The 'life-changing' story behind the award-winning Gilmore Girls namesake

Along with Ms Richardson's sister, Sarah Calabro, who would run the day-to-day management, the pair decided to buy a hidden away, dilapidated property on a narrow West Launceston side street.

With the view of making it a quiet haven seemingly removed from the city's noise, but with the convenience of being minutes away from anything in Launceston, Mr Garven and his handyman skills and Ms Richardson with her taste for design set to work.

What has resulted is a multiple-award-winning heritage hosted accommodation named The Dragonfly Inn.

"It's pretty incredible, life-changing I guess," Ms Richardson said.

Named after the iconic property in hit 2000s television show Gilmore Girls, self-professed fan Ms Richardson said it always made her smile when people admit the reason they stay at the accommodation because of the name.

With a similar heritage appeal to its television namesake, Ms Richardson said while Launceston's The Dragonfly Inn might look old-fashioned on the exterior, the interior has been updated to ensure every visitor enjoys modern comforts.

"Sarah and I have grown up in heritage homes with our mum in Tasmania, so I've always just had a real passion for that heritage look," Ms Richardson said.

"Our tagline that we actually use is 'heritage accommodation with a fresh new edge', and so it's really blending that modern comfort and styling with that heritage."

And while the accommodation is hosted, Mr Garven said they were keen to avoid a bed and breakfast approach.

"In a traditional bed and breakfast - you will have many individual conversations with each and every guest," Mr Garven said.

"Whereas what I like to get out of it is to ensure that every guest that comes through the doors gets a great experience without having to have that personal experience with me personally."

These approaches, along with valuing every single piece of customer feedback, have proved popular.

Not just by the customers walking through the door, but by awards judges that have been blown away by the double storey building.

Awarded gold and bronze in the hosted accommodation and cultural tourism categories respectively at the Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania-run Tasmanian Tourism Awards, last year's haul of trophies was crowned by their gold in hosted accommodation at the Australian Tourism Awards.

"For the nationals, when we heard the silver and bronze winners had been announced, we were a little bit disappointed," Mr Garven said.

"Because we thought, 'this is the first time, we're not going to get gold', and then they said The Dragonfly Inn, and we were just blown away.

"The only feedback we generally get is from guests and we always take that onboard ... so then to have a judging panel look at our business from an overall perspective and agree with what our guests are telling us was really validating."

Having had a chance to reflect on their success, the journey from start-ups to award winners has been a fulfilling one for Ms Richardson and Ms Calabro, who agreed that their appreciation of their hometown has surged.

"I'm really proud to do something like this in Launceston, where I grew up," Ms Richardson summarised.

"You move away and then you realise how special Launceston actually is," Ms Calabro added.