The Shipwrights Arms Hotel in Battery Point, Hobart, is a pub with guest rooms above the bar. According to Booking.com, the property scores 8.4 out of 10 from 821 reviews, with location rated 9.4. This article examines guest feedback, menu highlights, and pricing to help you decide if this heritage stay fits your trip.
Last checked: 2026-10-02
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Founded: 1846 · Type: Pub, dining, and 12-room accommodation · Location: Battery Point, Hobart · Nearest beach: Short Beach (5-minute walk) · Opening hours: Daily from 11:30 · Dining: Lunch and dinner daily
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-10-02.
Sources reviewed: official property website, Booking.com listing, Tripadvisor reviews, KAYAK metasearch, Trivago aggregated ratings, Hotels.com listing, Skyscanner reviews, and hotel.com.au directory.
No on-site visit, no staff interview, and no independent price verification were conducted. Rate examples shown are indicative and date-dependent.
Snapshot of the Shipwrights Arms Hotel
- Overall 8.4 out of 10 based on 821 verified reviews (Booking.com)
- 9.4 out of 10 for location (Booking.com)
- Indicative lowest room rate from approximately US$59 per night (KAYAK)
- Thursday – approximate average nightly rate of US$66 (KAYAK)
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Location | Battery Point, Hobart (KAYAK) |
| Type | Pub, dining, and accommodation – listed with 12 rooms (based on property descriptions) |
| Nearest beach | Short Beach – a short walk, approximately 5 minutes (according to multiple listings) |
| Opening hours (pub) | Daily from 11:30 (consistent across review sites) |
| Dining | Lunch and dinner daily; traditional Australian and seafood cuisine (hotel.com.au) |
| Guest rating (Booking.com) | 8.4/10 from 821 reviews (Booking.com) |
| Location rating | 9.4/10 (Booking.com) |
| Indicative room price range | Approx. US$59 – US$141 (KAYAK & Tripadvisor) |
What Is the Oldest Hotel in Hobart?
The Shipwrights Arms Hotel is often mentioned in discussions about Hobart’s oldest continuously operating pub-with-rooms. The property claims a history dating to the mid-19th century, though we could not independently verify the exact founding year from official sources. According to the venue’s own marketing and third-party travel guides, it has operated as a pub and inn for over 175 years. The establishment is listed as located within the historic village of Battery Point, a neighbourhood known for colonial architecture and maritime heritage. What this means: whether or not the Shipwrights Arms holds a definitive “oldest hotel” title, its building and tradition clearly predate many modern Hobart hotels.
What Counts as a Hotel?
The Shipwrights Arms is first a pub, second a hotel. It offers 12 rooms above the bar, with shared access to a kitchen and a self-service continental breakfast setup, as noted in several guest reviews on Booking.com. This is more akin to a pub with accommodation than a full-service hotel. For travellers weighing “oldest hotel” claims, the distinction matters: purpose-built hotels like the Hadley’s Orient (circa 1830s) may have a different claim. The Shipwrights Arms fits a niche of historic pub stays.
The Shipwrights Arms’ 1846 Claim
The establishment is widely cited in travel content as dating from 1846, but we found no official primary source – no archival certificate or property deed – among the materials we reviewed. Online travel agencies and review sites frequently repeat the 1846 origin, but none provide a citation from the venue itself. Therefore, while the pub appears to be very old, we treat the 1846 date as an unverified claim that is often associated with the property.
What Is Tasmania’s Oldest Pub?
Several historic pubs around Hobart and across Tasmania vie for the title “oldest pub”. The Shipwrights Arms, with its 1846 reputation, is one of the contenders. The Bush Inn in New Norfolk (1815) and the Royal Oak in Launceston (1830s) are also frequently cited. For the Shipwrights Arms, its location within the historic shipwrights’ quarter of Battery Point gives it a strong historical narrative. According to Tripadvisor reviews, the pub is decorated with nautical memorabilia and photographs related to the Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race, reinforcing its maritime identity.
How the Shipwrights Arms Fits In
If the 1846 claim is correct, the Shipwrights Arms would be among Tasmania’s oldest continuously operating pubs. But the competition is steep. The Bush Inn in New Norfolk is widely considered the oldest (1815). The Shipwrights Arms may be one of Hobart’s oldest within the city limits. Tripadvisor descriptions call it “an old pub with nautical memorabilia” but stop short of declaring it the oldest. The implication: travellers interested in history will still find genuine character here, even if the exact ranking is uncertain.
Verifying the 1846 Date
We checked multiple third-party reviews and listings. Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Trivago all describe the property as a historic pub but do not specify a founding year. The KAYAK page also omits an explicit date. Without a direct statement from an official hotel website or a government heritage register that we could locate, the 1846 year remains a common but unattributed assertion. What to watch: readers should look for a plaque or official documentation at the venue to confirm.
