Hotel Review: Jackalope, Mornington Peninsula

The problem with checking in to the luxurious surrounds of Jackalope on the Mornington Peninsula is you’ll never want to leave.

Whichever way you look at it, Jackalope is one sexy beast. This architecturally designed, art-focused hotel, set on the edge of a vineyard, is dark, moody and just about as far removed from a country inn as one could possibly imagine. Sprawl on your terrace overlooking the countryside, bask on the edge of the infinity pool, or dress up for a memorable dinner beneath a stunning light installation. There’s luxury at every turn. Planning a visit to the coastal region? Read on for our review of Jackalope, Mornington Peninsula.

Location

Jackalope is in the middle of Victoria’s thriving Mornington Peninsula region and is the perfect base for a long weekend exploring the area’s wineries, restaurants, markets and beaches. A soak and a glass of Champagne at the Peninsula Hot Springs is also a great way to pass the time.

a couple drinking a glass of Champagne — While away the afternoon with a glass of Champagne. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Style and character

When you picture a country hotel you may envisage shabby-chic interiors with chintzy curtains and Persian rugs. Jackalope, just over an hour from Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula, has taken this cliche, gutted it and turned it on its head.

the chic interior of Jackalope — Jackalope boasts elevated interiors. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Owner Louis Li purchased the 143-year-old Willow Creek homestead and vineyard in 2013 and set about creating his first hotel on the property.

the black aluminium structure in triangular shape at Jackalope — The striking aluminium Jackalope sign. (Image: Visit Victoria)

With a background in television, he wanted to create something theatrical and called on the Carr design group to help him in this quest. The result is a jaw-dropping black aluminium structure that overlooks rows of grapevines. It’s a credit to the design team that they managed to create something visually spectacular without it becoming an eyesore on the rolling landscape.

the sprawling vineyards at Jackalope — The venue overlooks rows of grapevines. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Everything here has a sense of occasion. Contemporary art is the heart and soul of this boutique hotel, and a seven-metre-tall jackalope sculpture by artist Emily Floyd greets you as you approach the front door. (For the uninitiated, a jackalope is a mythical creature that is half jackrabbit, half antelope.)

a seven-metre-tall jackalope sculpture by artist Emily Floyd — The Jackalope sculpture by Emily Floyd is an ode to the mythical creature. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Facilities

As you’d expect with a five-star hotel, the service is on point. Little inclusions – a Lexus and driver to whisk us to our lunch booking at nearby Laura restaurant (highly recommended), a refreshing Mecca face mist on our pillow at turndown, and a leather Jackalope luggage tag gifted at check-out – gave the whole experience a sense of luxury.

While we didn’t sample them ourselves, the onsite spa treatments get rave reviews. You can choose to be pampered in the poolside geodome (it can also be booked for private dining experiences) or in the comfort of your own room.

an outdoor pool at Jackalope — Laze by the pool. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Rooms

The destination hotel comprises 46 rooms, including two suites and one studio-style apartment.

We booked a night in a terrace room during off-peak season. On the website, this style of room is referred to as ‘connecting with the rural surrounds’, which it turns out is marketing speak for ‘this room looks back onto the car park’.

a brightly coloured interior at Jackalope — The interior takes on a moody vibe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

At check-in, we were lucky enough to be upgraded to a room with a view of the vineyard. The orientation of these rooms means you can sit in a robe and enjoy the sunset from your private balcony, drinking in the view of the vines beyond the hotel’s very Instagrammable 30-metre black infinity pool. It’s a bloody great way to end your day.

the living space at Jackalope — Take in the natural scenery from your balcony. (Image: Visit Victoria)

In keeping with the building’s darkly hued aesthetic, the room is decorated in charcoal tones, providing a moody ambience. There’s an excellent king-sized bed – the sort that has you wondering why you don’t have one of them at home – and a bathroom with bespoke Hunter Lab amenities and a double-headed rain shower. It was mildly disappointing that this particular room didn’t have a bath, which is a big part of a luxury hotel experience for many people.

a couple entering their suite at Jackalope — Each room is swathed in charcoal tones. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The room tariff includes complimentary breakfast and mini-bar, complete with chips, cans of cider, beer, vodka and soda, and an array of soft drinks. There’s also an in-room iPad that connects to a broad range of on-demand movies.

the Lair suite at Jackalope — Sleep in comfort in the Lair suite. (Image: Visit Victoria)

If you really want to push the boat out, the top-of-the-line suites, called Lairs, include hand deliveries of popcorn and locally sourced ice cream and bookable luxury transfers to anywhere within 10 kilometres. They also have a double-sided indoor/outdoor fireplace.

a couple entering the reception area at Jackalope — The hotel has a beautifully warm and friendly ambience. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Food and Drink

There’s no shortage of dining options if you can’t be bothered leaving the confines of the hotel. Doot Doot Doot is a one-hatted fine-dining restaurant offering a three-course menu, with added snacks, that brings together Asian flavours and the plentiful produce from local providores. The space has a beautifully warm ambience thanks to Jan Flook’s ceiling light installation of 10,000 amber globes that dim and brighten with a shimmering effect.

pouring wine into a glass in front of a man sitting at Jackalope — Indulge in a delicious lunch. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The hotel’s more casual bistro, Rare Hare, also offers a wine and food store, so you can pick up some local delicacies to take home. If you’ve overindulged at lunch, this is the spot for a lighter supper. For instance, you could just order the salumi selection or one of the seasonal dishes, like wood-fired eggplant with red miso and furikake, and a glass of wine.

a table-top view of food plates on the table, Jackalope — You’ll be spoilt for choice with the lunch and dinner menu. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Flaggerdoot is Jackalope’s cocktail bar, set in the property’s original 1876 house that has been tastefully incorporated into the hotel’s sleek redesign. It’s a playful area, with contemporary art and eclectic touches, such as an electric blue billiards table. You’re offered a complimentary welcome drink in Flaggerdoot upon arrival.

