Hillview House Launceston

The building is beautiful, and the decor suits its history so well. I felt like a well to do lady from the 1800s, and it was like going back in time. Best hotel I’ve ever stayed at. Highly recommend! For dinner, I suggest walking down the block to Three Steps on George.

It was very comfortable and clean, with a lovely view from our room. The location also worked well as a home base for visiting the places we wanted to see.

After booking a night through booking.com, I tried to reach the owners or reception to ask about checking in after their reception hours, but got no response. On the day, I arrived early hoping to get a room key before my event, but couldn’t get into the building at all. The number on the sign was disconnected. Someone answered the mobile number listed online, then immediately hung up, and didn’t answer my next call or call back. With only 20 minutes before my event, I called around for somewhere else, but everywhere was booked, so I had to make plans with family. They texted at 6pm, five hours after I’d tried to reach them, by which time we’d left the area without accommodation. They refuse to refund me, saying they replied through an online form, though I have no evidence of that. They also haven’t explained why they didn’t answer or call back. I paid $151 and spent two days being messed around without being able to contact or speak to anyone. Don’t stay here. The reviews all seem to say this is a pattern with this business.

There was nobody around after I was signed in, except for one young, well spoken Chinese woman who checked me in after two days. If your car is in for repairs, you’ll need a taxi to find food. There are no meals or restaurants nearby, and what’s available costs a lot, before even adding the taxi fare. A more expensive hotel with a restaurant and decent service would be the better option.