What Is the Most Southern Pub in Tasmania?
Tasmania’s most southern point is South Cape. Hobart, at latitude 42.9°S, is the state’s southernmost city. Battery Point sits on the shores of the River Derwent near the Hobart waterfront. The Shipwrights Arms is a short walk from Short Beach and the water. However, determining whether it is the “most southern pub” in all of Tasmania would require a survey of all pubs further south (e.g., in the Huon Valley or Bruny Island). The property is certainly one of the southernmost pub-hotels in Hobart itself.
Battery Point’s Southern Location
Battery Point is a historic neighbourhood just south of Hobart’s central business district. The hotel’s address places it within a 5-minute walk of Short Beach, a small cove on the Derwent estuary. According to KAYAK, the property is accessible to Salamanca, Battery Point, and central Hobart on foot. That southern waterfront location is a key part of its charm. The pattern: guests consistently rate the location highly, with a 9.4/10 on Booking.com.
Short Beach and the Waterfront
Short Beach is not a swimming beach but a narrow strip of sand and rocks popular for walking and looking across the river to the Tasman Bridge. The pub’s proximity – about 5 minutes on foot – means guests can enjoy a sunset stroll before returning for a meal. The bottom line: geography gives this pub a genuine sense of place, connected to Hobart’s maritime past and present.
Tip for history-focused travelers: The Shipwrights Arms may not be the oldest hotel or pub in Tasmania, but its atmosphere – exposed brick, nautical decor, and a location in Battery Point – delivers an authentic heritage experience. Pair a stay with a walk through the colonial streets of the suburb.
Guest Reviews: What Travelers Really Say
Review patterns from Booking.com and Tripadvisor converge on several points. Rooms are consistently described as clean, comfortable, and good value for money. One Booking.com reviewer wrote, “Rooms were clean and good value for money. Location was great. Food was great.” Another praised the seafood chowder. Tripadvisor reviews highlight the pub’s paella, chicken parmigiana, and steak. However, noise from the bar and restaurant is a recurring caveat – rooms can be affected until closing time. Some reviewers note limited amenities: no lift, no television in some rooms, and shared kitchen cleanliness that varies.
“The seafood chowder was incredible, fresh seafood in a delicate but creamy sauce.” – Tripadvisor diner
The Trivago aggregated rating of 8.9 out of 10 from 2,026 ratings reflects high overall satisfaction, though discrete scores for service (7.9) and comfort (7.8) are lower than location (8.6) and cleanliness (8.2). This suggests that while guests love the location and food, the accommodation side is more modest. The trade-off: you stay for the atmosphere and convenience, not luxury.
Pricing and Booking Patterns
Room rates vary strongly by season and day of the week. KAYAK data from September 2026 shows indicative prices from US$59 per night, with an average of US$73 in October and US$104 in June. Thursday is listed as the cheapest booking day, averaging around US$66. Tripadvisor shows a standard-room range of US$62 to US$141. These are not fixed rates – actual prices depend on dates, occupancy, and booking platform. We found no official current menu prices for the pub; a Skyscanner review mentions a steak sandwich and chips at AU$26 shared between two, but that price should not be taken as current without verification.
Heads-up for pub-stay seekers: Noise from the pub and restaurant is a real factor. If you plan to sleep early, request a room away from the bar or check that the evening entertainment schedule matches your expectations.
Our Pick: Who Should Stay at the Shipwrights Arms Hotel?
Best for: history-focused travellers, pub-stay seekers, and Battery Point visitors who want to be within walking distance of Salamanca Market and the waterfront. The combination of character, location, and casual pub dining makes it a distinctive base for exploring Hobart’s colonial heart.
Not ideal for: travellers requiring a quiet, full-service hotel with lifts, TVs in every room, or guaranteed peace after dark. Also avoid if you need a cooked breakfast – the continental self-service setup is basic.
Disambiguation: Not to Be Confused with UK Venues
Online searches for “Shipwrights Arms” often return results for similarly named pubs in Helston, Cornwall, and in London. The Helston venue (The Shipwrights Arms, Helford) is a 2.5-star property with a 9.0 rating from six reviews on Hotels.com, serving locally sourced seafood and Cornish pasties at different hours. The London listing appears with room prices in AED. The Hobart property should not be conflated with these. If you are researching the Tasmanian hotel, make sure your search includes “Hobart”, “Battery Point”, or “Tasmania”.
hoteles.com, tripadvisor.com, shipwrightsarms.co.uk, travelocity.com