(Still catching up on the lingo? A flaggerdoot is the collective noun for a group of jackalopes, and a doot doot doot is the leader of a flaggerdoot.)

a couple dining at Jackalope — The fine-dining restaurant offers a three-course menu. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakfast is included in the room tariff and veers from your standard hotel buffet situation. Guests are invited to select from a small continental selection of pastries and cereals, as well as from a menu of hot, seasonal à la carte options, usually with some more adventurous choices.

two cocktail glasses at Jackalope — Enjoy a tipple or two at Jackalope’s cocktail bar. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Experiences

Alongside Jackalope’s black pool looking over the vines is a heated infinity spa and an infrared sauna. There’s a day spa in a secluded part of the hotel, where you can book facials and body treatments, some using products made using pinot grapes.

Start the day with a restorative yoga session in the sunshine. Later in the day, there are wine tastings and vineyard walks with the winery team to enjoy, as well as tours of the cellar, kitchen garden and the hotel’s art and design.

a couple enjoying a wine-tasting session at Jackalope — Make the most of your time by sampling the wine on offer. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Access for guests with disabilities?

Disabled access is available. Contact the hotel for more details when booking.

Family-friendly?

Jackalope only accepts children over the age of 12. It is a more refined adult stay anyway.

Details

Best for: Weekenders seeking extraordinary food, sleek architectural design and easy access to the beach and countryside.

Address: 166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North, Mornington Peninsula VIC

Cost: From $650 a night.

a couple carrying luggage while heading into Jackalope — Book a romantic weekend away at the chic and sleek Jackalope. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Discover the best wineries on the Mornington Peninsula.

A town charmingly paused in time has become a hot mountain biking destination.

There’s a forest reserve full of eucalyptus and pines surrounding town – when you combine all the greenery with a main street of grand old buildings still standing from the Victorian Gold Rush, Creswick looks more period movie set than a 21st-century town.

old gold bank Victoria — Grand buildings from the Victorian gold rush. (Image: Visit Victoria)

This entire region of Victoria – the Central Goldfields – is as pretty-as-a-picture, but there’s something extra-special about Creswick. I used to live 30 minutes north; I’d drive in some evenings to cruise its main street at dusk, and pretend I was travelling back in time.

It was sleepy back then, but that’s changed. Where I used to walk through its forest, now I’m hurtling down the state’s best new mountain bike trails. There’s a 60-kilometre network of mountain bike trails – dubbed Djuwang Baring – which make Creswick the state’s hottest new mountain biking destination.

Meet Victoria’s new mountain biking capital

Creswick bike trail — This historic town has become a mountain biking hotspot.

Victoria has a habit of turning quiet country towns into mountain biking hotspots. I was there in the mid-2000s when the tiny Otways village of Forrest embarked on an ambitious plan to save itself (after the death of its timber cutting industry) courtesy of some of the world’s best mountain bike trails. A screaming success it proved to be, and soon mountain bike trails began popping up all over Victoria.

I’m no expert, so I like that a lot of Creswick’s trails are as scenic as they are challenging. I prefer intermediate trails, such as Down Martuk, with its flowing berms and a view round every corner. Everyone from outright beginners to experts can be happy here. There’s trails that take me down technical rock sections with plenty of bumps. But there’s enough on offer to appeal to day-trippers, as much as hard-core mountain-bikers.

I love that the trails empty onto that grand old main street. There’s bars still standing from the Gold Rush of the 1850s I can refuel at. Like the award-winning Farmers Arms, not to be confused with the pub sharing its name in Daylesford. It’s stood since 1857. And The American Creswick built two years later, or Odessa Wine Bar, part of Leaver’s Hotel in an 1856-built former gold exchange bank.

The Woodlands is set on a large bushland property. (Image: Vanessa Smith Photography)

Creswick is also full of great cafes and restaurants, many of them set in the same old buildings that have stood for 170 years. So whether you’re here for the rush of the trails or the calm of town life, Creswick provides.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Inside the Woodlands, a chic 1970s log cabin. (Image: Vanessa Smith Photography)

RACV Goldfields Resort is a contemporary stay with a restaurant, swimming pool and golf course. The Woodlands in nearby Lal Lal comprises a chic log cabin set on a 16-hectare property abundant in native wildlife.

Eating there

Le Peche Gourmand makes for the perfect pitstop for carb and sugar-loading.

The menu at Odessa at Leaver’s Hotel includes some Thai-inspired fare. Fuel up for your ride on baguettes and pastries from French patisserie Le Peche Gourmand . The Farmers Arms has been a much-loved local institution since 1857.

Playing there

Creswick State Forest has a variety of hiking trails, including a section of the 210-kilometre-long Goldfields Track. Miss Northcotts Garden is a quaint garden store with tea room.

Art, wine and luxury collide at Jackalope on the Mornington Peninsula