spectacular place to wake up each morning.
Citadines Elizabeth Street Pier
The accessible rooms feature a Queen bed and an accessible bathroom with a wall-mounted shower chair and grab rails, plus thoughtful touches such as adjustable benches, an easy pour tipping kettle, accessible cabinetry with adjustable benchtops and cupboards, and in-room laundry facilities. Designated accessible parking can also be arranged on request, with additional parking available across the street.
And there’s another little perk we loved – complimentary Happy Hour! Between 4:30pm and 5:30pm, guests can enjoy complimentary canapés, wine, beer and cider overlooking the water.
The location makes exploring Hobart incredibly easy. The ferry to MONA departs from Brooke Street Pier, just across from the hotel, making a visit to the famous Museum of Old and New Art an easy addition to your itinerary. The building itself is outstanding But be warned, the gallery is very dark (designed to focus the eye on the art pieces). We had to use our torch on our phone in some areas.
MONA Ferry information
Explore MONA
MONA Gallery
While you’re in Hobart, we highly recommend Viva Art Lounge. Combining a restaurant and art gallery in one beautifully designed space, it was a standout for us – and wonderfully accessible too, with ramped access and an accessible bathroom.
And if you go, oh my goodness, you have to try the tuna sesame cones. Incredible!
Viva Art Lounge Gallery and Restaurant
Next up, Little Island Apartments, a fantastic option for accessible stays, particularly when travelling with family, carers or a larger group.
Little Island Apartments has one fully accessible two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. The accessible bathroom features a roll-in shower, grab rails and a choice of a fold-down or freestanding shower chair. There’s also a fully equipped kitchen, full laundry facilities and a covered outdoor balcony – perfect for settling in and enjoying a real home-away-from-home experience.
There are another five apartments within the building that offer step-free access and step-free showers. While they don’t have widened doorways or bathroom grab rails and may not suit guests with higher accessibility needs, they can be a great option for family members or carers travelling together.
Little Island Apartments Hobart
Even better, Kangaroo Bay Apartments is just two doors down!
It has an accessible two-bedroom apartment (Apartment 5) with a Queen bed, two Single beds and a Double fold-out sofa bed. Fantastic accessible parking right near the lift too. One of its standout accessibility features is the glide-under kitchen bench, along with step-free access to the outdoor patio. And the views from the patio of the mountains put me instantly at ease.
It is rare to see such an oversized apartment, ideal for navigating a wheelchair.
Kangaroo Bay Apartments
Having these two properties so close together makes them a fantastic option for multiple travellers with disability, families and support workers who want to stay near one another while still having their own space.
The location is another big plus for both Little Island and Kangaroo Bay aprtments. You’re within walking distance of local shops and close to the picturesque Bellerive Boardwalk and Bellerive Beach, where beach matting and level pathways make exploring the waterfront easier.
Bellerive Beach
For more information about the Bellerive Boardwalk and surrounding facilities, visit the City of Clarence – Bellerive Boardwalk.
We then moved on to The Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel, a property steeped in local history and conveniently located just a short distance from Hobart’s waterfront, Salamanca Place and the CBD.
The Old Woolstore offers two accessible accommodation options – an Accessible Hotel Room and an Accessible Studio Apartment. The Studio is a great option for a little more independence, with a kitchenette, washing machine and dryer, plus I was delighted to see two newly added easy-lift recliners for added comfort.
The Old Woolstore
Guests also have the convenience of 24-hour reception and room service, onsite car parking, the “Baaa” Bar and Stockman's Restaurant – making it easy to settle in without having to venture far after a busy day exploring.
And while you’re in Hobart, make time for a visit to the beautiful Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens. It’s a lovely way to spend a few hours enjoying another side of the city before continuing your Tasmanian road trip. More information on this link here https://gardens.tas.gov.au/visit/accessibility
Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens
From Hobart, we headed north to Launceston to Suite Shed – a unique two-bed accessible cottage thoughtfully designed to cater for both physical disabilities and sensory visual needs.
This beautifully renovated space has retained plenty of character, with the tactile texture of Tasmanian Oak timber boards exposed throughout. With full insulation, double-glazed timber windows and plenty of heating – including heat-pump air conditioning, a radiant heated panel in the bedroom and a heated towel rail in the bathroom – it’s designed to keep you cosy during those chilly Launceston days.
What really makes Suite Shed stand out is its thoughtful approach to sensory and low-vision accessibility. Movement-sensor lighting along the handrails helps guests with low vision navigate the space, while the kitchenette includes a talking microwave and induction cooktop. There’s even a sensory egg chair where you can retreat, relax and switch off from the world for a while.
A wonderfully inclusive little stay that shows accessible design can be practical, comfortable and full of personality.
Suite Shed Launceston
Heading east, we made our way to Sea Stacks Bicheno – an intimate ultra luxurious coastal retreat perched on a spectacular peninsula overlooking the Tasman Sea. With uninterrupted views across Waubs Bay, it’s a pretty special spot to slow down and soak up Tasmania’s beautiful east coast.
The Ground-Floor Ocean View Suite is a self-contained accessible retreat, thoughtfully designed in consultation with Accessible Accommodation to cater for a range of mobility, vision and general accessibility needs. Its single-level layout makes moving between the living, dining, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom areas easy, with an entry ramp, wider doorways and electric sliding access to the balcony.
Sea Stacks Bicheno
The bedroom features two split King Single Hi-Lo adjustable beds, while the kitchen takes accessibility to another level with accessible appliances and a motorised stone benchtop. Outside, the private deck is the perfect place to watch the morning sunrise or enjoy a leisurely BBQ overlooking the water. For an extra-special experience, you can even arrange for a chef to come and cook for you!
We also loved the generous welcome hamper of pantry staples, including eggs, bacon, orange juice, wine, bread, butter and milk – a lovely touch after a long day on the road.
Accessibility isn’t the only thing considered here. Every parking space, including the accessible bay, has an EV charger, while elevated timber boardwalks wind gently through native plantings and penguin nesting areas, helping protect the natural environment while revealing spectacular ocean views along the way.
Even the timber has a story – materials destined for landfill have been rescued and cleverly repurposed throughout the property.
Sea Stacks Bicheno
Sea Stacks is a beautiful example of how accessibility, sustainability and luxury can come together without compromising the character of an incredible coastal location.
We particularly love how their staff participated in our online Inclusion Training Program, as they genuinely wanted to understand how to make a seamless and truly inclusive experience.
From Hobart’s vibrant waterfront to the charm of Launceston and the breathtaking coastline of Bicheno, our Tasmanian road trip showed us just how much this beautiful island has to offer. Along the way, we discovered some truly impressive accessible stays, thoughtful inclusive design, incredible food and plenty of unforgettable scenery. Tasmania is a destination made for slowing down, exploring and enjoying the journey – and we’re already looking forward to our next visit!
Ready to plan your own accessible Tasmanian adventure? Explore our range of accessible accommodation HERE (and do check out the detailed video tours we did for each of them on the listings) and start planning your road trip today.
Enjoy!
Kerry
Founder Accessible Accommodaiton