Being a light sleeper I was concerned about some of the mentions of traffic noise, so went for a superior king on the 7th floor. Best $14 I ever spent. The room was outstanding. Great comfortable bed & I wanted to take the toilet home with me!
The location is very good being 5 to 10 min walk to waterfront or CBD & easy to find when coming in to the city

This hotel won TripAdvisor's accolade in 2011 and as I approached it I did wonder why. It is located a good 15 minutes walk from the Salamanca area (where the market and some good restaurants and bar are), and slightly less to the waterfront (where you can get the ferry to the Museum of Old and New Art). The hotel's position in front of a busy roundabout is not ideal - though the noise is not an issue once in the rooms (good double glazing!). The building itself looks dated and the whole atmosphere screams 80s. So my first impression was far from good.

However, this place did grow on me considerably over my stay.
Our room on the 7th floor was modern and well appointed, with a large flat screen and a huge bed. I believe that the hotel is going under renovation, so I am not sure whether rooms on other floors would feel as spank new - possibly not. Small details like fresh milk in the fridge and local honey infused toiletries just show that there is some good amount of thought gone in the way the hotel is run. Bigger details like the first fairly priced minibar in the world are other small touches that make the difference. All in all, I do not feel that the Fountainside deserves a big fat (4/5) TripAdvisor rating, but if I could I would give it a well deserved 3.5

Stayed here on the first night of a 12 day trip around Tasmania. Fountainside has all the things you need for a family holiday hotel, plus it was the very first hotel I have ever stayed in ANYWHERE that has realistic priced items in its mini bar. That means you can actually afford to buy them, what a novelty! Staff were helpful and our rooms were clean and comfortable.A short 10 min walk to the docks, and waterfront areas.

What a refreshing change to find a hotel that charges local prices for minibar products and meals in the restaurant; internet access was also very cheap. Why can't other hotels do the same? (that was rhetorical!). We were allocated a room on the top floor that was very well equipped and with a high-tech bathroom (the top floor is a recent addition that has only been open for a few months). We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Fountainside, which, at around AUS$150 a night, was no more expensive than relatively inferior establishments in Hobart. Don't be fooled by the unimpressive exterior, this is a very good hotel in all respects that really matter.