Villa Howden: European-style investment opportunity in Tasmania’s luxury accommodation sector
Investors now have the chance to acquire Villa Howden, a sprawling and versatile coastal estate in a “stunning location” with an “established reputation” in Tasmania’s south.
This French provincial-style waterfront property – on a sprawling 1.49 hectares at 77 Howden Road, Howden, just 15 minutes south of Hobart – operates as a luxury boutique hotel and events venue.
Located about halfway between the seaside towns of Margate and Howden on Tasmania’s Huon Valley tourist route, with views of kunanyi/Mount Wellington, it hosts “castle-style” weddings and conferences, and has high-end accommodation across three levels.
Highlights include a helipad – for making a dramatic entrance or checking out the delicious food and wine across the island, – an a la carte restaurant seating 80 people indoors and 30 outdoors, a piano bar, a library and a heated indoor pool. An 18-hole golf course sits adjacent to the site.
Guests staying in the 10 suites at Villa Howden can peer out to beautiful views of North West Bay from Juliet balconies, as well as enjoy “luxurious furnishings and antiques”. Additionally, guests can stay at a separate two-story family villa with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Chinese-based investor William Wei, who owns the Australian Travel and Culture Group, bought the property in 2017 for $2.6 million, paying an extra $1 million for the business, according to agents.
At the time, Wei acquired three luxury bed and breakfasts in Tasmania for $20 million, and planned to turn them into wedding retreats to cater to the burgeoning Chinese wedding industry, it was reported.
Wei has since worked to enhance the estate’s offerings. It comes with Kingborough Council-approved plans to add 42 rooms, bringing it to a total of 52, and add a new guest dining area, bar and extra accomodation.
The venue now attracts a Google review average of 4.2 stars.
It is expected to attract buyers looking to part with $5 million to $6 million.
Howden has a median house price of $1.3 million, while Margate is significantly less at $742,000, according to CoreLogic figures.
Positioned just 30 minutes south of the airport, Villa Howden sits on a coastline that is home to pacific oysters and shore crabs, and near a conservation area.
The property, which stands to benefit from the area’s growing tourism and visitor numbers, is being marketed by agent Zomart He at Burgess Rawson, in partnership with HTL Property Group’s Nic Simarro.
Simarro said there was strong demand for accommodation in the Hobart region, with 1.9 million overnight guests last year.
“This number is forecasted to increase in the short to medium term,” he said. “Assets with value uplift in the form of additional rooms will be highly desirable to investors looking for exposure in this market.”
Simarro said the extension plans would offer substantial upside for future owners.
He described Villa Howden as a truly unique property for investors seeking a foothold in Tasmania’s burgeoning tourism and luxury accommodation market as it offered a rare combination of elegance, versatility, and future development opportunities.
“Its stunning location, luxurious amenities, and established reputation make it a highly desirable investment in Tasmania’s premium real estate market,” he said.
In 2018, Villa Howden was given the green light by Kingborough Council to undergo the multimillion-dollar revamp despite some local objection.
The villa, advertised as award-winning, received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor in 2016, 2017, 2018, according to its website.
It is for sale through an expressions-of-interest campaign that closes on October 31.
