Manager's Blog

Autumn is here

As the leaves on the trees start to fall in the garden and the autumn sun is warming the conservatory, it is certainly time to settle in and enjoy the great foods of the season, a glass or two of fine Tasmanian Pinot, with a post summer break at Islington.

Summer saw a very busy time for the Islington Team.  On Christmas Day Adam and I hosted Christmas lunch for the lucky guests who spent Christmas at the Hotel.  The day started with a sumptuous breakfast prepared by Paul complete with platters of fresh berries and mangos.  Most guests then chose a morning walk – a few went for a run, you know who you are! - to prepare for what would be one of the nicest Christmas lunches I have ever had.

Midday saw us gather on the terrace for champagne and canapés whilst Paul cooked up a storm in the kitchen.  After a lunch of turkey, ham, pork and all the trimmings we somehow managed to squeeze in individual Christmas puddings with platters of fresh fruit.  After much wine and cheer everyone retired to their rooms for a late afternoon nap.  Now if all of this makes you feel very jealous, do not worry, this year we will be doing it all again, and it is never too early to book!!

New Years Eve also saw a big celebration at the Hotel.  As New Years Eve in Hobart is one big party with the Sydney to Hobart and the Taste of Tasmania, we decided to have an early celebration here at the Hotel before we headed down to the wharf with lots of entertainment and two displays of fireworks!  Again Paul out did himself putting on beautiful canapés including oysters and salmon whilst we all sipped champagne on the terrace on a beautiful summer’s night. Yes, I know what a great job I do have!

There is lots going on in Hobart over the next few months, so make sure you look at our newsletter for all the information including a great royalty package…perfect for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend!

I would like to thank all our wonderful guests for coming and staying with us over the Christmas and New Year period and all through summer. We loved having you.  Thank you also to my great team for all your hard work – Betsy, Julie, Paul, Paul, Yvette, Phoebe, Cathie and Erika,

We look forward to seeing you all back at The Islington for our Autumn Sojourn of great food and wines and firesides !

Kellee

Spring Time

“Lights, Camera and spring into Action”………Amy is so worried she does not look right! but we know she is going to be great.

 

The Islington Hotel is pleased to announce it will be featured on the “Getaway Show” to be aired on Thursday 18 September

7.30 pm

Channel Nine.

 

To celebrate the TV appearance and the welcoming of spring and the glorious food, wine and our gorgeous cherry blossom, your Islington is offering its newsletter subscribers a special deal.

 

The month of September and October you can stay with us for $300 the price of our rack rate and receive a complimentary upgrade, glass of Tasmanian Award winning sparkling wine, full breakfast daily, and 10% off our fabulous in-house 3 Course Spring Dinner menu.

 

 

With only 11 luxurious bedrooms and Islington’s soon to be celebrity status, it’s time to spring into action and book now and become your own star.

 

The Priory Country Lodge Opening!!!!!

 

The priory had a photo shoot and the images of the house are amazing, we just know you are going to love it so get in first.

Carbon Neutral?

Well as always Islington must continue to be ahead with its current trends especially down in quiet old Tassie, not! The Islington Hotel has become Tasmania's first Carbon Neutral Hotel and we are serious about this commitment. Not to ramble to much but we aim to reduce our co2 emission of 56 tonnes by 10% in our first year and and further 20% in the following year. The team is excited about our challenge and we hope you look to Islington and become apart of our goal. We used the services of Green Pass Australia with director Peter Lovett and is attention to deatil and willingness to help our direction in to the world of Carbon Neutral Environmental policies. Thank you Peter.

Currently I am attending the Australian Tourism Exchange ATE in Perth, selling Islington and our new property, The Priory Country Lodge (due to open in July 2008) to the International market, baciacally to everyone in the western hemisphere. It is a great week of meeting agents and forging new clients so that travel agents know enough of our products so that guests are confident about making the right travel decision.

It is always an exciting time with new and exciting announcements by Tourism Australia, The hot gossip is about the new "AUSTRALIA" movie with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, the preview looks stunning and it hopes to draw a lot of interest to the oversea international market it is due out in Australia on the 13 of November.

Dont forget our Winter Newletter will be out shortly, Amy and Kellie have been working on something special.

Stay tuned.......

