the hadley’s experience
Our Victorian-era property is steeped in history, art and culture, come and be part of it.
Hadley’s Orient Hotel offers a comprehensive range of authentic tourism services and cultural experiences. It boasts an unparalleled history,
beautifully restored heritage features, extraordinary and ongoing cultural relevance and incredible art exhibitions throughout the year.
Today, Hadley’s is a cultural mecca where these elements intertwine to ensure that each guest enjoys a unique cultural experience.
We share Australian art, Tasmanian history & heritage all day, every day.
in-house galleries
Hadley’s Orient Hotel is an operational, accessible and inspirational cultural hub ready to be shared.
Hadley’s has a long history interwoven with art. Former proprietor John Hadley collected and exhibited artworks around Hadley's in the late nineteenth-century, as did his son, Howard Hadley – who was himself an award-winning landscape painter. The twentieth century saw significant exhibitions held at Hadley’s and the first Hadley's Art Prize was conceived on the 90th anniversary of an exhibition by famous landscape artist John Eldershaw.
Hadley’s Orient Hotel is home of the lucrative Hadley's Art Prize, an acquisitive art award which is building a collection of significant Australian landscape art. The winning artworks are exhibited in publicly accessible areas at Hadley’s so they can be enjoyed by hotel guests and members of the public.
Read more about the Howard Hadley Gallery
stories around every corner
Every room is a vessel of stories; every space has witnessed a procession of visitors & guests alike.
Image credit: Jessica King
Our heritage-listed hotel plays host to almost two centuries of stories, scandals and secrets to be explored.
The floor boards whisper of the hotel’s rich and often tumultuous history including many significant moments such as Tasmania’s first roller skating rink (1867) and the creation of Tasmania’s first ice creams (1850). Sir Douglas Mawson met his fellow South Pole expeditioners over luncheon at Hadley’s (1911), and Norwegian explorer Captain Roald Amundsen bunkered down at Hadley’s immediately after discovering the South Pole (1912).
We celebrate and share these moments, along with the notable guests who have stayed over the years, including visiting celebrities, governors, premiers, performers, sporting stars, and prime ministers, such as Sir William Don (1862), The Duke of Edinburgh (1868), and Dame Nellie Melba (1909).
Learn more by embarking on our free audio story experience, The Trail of Terrific Tales
a building steeped in history
Our award-winning, heritage-listed property is a treasure trove with much to explore and imagine.
Hadley’s Orient Hotel has been at the heart of Hobart since 1834.
Today, Hadley’s Victorian-era restoration features 72 accommodation rooms, ranging from Heritage Suites to Hotel Rooms. To accurately reflect the Victorian-era, our carpet has been made to order, bedspreads tailored, and furniture chosen to match. Modern conveniences have been subtly incorporated to ensure the comfort of each and every guest we welcome.
Read more about our accommodation.