I am meeting up with my daughter in mid March in Hobart, Tasmania for a two week drive around the country. I am trying to figure out the best place to center ourselves in Hobart while we are there for our 4 day stay. She is coming into Hobart on her research vessel from Antarctica so I wanted to be near a 10 minute walk or ride from there.
Any suggestions? Thanks so much!

Would anyone have any thoughts as to where a major research vessel would dock in Hobart?

<for a two week drive around the country.>

Perhaps a two week drive around the state (I know you know that.

I think they can dock right in the downtown waterfront. What's your budget? This place looked interesting http://www.thehenryjones.com/

We stayed in an apartment that was a 20 min steep walk to the waterfront.

Thanks Patty-checked it out but it is full. It seems like something big is going on as most of the hotels I have looked at are fully booked for the time period I was interested in. I see that Hotel Collins and Grand Chancellor Hotel still have a few rooms?

A number of years ago our family stayed at the Salamanca Inn and enjoyed it very much. I would think this location might be good for you.

We just returned from Hobart. We stayed at the Fountainside Hotel. It's within walking distance of the harbor and an excellent value for the money:
http://www.fountainside.com.au/

I've stayed at the Casino (great views up the Derwent, not a great location), the Woolstore (would recommend), Henry Jones (brilliant breakfast but pricey) and Grand Chancellor. I think Grand Chancellor is the best value for money.

Whoops, that should say "I wouldn't" recommend the Woolstore--it's cheapish but our room was very stuffy and a badly designed (air-conditioner right over the bed giving you chills).

We stayed at The Lenna and loved it.

http://www.lenna.com.au

We didn't have breakfast there so I can't comment on that. Instead we walked to Battery Point (5minutes) through an absolutely charming area filled with original settlers cottages. It felt very Irish. Then we had breakfast at Jackson & McRoss. Thought I had died and gone to heaven!

Another morning we wandered down to Salamanca place and had breakfast there in one of the many cafés. Finally we went to Daci & Daci on Murray st and had great coffee and good croissants.

We did stay one night at the Grand Mercure Hobart Central Apartments. I've no idea why it is called 'apartments' it was just a hotel room and a dreadful one at that. I do not recommend it. It was the same price more or less as The Lenna and that's even more of a mystery.

We usually stay at the Custom House Hotel, down on the waterfront at Sullivan Cove. It's a pub. It's a bit scruffy, it has music at night, but it's the best place for a shower and a soft bed when you sail in.

Otherwise, for softies, Elizabeth St Pier has serviced apartments on the water; there are plenty of places at Salamanca and up the hill behind there, and Henry Jones is OK if you want to have your wallet emptied by smiling thieves.

Mared, not everyone who travels does so on the smell of an oily rag. If I choose to stay in nice places, then good for me and I don't particularly need to have my choices insulted.

Hmm, put in my place by cathies. How about that?

The Custom House is actually one of the best locations in Hobart, not cheap by any means, given the location, let alone an oily rag. Lots of character, lots of sailors, lots of Navy, and today lots of people brought back from Antarctica from the Ship of Fools.

Hobart is anyone's to enjoy. It's lovely but not so much away from the water.