Art Prize a' Commin!

Dear All,

Well its that time again and we need to start to build the momentem for our 2nd Art prize. The first was such a success we need to continue to support the arts in Tasmania, attached is the winner Sara Mayer 2007.

THE ISLINGTON HOTEL  SALMANCA COLLECTION ART PRIZE

A joint venture between the exclusive Islington Hotel and Tasmania’s Quality Art Gallery, The Salamanca Collection.  The Prize is awarded annually and the theme for 2008 is “Tasmania – A sense of Place”  It is open to any artist who is an Australian Resident.

The value is:

·         $5,000 Winning Entry (non-acquisitive)

·         $1,000  Highly Commended

·         An offer to selected artists to hang works in the Summer and Winter Shows in 2008 at The Salamanca Collection (under normal Gallery conditions)

·         A People’s Choice Award with two days sports car hire sponsored by TasVacations

Mediums are  Oil, acrylic, watercolour, mixed media and drawing materials.  Entries have to be received by 29 August 2008 and Entries must be on CD in JPEG format, sent to the Salamanca Collection Gallery and include a non-refundable deposit of $25.   Please see full conditions on entry form.

Entry forms are now available from The Salamanca Collection (www.salamancacollection.com.au)

February

Mulberry Desserts and vampires!!!

I love February it is when our hundred year old mulberry tree provides us with a sexy and seductive taste of sweet sugar. Paul our chef has taken a challenge to bring an ancient French recipe of mulberry jam and what he has made over our large copper jam pot is simply stunning. The colour is that of blood and the consistency as well, this is kind of scary but blood has never tasted so good. I assure no guest have gone missing!!!!!

So it been a great couple of month and the hotel has been very busy, can’t complain we have been visited by writers, lords and ladies to a few politicians they don’t really count but we did like these ones. The events held at Islington have been simply stunning. From small wedding to birthday parties one coming up is have a 8 course dinner menu designed by Annie Parmentier accompanied by 8 different wines and all for 12 people, how lavish and don’t we simply love it!

Comments have been coming in from our regular guests about the garden and how it has certainly come on in the last year. We are glad too, I think from here on the garden will only improve and age like the finest of wines. The tomatoes coming from the herb garden are sweet and delicious, I and poppie the vicious dachshund are keeping a constant vidual as to insure our guests don’t over indulge, you know who you are!!!

The Islington website will be up dated at the end of the month with new images and a new brochure as well so lots more to show and tell.

The Priory Country Lodge is making a lot of progress and I aim to keep the opening on track for the end of April. Don’t forget as well to check in to the nant distillery website there is a few foundation whiskey barrels still on offer, this offer will never happen again.

So until next month keep in touch see you soon.

The Team....

Christmas & New Year Blog

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Every one!

We hope you had a great time and are now looking forward to the New Year. We can’t wait for the new year with again an action packed year ahead. With the sister property The Priory opening early 2008 and the fantastic and exclusive whiskey distillery NANT due to open at the end of the January, it simply never stops. But I guess that goes for you all as well.

So what’s been happening?, Christmas party for both the staff and the guests have all been completed that's 2 parties and not to mentioned the one Amy and I had in Sydney with her parents and we have my parents christmas in late January so in total that will be 4 Christmas meals, that is what I call getting in to the spirit of things!!!!

Chef Paul and wife Tina have had a baby girl he is one happy dad and we are so pleased as we had to wait an extra week to see her, but all is good and she is healthy and has 10 toes and fingers, that’s all that matters, right?

Christmas lunch with our inhouse guests was a great day we had a total of 14 new "Islington Family Members" in the library, the table was set by the royal butler Daniel who did another outstanding job, (ashamed it can’t look like that all through the meal!!) the day was a sunny day and a pleasant 23 degrees a little different from Sydney and Melbourne but thats what we keep saying about Tasmania, just perfect and if its not just wait 10 minutes and it will be!. The sunset toped it off for it was a magical time for our guests, we thank everyone for sharing our 2^nd full year of operation of The Islington Hotel and being a part of our Christmas 2007!!!

The New Year is a full house, the drink and sumptious canapes on the marble terrece was perfect and then a few guests and staff headed down to watch the fireworks at the water front.

