Choose your narrator: a swindler, a sailor, an Aboriginal elder? In MACq 01, Tasmania’s modern, storytelling hotel, you inhabit the city’s history by design
There are hotels that shelter you, and then there are hotels that speak to you. MACq 01 in Hobart, Tasmania’s capital city in Australia, is the latter — a place where history, art, and design converge on the edge of the Derwent River. It invites you to pause, reflect, and immerse yourself in Tasmania’s narrative. Here, the past is experienced, curated into every corner, every room and every view.
A building that whispers history
Housed in the restored Old Macquarie Wharf, where it gets its names from, MACq 01 honours the stories of Tasmania and its making — from its First Nations peoples to the convicts, explorers, and pioneers who shaped the island.
The architecture balances industrial strength with natural warmth. Timber-clad walls, polished stone floors, and high ceilings evoke the working wharf’s past. Yet they invite modern comfort and luxury.
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame panoramic views of the Derwent River, allowing you to watch ferries glide past, the sun glitter on the water, and the city’s waterfront bustle softly beyond your gaze.
The waterfront itself becomes part of the hotel’s narrative. Morning light transforms the river into molten silver; at dusk, the skyline glows golden, reflecting in the water like an impressionist painting. Sitting on the hotel terrace or by the windows of your room, you can feel the rhythm of Hobart — quiet, unhurried, timeless.
The hotel, which sits on the restored Old Macquarie Wharf is an ode of the history of Hobart and Tasmania itself. Photo courtesy: MACq 01
Rooms are storytelling spaces
Every room at MACq 01 celebrates a Tasmanian icon — the figures whose lives shaped the island’s identity. Names like William Lanne, Truganini, or Charles Darwin adorn the door. Inside, curated art, personal artifacts, and bespoke furniture reflect their stories. The interiors are earthy, elegant, and tactile: warm timber, soft linens, leather accents, and subtle lighting encourage you to linger.
The walls themselves speak. Original artworks, photographs, and installations line the corridors and suites.Each piece narrates Tasmania’s layered history. Convict ships, pioneering settlements, maritime adventures, and the quiet resilience of the island’s people. Walking through the hotel feels like moving through a living museum. Here, design and storytelling are inseparable.
On the doors of the luxurious rooms, you’ll find the stories of people who shaped the city of Hobart.
The historical bar: Evolve Spirits
MACq 01’s Evolve Spirits Bar is a jewel in its own right, blending history, craftsmanship, and modern mixology. Housed in a space reminiscent of a bygone era, the bar features timber paneling, vintage furnishings, and bespoke cabinetry displaying a rare collection of spirits. Every bottle, every detail, tells a story.
Here, you can sip a Tasmanian single malt while admiring the bar’s curated artifacts, listening to the soft murmur of the river outside. It’s the perfect bridge between Hobart’s past and the hotel’s present. Evening at Evolve is less about cocktails and more about storytelling, conversation, and reflection, with the waterfront shimmering just beyond the glass.
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Culinary experiences
The Old Wharf Restaurant offers modern Tasmanian cuisine that celebrates local produce, from fresh seafood to mountain-foraged herbs. Large windows frame the waterfront, making every meal feel connected to the city and river beyond.
Even dining is layered with story: each dish references a chapter of Tasmania’s heritage, interpreted with creativity and care, making every bite feel purposeful and poetic.
Imagine tasting a delicate oyster as ferries drift lazily across the Derwent, or enjoying a glass of pinot noir while watching the sun set behind kunanyi / Mount Wellington, the sky streaked with violet and gold.
Tasmania’s history.
Art, history, and waterfront Serenity
In MACq 01, walk the halls, and you encounter photography of Tasmania’s early settlers, Aboriginal histories, maritime chronicles. It’s art that situates you in the larger story of the island. Step onto the balcony, and the river unfolds below you, reflecting light and life in ways that slow the mind and awaken the senses. Cherry blossoms in spring drape the waterfront in pale pink, petals drifting onto the water like nature’s confetti. From your suite or the terrace, the view of the blossoms framing the wharf is a private spectacle, a meditation in movement and colour.
can opt from the many cultural and historical walks curated by the hotel.
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Panache World curates Hobart and the rest of Tasmania to reveal MACq 01 not just as a place to stay when you arrive, but as a portal to the city’s living stories.
*Begin with a private storytelling tour along the waterfront, guided by a local historian, tracing tales of convicts, explorers, and Tasmanian pioneers.
*Enjoy a bespoke tasting at Evolve Spirits, paired with the history of each spirit and the view of the river.
*Stay in a suite named after a historical figure and awaken to the river shimmering with cherry blossoms in spring.
Contact Panache World for your next journey to Tasmania, Australia.
