Saffire Freycinet

just perfect service, thoughtful details in the room, lovely excursions. Very good food, lovely location. Just loved it.

We generally don't mind traveling long distances for unique experiences, and for us, Australia had a lot to offer us. Saffire Freycinet is quite the distance from Hobart Airport, which itself is a several hour flight from any of Australia's major cities. What we got in return for the arduous travel, however, was a spectacular lodge located in a picturesque part of the Continent that also did not lack for things to see and do. First off, the lodge itself... we also visited Southern Ocean Lodge in Kangaroo Island and Capella Lodge in Lord Howe Island, and between the three of them, I'd give the edge to Saffire. Don't get me wrong - we loved them all, and are glad we visited each of them. All three lodges offer amazing (yet different) views, and are located in some of the most iconic spots in Australia. But as far as lodges go, Saffire stands a hair above for its more polished service and better cuisine. Splitting hairs, I know, but we do enjoy comparing, and comparing we did. We stayed in the Private Pavilion, the top room category at Saffire. It has 140m² of space, and features a plunge pool, dining area, living room and a separate bedroom. The Suite was stylishly furnished and quite modern, yet gave a warm, cozy vibe. It also had two toilets, which is something my wife really appreciates. The room also came with two toothbrushes, something we did not find in all luxury properties in Australia. Drawbacks included very slow internet (perhaps because our room was at the far end of the row of rooms?) and a very heavy comforter, which might make it difficult for facing-up sleepers to breathe. The biggest flaw is a hardware problem - there are two small steps to get down from the dining area to the living room; if you're not careful, you might have a serious injury. The only stairs I like to see are "real" stairs for duplex-style accommodations. This is a design issue that - while hard to fix - really ought to be addressed. For a lodge in Oz, I found the service to be casual like the rest of them, but somehow a bit more professional, anticipatory and quick to the trigger whenever we needed something. Of all of the lodges, Saffire was the only one where we still remember many of the staff members by name. My guess - the staff to guest ratio is better than the others, leaving time for more intimate conversation. I also felt they truly cared about the guest experience. When I thought I lost my wallet during an outing, they expressed genuine concern and were constantly asking how they can help (thankfully, I did end up finding my wallet.) While I wouldn't call the food Michelin-worthy, the cuisine at Sapphire was the best of the bunch; there were more hits than misses. The Octopus Risotto was umami-infused, as was the Robins Island wagyu beef tartare with fermented chili. A prominent miss was the King Prawn with dashi butter & zucchini - the flavors were wonderful, but the Prawn was soft, chewy and not plump at all; it seemed it was in the freezer for a week, then was quickly defrosted via a microwave. I'm exaggerating, of course, but that's what the texture felt like. The one final thing worth pointing out: the dining tables are a bit closer than we'd like. It didn't feel super cramped like a Dim Sum restaurant, but it didn't offer the type of relaxing vibe that a more spread-out arrangement would have enabled. There are a wealth of activities that Saffire offers, some are genuine Saffire-guided excursions while most are contracted out to nearby operators. Note that some of these tours are exclusive to Saffire, including the private Freycinet Marine Farm Experience. It was awesome... Gareth Aver was a sweet and amazing guide, and was the one that tracked down my wallet that I had misplaced in the waders he had provided for the outing. The Tasmanian Devil experience is worth it if you anticipate it would be your only chance at seeing one in the flesh and fur. While it was nice, there are a ton of guests that go on the tour. By comparison, the Tasmanian Devil viewing at East Coast Natureworld (45 minute drive from Saffire) was superior, and highly recommended. There were far less bushes and dense foliage to obstruct the view of them, and during feeding times, it's hard to take a good photo because you're behind glass. We didn't have the highest of expectations for our nature/wildlife trip to Australia, but thanks to Southern Ocean Lodge, Capella Lodge and especially Saffire Freycinet, we experienced a lifetime of memories that we won't ever forget.

Safire Freycinet deserves to be called a truly luxury hotel. Top-flight everything. Beautiful property overlooking a gorgeous beach with easy beach access, lovely rooms with every amenity, stunning public spaces, great food and drink, but best of all, a top staff that is so personal and helpful at every turn. The General Manager Dylan is everywhere, every day making sure everyone’s stay is perfect. The tours around the island are led by veteran naturalists and each is fun too! Run, don’t walk to Tasmania and Safire Freycinet!

This is a true luxury hotel. It's expensive but totally worth it. The rooms are large suites, and all have views of the bay. There are only 20 suites at Freycinet Saffire located at the gateway to Freycinet National Park. The suites comes with outdoor deck with setting, and a private courtyard. It is an all inclusive hotel and you will be pampered. The restaurants feature 20 tables for each suite, and each table is gauranteed a view. Wonderful experience.

We are seasoned travelers, and I have no hesitating in saying that the Saffire Freycinet is easily one of the best hotels in the world . It is not cheap, but but the caliber of service, food and drink, and excursions on offer to guests, fully justifies the expense. The rooms are spacious, gorgeously sited, and well stocked with every incidental and small luxury. The food and wine on offer were both world class. The young, international staff knew our names within minutes and and treated us like long-absent family members. The excursions offered to guests, most of which were included, were each in its own way unique--eating fresh oysters standing in the bay in waders, accompanying a beekeeper and sampling his fresh honey, watching Tasmanian devils devour a wallaby, accompanying an Aboriginal scholar on a nature walk, viewing Wineglass bay from high atop a mountain--these were experiences to cherish. We did not travel to Tasmania just to stay at Saffire, but having done so I would have no hesitating recommending that people travel to Tasmania for just that purpose.