It is a very busy time in Hobart with the Sydney to Hobart race completed and all the boats in the harbour. I managed to see Wild Ots arrive in to win the race, totally amazing and filled with excitement. The boat is worth $25 million dollar and she looked worth every penny. If you havent seen it before its well worth a visit next year. Hope to see you soon if not for next years race..! 

November Blog

Finally summer is here and boy is it a beautiful thing. Me, well I get to get a bit of colour on the skin and start to look a bit normal and what is beyond normal is the garden its must be on steriods. Over the past year you may recal the two roses we planted by the front door, well have a look at them now. It is simply stunning and by this time next year it should have made it way to the top, a perfect and beautiful way to make your enterence into Islington.

November has been quite the award month for Islington and the team and we thank all our dear guests for patronage since we opened nearly 2 years ago, boy time flyes.. So this waht has been happening

Amy collecting the Tasmanian Tourism Council "Highly commended" award for luxury accomodation, Tasmania. Standing on the stage with Daniel Hanna the CEO. She looks just fab, almost to good, can some one say that about their wife, oh well hopefull get me some brownie points!

 

I also attending the AHA Australian Hotel Association winning the higest award for the hotel category of "Best Superior Accomodation" this was a fantastic award and we go now in to the national awards held on the main land in October 08. As I went by myself their is no image to show however just to prove I was there I tooka photo of the notice board, see picture.

With Islington sister property opning next year The Priory located in Bothwell, gate way to highland lakes, alot of activities will be on the cards one such activity is fly fishing and it is important that a bit of research is carried out. I had spent the day with Bob Mackinley from Fish Wild Tasmania. I had an amazing day and saw another part of Tasmania never see before I got bob to show the fish that got away and just how big it was. Bob never lies as well...

More to come so dont for get that special quite and exclusive weekend or mid week stay, see you soon and watch out for our summer and Christmas Newsletter.

October 2007

I cant believe it, there I was telling every one that spring was here and over night the weather turns back to winter. In fact while every one in Australia is in a drought Hobart has had days of rain, the plants are loving it! and the garden is so green and lush. The fires are on and its a great excuse to stay inside, relax and enjoy the wine cellar without gilt!

I took a photo this morning to share with you the view from the conservatory looking up to Mount Wellington. It looks very cold and is very windy. However it is normally windy this time of year. The October winds they call it.

Last week we sent out our very trendy spring newsletter if you did not receive it just go to the newsletter page and click on subscribe and you will be sent a copy of the latest news. Loic our web designer has done a great job so thanks Loic.

Exciting news, The Islington Salamanca art prize which we are a major sponsor has 44 entries which is just fantastic and the entries are very exciting I can wait to see them. In the middle of October the judges will be deciding on who are the finalists. This is our first year  for the art prize and we are certain that it will be the beginning of a truly wonderful recognition to the arts of Tasmania.

Stay tuned for more gossip soon.

Spring Blog

Talk about me being Lazy!!! Not finding the time to update and inform all my avid readers about what has been happening and what is going to happen. So I will try and make it up to you.

June, July and August have been yes you guessed it very busy. Winter is no longer a burden for the state of Tasmania. Many have been to enjoy the cold winter in front of our amazing fire places along with warm and filling food all combined by some of Tasmania’s amazing Pinots and Sav Blanc’s. Being spoilt and relaxed is what we have been doing to our guests and we enjoy it so much. Nothing pleases us more then ensuring that your busy lives and stressful home/work environments are forgotten. If you have not taken that well deserved break then you must come down and see spring coming to life in Tasmania.

I am so very excited, the warmth and smells in the air is truly addictive. Blossoms give such color and life to a ‘Phillip Stark” looking garden. The prize passion of our cherry blossom which over hangs our garden suits and reflective pond will come to life I suspect end of September it only last a couple of days so if you are booking give us a call to see how the progress is going and don’t miss out on this emotional experience.

Some exciting information tools will be launch this month, you will be able to book all you accommodation online come middle of next week also we will have a new newsletter which you can subscribe to, it is going to look and read so well with a lot of insight to what is happening. Stories and package will be shared and you can once again book directly on the specific packages. How very high tec!!! One has to stay ahead in this market and Islington is doing just this down in little old Tassie.

