I stayed at the Empire Hotel in Queenstown for three nights and found it to be a place of contrasts. From the outside, the building is absolutely stunning—especially at night when it's lit up, giving it a grand and inviting presence. The interior carries a strong sense of history, with rustic charm that speaks to a different era. My room was spacious, warm, and very cosy, which made my stay comfortable, and check-in went smoothly without any issues.

However, the experience wasn’t without its downsides. The dining room felt tired and lacked atmosphere, with a patchy ceiling that detracted from the overall feel. It functions more like a pub than a hotel restaurant, requiring guests to order food and drinks at the bar, and the menu didn’t quite suit the historic elegance of the building. While breakfast was included in the price, it was a very basic continental selection—nothing special.

The hotel was in a fantastic location. The shops were on the same road, and the train station was across the street. The beds were comfortable with electric blankets. The room even had a TV. Breakfast was included, with coffee, tea, cereals and fruit loaf ect. I stayed in a room with shared facilities, and there were several bathrooms, that were also clean and tidy. The restaurant meal of an evening was a large serving and delicious. The staff were friendly and accommodating. Very easy to chat to and ask any questions. The hotel itself was very beautiful. I loved it's ornate details and history.

I couldn't fault anything personally. I thought it was a great room for an affordable price. If you want something flashy and modern, I would suggest somewhere else. If you don't like the cold, It would get chilly in winter.

It is great that they have gone to the trouble of restoring and operating an old heritage building. Obviously the staircase is the highlight - but a good job throughout. The meals themselves in the historic dining room were very good. Enough to make us order sweets - which were also very good.

Very minor comment. Something in the plumbing means that when the neighbours turned on the taps or flushed the toilet it sounded a bit like a jet flying overhead. Hence the less-than-perfect comfort rating above. However, it is probably not easy to retrofit ensuites etc into old buildings so this is a small price to pay to stay in such a great old building.

We booked an ensuite triple room (room 3), very comfortable beds, had TV, wall mounted heating, mini fridge, tea, coffee and biscuits, perfect for overnight stay. Just across the road from the Heritage Railway. Pub was friendly with well priced food. Parking available, ask bar staff for further info. If you like op shopping there is also a great Vinnies shop across the road.

Being an older building, you may hear other guests in the corridor, but noise from bar minimal.

Wow! What can I say. A beautifully renovated room and new ensuite. A lovely upstairs verandah perfect to sit with a drink, enjoy the sun on your back and a delightful view. We ordered dinner which was delivered to or room and it was quite honestly the best pub meal we have eaten. (The beef cheeks and lamb shanks).Nothing was a problem for the lovely staff. The breakfast was included and it was at a VERY reasonable price. Would most definitely return!

Great historic building in a central location. Everything in town is walking distance, and if you want a change from eating downstairs, the cafe at the train station across the road is awesome. The shared bathrooms were fantastic. The food in the pub was excellent. Really friendly staff, who provided great service.

They seemed short staffed, but the staff were all working extremely hard. The hotel is old, and many parts have been renovated, but there's some parts that haven't.

My stay at the oldest hotel in Tasmania was truly enchanting and fascinating. The hotel's ambiance, steeped in history, left a lasting impression on me. It's a must-see destination in Tasmania due to its rich heritage. The hotel's restaurant offers delicious traditional Australian parmis, making it a culinary highlight of the stay. However, reservations are highly recommended due to its popularity. Overall, despite a few minor drawbacks, my experience at this historic hotel was delightful, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a unique and memorable stay in Tasmania.

The breakfast options were limited to just cereals and toast, and there was no coffee machine, only sachet coffee. Nevertheless, the fact that breakfast was included in the room rate was a plus.

Although rooms were above the pub, it was quiet. Location was great, right in the middle of the township. Bathrooms were lovely as recently renovated, a short walk from your room if you don't mind sharing with others although we never had to wait while we were there. Continental breakfast was absolutely fine, and you can help yourself whenever you wake up which is good for early risers.

Double bed is small for two, time to upgrade to queen size at least!

Shared bathrooms were excellent. Room facilities were good, but fly screens would have been good, though insects did not seem to be a problem. Air conditioning would have improved comfort upon arrival, though Queenstown cooled down once the sun went down and as such our comfort levels went up. Food was pretty good, wife enjoyed a lovely steak, daughter enjoyed a steak as well, whilst I was not able to finish a scrumptious Fettuccini Carbonara, breakfast was pretty good as well, though proprietors might consider having a short order cook in the morning to prepare a hot breakfast at a reasonable additional charge, might have been an economic consideration, given the larger number of people staying, the night we stayed there, at breakfast the next morning, something to consider, might add to client experience of The Empire Hotel, and possibly to their bottom line ? Kind regards Peter Enright

See above. Not so much as did not like, but more as, possible improvements to consider.

Great location on our drive from Hobart to Cradle Mountain, with stunning waterfalls 20-60 minutes away. The updated modern private bathroom was a great addition to the room. The radiator heated the room surprisingly well considering how large and tall the room was.

The breakfast is advertised as continental, but at the hotel, it was written as 'light continental", and light it was with only tea, coffee, toast, fruits, and juices. It was satisfactory, just not as advertised or expected.