Luna Lodge

Magical and Unique Accommodation

Our first stay at Luna Lodge was in June 2021, not long after they opened up for business. Luna Lodge is a unique opportunity to stay in a geodesic dome which has all of the luxuries needed to enjoy some quality time away. It is situated on a farm at the back of Wattle Hills in Tassie. A colleague had stayed and was raving about how lovely it was - the outdoor bath won me over! I LOVE an outdoor bath! We had some questions about accessibility prior to our initial stay and the owner, Tom, was so helpful and kind in helping us to work out how to get the most out of our stay. He even invited us for a look and tour around the Tranquility Dome to discuss what we would need.

So, we were very happy to receive an invite to come along for two nights to look at the newly constructed dome and give some feedback about accessibility. The domes are large and well situated to allow privacy for all guests and the hosts. Each contains an ensuite and a kitchenette. Outdoors there is a barbecue as well as an amazing outdoor bath with a view. Guests are able to organise hot breakfasts, cheese platters or barbecue packs through the web site.

The new dome is very special - it is named the Castle Dome and is themed as such throughout. It is so well constructed with quality materials and the attention to detail is amazing. It is clear that this journey has been a labour of love for Tom and Valeriya. They have sourced incredible furnishings from around the world and created a medieval wonderland, including a secret door. Guests are sworn to secrecy about how to access this! It is lots of fun and adds to the drama of this particular dome.

On arrival guests are greeted with a drawbridge entrance and a gorgeous outdoor area, including a barbecue, garden, bath and fairy lights. There is a stunning view down over the valley.

The garden has just been planted and will grow into a lush surrounding for the bath area. The gargoyles guarding the entrance were a cute touch and the door and drawbridge are very impressive!

We arrived on a very hot (30 plus) Hobart day and were wondering whether the dome would be sweltering. Tom has furnished this dome with ducting which is used for heating and cooling. It was extremely effective and the dome was very comfortable throughout our visit. The controls are easy to use at the touch of a button and this is discretely placed within the dome. The Tranquility Dome uses a pellet heater which adds a cosy touch for the colder seasons.

The furnishings were plush and gave a rich feel to the dome. We did feel like we were entering another era with the throne chairs, the huge four poster bed and the gorgeous bookshelf, complete with an eclectic array of interesting books and artefacts. There was a spacious feel around the dome with plenty of space to manoeuvre the wheelchair.

The bed was extremely comfortable and the linen was gorgeous - very fitting for the Castle Dome.

The throne chairs were a great spot to sit and read and admire the view.

Luna Lodge is located on a farm and is home to a number of very cute critters including couple of beautiful highland cows, some pygmy goats and chickens. A farm tour is part of the stay and guests are able to brush the woolly cows which is a wonderful experience.

The bathroom is a beautiful oasis which has a 'castle feel' with the tiling, stone work and lighting. The shower space is huge and the toilet is easily accessible.

The kitchenette is supplied with basic utensils and a microwave, fridge, dishwasher and kettle/toaster. Freshly baked bread and basic breakfast supplies are included and we enjoyed delicious toast with strawberry jam each morning with plunger coffee. There is also a crock of filtered water. The crockery again matched the castle theme beautifully.

The table was a good height and configuration for wheelchair users. The table has a lovely view and is a sunny spot each morning. The chaise lounge was very comfortable for reclining on to read.

Here is John's account of our stay as a wheelchair user:

About me: I have been a wheelchair user for over 30 years, I have T6 paraplegia and use a manual wheelchair which is 75cm wide.

The following outlines my own experience at Luna Lodge, your own experience will depend on your own abilities and willingness to adapt.

About Luna Lodge: Arriving at the Luna Lodge Castle Dome you can park in an area close to the entrance deck. The parking area is reasonably level but on grass. From the deck you have to negotiate 2 to 3m of garden with stepping stones. This is a little challenging but doable. Don't worry about damaging plants, they will grow back. Now you are at the drawbridge with a large door to access the dome itself.

At this point it is worth noting that a BBQ area borders the area at the far side of the garden. To access the BBQ area you have to cross the garden, damaging more plants, and negotiate a 10cm (approximate) step after which you are on a soft gravel area which is quite difficult to negotiate in a wheelchair.

The dome itself is quite spacious and easy to get around with hard floors and just one rug to negotiate. There are odd pieces of furniture which may need to be moved about at times. The environment temperature is easily controlled from a single panel. The ducted heating/cooling was very effective.

The dining table was easily approached and I was able to get my knees under the table comfortably. The kitchenette was usable, and many things were within easy reach. However there are a few items on shelves high up which would be out of reach.

The bed was quite high and required a well executed transfer to get onto. I needed a small amount of assistance after one transfer didn't quite make it. The bed is very soft and pleasant to sleep in but the softness did make moving around and rolling over difficult. I tied a rope in a loop over one of the beams which made a convenient handle to aid with rolling over etc.

There is a large bookshelf with many interesting books and trinkets, most within easy reach. There were some encyclopaedias out of reach on the top shelf but you are unlikely to need those.

The bathroom was spacious with easy side access to the toilet. The toilet is a standard non-DDA compliant one so is a bit low. The shower bay did not have a seat and, although the owner had provided a wooden bench, I used my own shower seat with adjustable legs. The shower also lacks a shower handle so adjusting water temperature needs to be done prior to sitting down in the shower, this can be tricky and can end up with getting the wheelchair a bit wet. There are no grab rails throughout and the basin mirror is too high to use.

The owners are very willing to assist and do what they can to make your stay enjoyable. Do not hesitate to tell them what your requirements are.

In summary, I think Luna Lodge can offer a very pleasant short stay for the wheelchair user so long as you are accompanied by someone and plan accordingly.

I think that the crucial thing is that Tom is very keen to help anyone to access and enjoy staying at their beautiful property. We have thoroughly enjoyed both of our stays at Luna Lodge and look forward to visiting again in the future. It is relaxing, unique and quite magical.

The bath at night was an absolute highlight!