Our new Property 1 hour from Hobart is located in a small town of 350 people called Bothwell, it is coming to light with a planned opening at the end of the year. It will be called The Priory Country Lodge. It will be our fishing and hunting experience for our guests. I won’t give to much away just want to get you excited. Also in the area is Australia oldest golf course Ratho and it is having a face lift which will be fantastic and well worth a crack of the clubs. Today in the Mercury ( Hobart Local Paper) is a story about a new Whiskey Distillery called “NANT” it will be opening also at the end of the year and tour if you can call it will be by appointment only, very exclusive I might add. Don’t worry you have the connections with us as we will be managing the tours. The property is simply amazing and Keith Batt the property owner is putting a lot of love and passion into the project. Have a look at the web site www.nantdistillery.com.au for more insight to this exciting experience that we will be offering in your stay down in Tasmania.

Say in touch and look forward to seeing you soon.

May Manager Blog

May Manager Blog

Gourmet Traveler Australia recognizes The Islington Hotel

Get ready for it, are you sure you are ready….. The

Islington Hotel

has just been awarded in

Sydney

at the Gourmet Traveler Australia function the award of “Best Boutique Hotel in

Australia

. I and Amy along with the team are just so proud at the moment, from Daniel to Paul and

Ann

ie right down to our gardener Tony and the housekeeping team (kathleen, paula, keandra) for their efforts in helping us achieve such fantastic results within such a short time. The effort and time and our hearts in to the home is so important and it is wonderful to be recognized for the it. Thank you Gourmet Traveler.

Media News

Islington shall shortly coming under the umbrella of the management company called Van Diemen Hotel Group PTY Limited (VDHG) Don’t be to concerned it is our company we have created and not some large mulitinational corporation. The main purpose is for the operator (us) to be able to be apart of future hotel and projects in Tasmania so that the level and service and hospitality you require will become available and assured of the very highest standard. It is a great logo check it out….

Art

Our art prize has begin and the sponsorship has come on board. Robert Morris Nunn and associates our architect along with Hayden Armstrong Insurance Brokers, Info media web designers, Merchants commercial property agent, The Islington Hotel, Van Diemens Hotel Group and Salamanca Art Gallery, new print,  The Art Prize description and entry from can be found on our website so if you are an artist who is keen to paint an historical building in Tasmania then you should not miss out on the opportunity, we plan to announce the winner at the launch in November and the Minister of Tourism and Arts Paula Wriedt will announce the winner. I will keep you posted with news about our fist art prize, Very exciting stuff!

Islington Gossip

Just arrivedback to the hotel after a busy time in

Brisbane

attending ATE (The Australian Tourism Exchange) I have been selling Islington to the Asian Markets. I know what you are thinking why do we have to let the whole world know about Islington your private escape down under. Well my response is don’t worry, I have some exciting news and that is we are expanding!!! Not on site but with a new property. It will be our country lodge. Activities will be based around fly fishing, hunting, historical tours private excursions and most importantly hosted so you can just stay in relax and enjoy exclusive privacy. The Priory as it will be known will be booked as a house and not the conventional way with individual rooms (like a hotel). I know you are hungry to know more so each month I will tell you a little bit more about the property, when it opening and progress. Just a little hint leaves some room for a weekend very early next year open!!! So keep watching this blog for more……….

Amy has decided and I have given in to her demands but I cant argue with her my life is at stakes….. We have a winter package with include stay for 2 night get the 3^rd free. A great deal at $800 a real bargain. So with the fire place on and the reds ready for the pour we hope you make use of Islington so you can see that

Tasmania

is truly exceptional even during winter. You might be able to get more information from me about our new property so see you soon..

Poppie our new dog is growing and know weight in at 2.7 kilos and she will probably only double her size . Just big enough! She just had her first flight to

Sydney

where amy family will be taking care of her as we take 2 week leave and head for

Bali

to spend a birthday with my best friend Hamish MacDonald. I have already heard that Amy sister wants to adopt her!!! Bali will be relaxing time and with time away from Islington we will charge up the batteries and ready to kick of the second half of the year where booking are looking strong and growth within the company so all the charging of batteries to be high on the agenda. Daniel Paul and Annie will be looking after you while we are gone so be rest assured you will be in good hands. Have a great holiday and see you soon.