When I was looking for accommodation in Tasmania, I knew I wanted a beautiful place where my recovering friend could rest between hiking adventures and jaunts to gorgeous Tasmanian beaches.

A place that felt like a holiday even if we didn’t go anywhere.

I found it at Armytage House in the tiny town of Bagdad, Tasmania, just north of Hobart.

Armytage House is a sandstone barn from the 1800’s that has been fully restored and converted into the coziest, most welcoming homestay.

My friend and I love good food, so having such a beautiful kitchen to cook up the gorgeous fresh seafood, salmon, apples, and foraged berries we collected on our travels was sheer bliss.

Shirley had the ground level room with easy access to everything, and I squirreled away in the loft, feeling like a little girl again as I snuggled down under a feather doonah and watched the stars through the skylight.

I loved every bit of this place, from the rough brick walls and towering ceilings to the wood floors perfect for sliding across and the enormous bathtub that was the best place at the end of the day to sip wine and watch the sunset through the trees.

Armytage House is now surrounded by thriving fruit and nut trees, lush gardens, and even chickens who provide fresh eggs for guests. It was so nice to wake up to the sound of roosters crowing and hens toddling about looking for bugs.

The gardens are beautiful here, with little formality but great charm and diversity.

Even in Autumn, when we arrived, they were vibrant and healthy, providing an oasis of calm for our stay.

This bench was a lovely spot to sit, especially on early mornings and at end of the day when temperatures dropped and the sun-warmed sandstone kept us toasty.

One of my favourite parts of this place was its location, set in an orchard of walnuts and numerous varieties of apples. I loved being about to walk outside and pick crisp apples each morning to take on our drive and add to picnics.

Armytage House is the kind of place where you want to spend a whole week just so you have time to not only venture out for adventures, but also have a few days to simply stay home and enjoy the outdoor kitchen, wander through the woods, and sit by the pond and hope for a glimpse of the resident platypus.

Autumn is a lovely time to visit, for the property and surrounding hedgerows are loaded with deliciousness to forage. From blackberries, haws, and rose hips to apples, walnuts, and elderberries, there is endless scope for imagination when it comes to planning menus around seasonal produce.

We enjoyed every variety of apple we could find, loaded up on ripe berries that we piled on cereal and desserts, and used rose hips for hot tea.

And most of all, we relaxed.

We took naps and went for solitary walks, read books and sat in the sunshine, had leisurely meals of fresh eggs and locally smoked salmon, homemade bread and handmade preserves.

It was wonderful.

Where is the most relaxing place you’ve stayed? xo