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Off-Grid and On Top: Tasmania’s Kittawa Lodge Named One of the World’s Best Resorts
King Island’s luxury off-grid escape has officially gone global, with Kittawa Lodge earning top honours in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards across both the US and UK editions.
Tasmania has a way of sneaking up on the world — and this week, it’s done it again. Kittawa Lodge, the off-grid luxury retreat perched on King Island’s rugged western edge, has been named one of the World’s Best Resorts in Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards.
The news marks another milestone for Tasmania’s quietly spectacular hospitality scene. Ranked #16 in the US Edition’s World’s Best Resorts in Australia Pacific and #9 in the UK Edition’s Best Resorts in Australasia and the South Pacific, Kittawa Lodge now sits among global heavyweights — yet still feels entirely in a world of its own. It’s also the only Tasmanian property to make either list, and one of just seven Australian resorts recognised by US readers this year.
For co-owner Aaron Suine, the recognition is deeply personal. “There is no greater reward than to be acknowledged by our guests,” he says. “To be the only Tasmanian resort featured across both lists is huge for us — it reflects our commitment to creating a truly Australian, luxury experience.”
Set across 96 acres of untouched coastal wilderness, Kittawa Lodge is designed for travellers who crave connection over opulence. The architecture is low-slung and cinematic, all pale timber, natural stone and sweeping glass. Each lodge frames the island’s drama — crashing waves, shifting skies — without ever disturbing it.
The newly opened two-bedroom Kittawa Retreat extends the experience: a private outdoor hot tub, wine cellar, and space enough for families or two couples. Inside, hand-crafted Tasmanian furniture, plush linens and rain showers turn seclusion into an art form.
Despite being entirely off-grid, Kittawa never skimps on comfort — solar power meets slow luxury, and guests swap screens for scenery. Even the dining feels deeply Tasmanian, with local provisions like King Island beef, Long Paddock cheese and Chooks at the Rooke eggs ready to transform into leisurely home-style feasts.
The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards drew more than 900,000 responses across the US and UK, cementing Kittawa Lodge’s place on the world map. For King Island — long the domain of cheesemakers, golfers and dreamers — it’s a moment of global recognition wrapped in local pride.
Tasmania’s secret is out: paradise doesn’t need to shout to be heard.
Proof that paradise can run on solar and silence — Kittawa Lodge makes isolation look irresistible. For more dreamy destination lodges, check out these island stays around Australia and romantic Tasmanian retreats.
