Ormiston House

This isn’t four stars, or even two. The hundred-year-old place is up for sale and run by a tired older couple who want or need to retire. The rooms are ancient and scuffed, and the hallways are dark and dingy. The food was okay, but it was definitely pricey, and it’s outside town. The B&B era is over.

Rose and Terry were wonderful hosts. We really enjoyed breakfast and the house tour, and it was fascinating to hear about the history of this beautiful home. It’s a great location, within walking distance of the town centre. This stay was a highlight of our Tasmania trip.

The outside is maintained well, but Ormiston house looks worn out. Inside needs a full refurbishment, including the bathrooms and bedroom furniture. There should also be more facilities in the rooms.

We expected to enjoy coming back to Ormiston House after nine years, because our first stay had left us with such good memories. This time was a real letdown, and the accommodation was the most expensive of our Tasmania holiday without feeling worth the price. For a B&B, we expected a more personal welcome than we got; it felt more like a motel. Our room was spacious, but poorly lit, and the curtains and room furnishings need replacing or updating. The shower leaked. The lighting was just as bad in our friends' room, so they used the dining room to read, but it was freezing and the gas fireplace did not work. Getting in was awkward: we had to call the numbers on the side door, and the first person did not answer. Once we got inside, a young woman was helpful. Still, we had to say our breakfast preferences aloud as a group without seeing the menu first. We only later realized those choices applied to every day of our three-night stay unless we went to make changes in person. There were no brochures or useful interaction with the owners, so an international visitor could struggle to find tourist information. On our previous visit, the hosts had contacted us beforehand with local information and directions, greeted us, served a lovely breakfast, and packed scones, jam and cream for our onward journey. This stay felt very different.