A Hobart weekend getaway for two on Qantas Points

A 48-hour break in Hobart sounds modest until you price it. Return flights for two and a couple of nights in a decent hotel can comfortably clear $2,000, at which point a short reset starts to feel like a proper holiday budget.

Booked on points, the arithmetic changes. We flew Melbourne to Hobart in Qantas Business Class, came home in Economy, and stayed two nights at the four-star Mövenpick Hotel Hobart — for two people, the whole thing came to 105,800 Qantas Points and $164 in fees and taxes. Booked with cash, the same flights and hotel would have run to $2,922.

The other appeal of this redemption is how easy it is to actually book. Business Class reward seats between Melbourne and Hobart are plentiful in a way that long-haul premium cabins are not.

What it cost

Component Points (per person unless noted) Cash
Melbourne to Hobart, Qantas Business (Classic Reward) 18,400 $41
Hobart to Melbourne, Qantas Economy (Classic Reward) 8,000 $41
Two nights, Mövenpick Hotel Hobart (Classic Reward rate, Qantas Hotels) 53,000 total for the room Nil
Total for two people 105,800 $164

For reference, the cash Business fare to Hobart was $914 per person, the cheapest Economy fare home was $210 per person, and the hotel's flexible cash rate for two nights was $674.

If you are starting from Brisbane, Sydney or Adelaide, a return Classic Reward to Hobart in Economy is 24,000 Qantas Points, or 55,200 points in Business Class.

Melbourne to Hobart in Business

The value of a domestic Business fare on a short sector is mostly on the ground: self-service bag drop, then priority security, which on a busy afternoon took under a minute against a long general queue a few steps away.

The Qantas Melbourne Domestic Business Lounge is open to Business Class passengers and to Qantas Platinum and Platinum One members. It is quieter and better appointed than the main Qantas Club — armchairs, carpet, and long windows onto the tarmac. The bar and buffet are complimentary, with hot dishes, salads and soup alongside the usual pastries.

Boarding is by priority, so a Business ticket puts you on the aircraft early. Qantas operates the Boeing 717 on the route, with twelve Business seats in a 2-2 layout. The bulkhead row is the pick if you can get it. Seats are embossed leather with generous legroom and a proper headrest.

Service starts with water during boarding and moves quickly once airborne. On our flight the drinks list included Grant Burge bottle-fermented sparkling and Little Creatures Pacific Ale, and dinner was a chicken curry with basmati rice. With one crew member dedicated to a twelve-seat cabin, the service is attentive in a way a larger cabin cannot manage.

Gate to gate is about an hour and twenty minutes. A priority bag tag means your suitcase is off the belt early, and it is a short taxi into the centre of Hobart.

Coming home in Economy, lounge access depends on your status or membership — a Qantas Club membership, which comes with Points Club Plus, gets you into the Hobart Qantas Club before the flight.

Mövenpick Hotel Hobart

The Mövenpick opened in January 2021 on a street of heritage buildings, about six minutes' walk from Brooke Street Pier. It is a modern four-star property, and the reason it is worth singling out is that it can be booked under the Classic Reward rate on Qantas Hotels, found under the payment options at checkout. Two nights in a Superior Room with a king bed came to 53,000 Qantas Points with nothing payable in cash.

Rooms are compact but cleverly organised, with plenty of built-in storage. One thing to know before you arrive: most rooms have a shower only. Bathtubs exist within the same room category, so ask at check-in if that matters. A harbour-facing room is worth requesting.

The hotel runs a daily complimentary chocolate hour in the lobby. Breakfast is at the in-house restaurant, Tesoro, which leans local — the rock lobster benedict and the made-to-order breakfast pizza from the open kitchen both beat a standard buffet.

MONA

For most visitors MONA is the reason to come, and it should be the first thing you book. David Walsh's gallery sits on the River Derwent about eleven kilometres north of the centre. You can drive or take a bus, but the catamaran ferry from Brooke Street Pier is the right way to arrive: twenty-five minutes of harbour views, with cow and sheep sculptures on board, some of which double as seating.

The collection is deliberately provocative and the reactions it produces are part of the design. Highlights include Julius Popp's water installation, which spells out terms people are currently searching for, and Erwin Wurm's Fat Car. The much-discussed digestion machine is exactly as unpleasant as advertised. Void Bar sits deep inside the 240-million-year-old sandstone the gallery was cut into. Outside there are lawns, beanbags, a very large trampoline and a decent kitchen.

MONA opens from 10am to 5pm, Friday to Monday. Book both gallery admission and ferry tickets in advance online.

Eating and drinking

Tasmania punches well above its size on produce, wine and spirits, and Hobart is where most of it converges.

Wine country

The Huon Valley is about thirty minutes south. Peppermint Bay makes a good first stop for coffee, with water views across to Bruny Island and a cafe, restaurant and produce store on site. From there the scenic route through Cygnet and Huonville takes around forty minutes to Home Hill Winery, known for its chardonnay and pinot noir and for a restaurant that justifies a long lunch. Home Hill is also about half an hour direct from Hobart.

Closer in, Stefano Lubiana Wines sits just north of the city and makes biodynamic and organic wines in small quantities — the estate has taken the world's best biodynamic wine award three years running. The vintage sparkling and chardonnay are both strong, and the Derwent Valley Estate pinot noir is the one to seek out.

Salamanca Markets

The Salamanca Markets run every Saturday from 8:30am to 3pm, in any weather. More than 300 stalls cover local produce, artisan goods and design, with buskers and live music through the day. Dress for the cold.

Making it work

A 48-hour Hobart trip is best planned around two fixed points — a MONA booking and, if the dates align, the Saturday markets. The city is compact enough to walk, but a hire car is needed for the Huon Valley and useful for Stefano Lubiana.

May is a good time to go if you do not mind the cold. Clear autumn days in Hobart are genuinely beautiful, and the restaurants and bars are easier to get into than in summer.

Frequently asked questions

How many Qantas Points does this weekend take? 105,800 points for two people, covering Business Class flights to Hobart, Economy flights home and two nights' accommodation, plus $164 in fees and taxes.

Can hotels be booked with Qantas Points? Yes. Qantas Hotels offers a Classic Reward rate on selected properties, chosen under the payment options at checkout. The Mövenpick came to 53,000 points for two nights with nothing else to pay.

Is Business Class reward availability good on this route? Yes. Business Class Classic Rewards between Melbourne and Hobart are generally easy to secure, which is not the case for many international premium cabins.

What does a return Classic Reward cost from other cities? From Brisbane, Sydney or Adelaide, a return Classic Reward to Hobart is 24,000 Qantas Points in Economy or 55,200 points in Business Class.

Do I need to book MONA in advance? Yes. Book gallery admission and the ferry from Brooke Street Pier online before you travel. MONA opens 10am to 5pm, Friday to Monday only.

Can I get a bathtub at the Mövenpick? Most rooms have a shower only, but bathtubs exist within the same room categories. Request one at check-in rather than assuming.

This information is general in nature. It does not take your personal circumstances into account.

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