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.

From cabins to canvas, craft distillers to destination dining, Heathcote locals reveal their eco-savvy passions in ways that resonate with those seeking to travel lightly.

Heathcote , on traditional Taungurung Country in Central Victoria, is synonymous with its garnet-hued shiraz, but wine isn’t the only string to its bow. The town itself is sprinkled with heritage buildings from the gold rush era, and beyond that a growing collection of sustainable gastronomy and eco-friendly escapes. Nearby Bendigo, one of only 65 cities in the world recognised as a UNESCO Creative City and Region of Gastronomy, plates up an astonishing calibre of produce, wine and food for its size. Increasingly the entire region is taking up the challenge, though Heathcote in particular shines with its focus on sustainability.

Pink Cliffs GeologicalReserve — The dramatic landscape of Heathcote’s Pink Cliffs Geological Reserve. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Goodfrey)

The eco-stays bringing sustainability to Heathcote

Yellow BoxWood’s safari-style tents — Yellow Box Wood’s safari-style tents are nestled on 40 hectares of bushland. (Image: Emily Goodfrey)

Andee and Lisa Davidson spent years working in southern Africa before settling in Heathcote. “We had a vision of how this could be,” explains Andee. “We wanted a retreat, but one that was off-grid and environmentally sustainable.” Now, at Yellow Box Wood , two luxury safari-style tents are at the heart of 40 hectares of rolling hills and native bush, with kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, goanna and birdlife aplenty. It’s all solar-powered, wood for the fire is mainly fallen timber, and water is collected on the carport roof. No lack of creature comforts though – en suite with rain shower, espresso coffee maker, comfy seating, wood-burning fire all set to go. There’s also a solar-heated, mineral salt pool in a bush setting, walking tracks, and even a mini bush golf course. On my visit, I put the vision to the test. Cocooned in the plush four-poster bed I can glimpse the stars, while the heater casts a golden glow on the canvas. In the morning, I wake to a blush-pink sunrise, kangaroos feeding and a soundtrack of magpies.

If a tent is not your style, Stephen and Cally Trompp’s carbon-neutral Mt Ida Eco Cabin might entice with its generous deck and farmland views. Inside the cabin, corrugated iron walls as rusty as a shearing shed, gleaming (recycled) floorboards, timber truss ceiling (crafted by Stephen), wood-fired heater and an old-school turntable with a pile of vinyls to spin. It’s fun, and a little boho. “Everything is recycled. The cabin takes maximum advantage of the sun in winter. It’s all solar-powered. Don’t panic, though,” says Stephen, “you can still charge your phone and get 4G reception!” Settle into an Adirondack chair on the deck or pedal off on a mountain bike to suss out the wineries.

A taste of Spain in Central Victoria

Another person with a vision is Evan Pritchard at his Three Dams Estate where the wines reflect his deep love of Spain and of Spanish-style grapes, such as tempranillo. Afternoons in the ‘wine shed’ or cantina are matched with music (flamenco is a favourite), Spanish bites from tapas to paella (with Evan on the pans!) and views to Mount Alexander. Sustainability is also a passion. “You don’t need to buy anything. We decided to be off-grid from the start, but it is a lifestyle change,” he says. “You need to think about it and be careful.” Everything here is recycled, reassembled, refurbished. Evan has an electric car (with solar-powered charger), solar-power for the winery, and even a jaunty little electric tractor/forklift. “I love the idea of all the things you can do using the sun.” Sipping a crisp rosado (a Spanish rosé) with Evan in the sunshine, I couldn’t agree more.

The vineyard redefining sustainable winemaking

Silver Spoon winery — The Silverspoon Estate winery is completely off-grid. (Image: Graham Hosking)

On the other side of Heathcote, Silver Spoon Estate demonstrates sustainability on a more extensive scale. Tracie and Peter Young’s winery, cellar door, award-winning restaurant and their own house are all solar-powered and off the grid. Sustainability is intrinsic to everything they do. The property sprawls across 100 hectares, with 20 hectares under vine – shiraz, viognier, grenache, tempranillo. As the climate has changed, so too has the approach. These are dry-grown vineyards. “We prune for drought. That means lower yields but more intense flavours,” says Peter. The fine-dining restaurant offers sweeping views, a wood-burning fire and a deck for languid lunches. Head chef Ben Hong sources regional, sustainable ingredients and weaves estate wines into the menu – think crispy wild mushroom arancini, viognier-infused chicken breast.

Silver Spoon’s award-winning restaurant.

Heathcote’s other hidden gems

Not all local wineries have a cellar door, but I find local treasures at the Heathcote Wine Hub , a petite 1855 timber church in the main street, lovingly returned to life by Karen Robertson and Carey Moncrieff. “Carey is a scrounger,” says Karen. “He doesn’t throw a single thing away.” He does, however, craft things into something quite special. Heritage floors, light-filtering lancet windows and shelves of regional wines create the perfect ambience for wine tasting. Or order a glass and linger over a cheese platter.

Heathcote is not all wine, of course. Nathan Wheat and partner Vanessa Curtis run Envy Distilling with a committed sustainable ethic – and a serious love of gin. Their small-batch distillery produces grape-based gin, and soon brandy. Distilled water is reused in an ingenious cooling system. All waste is treated on site. They buy excess wine from winemakers to distil and buy recycled barrels. “Distilling with the sun,” as Nathan says. Each Envy gin has its own story. Spicy, award-winning The Dry, is designed to capture the region’s dry, rugged nature. Pull up a stool at the bar (reclaimed timbers and tiles, of course), order a Gin Flight, or kick back with a cocktail and let Nathan share his eco journey.

Envy gins — Sample gins at small-batch distillery Envy.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s less than two hours’ drive from Melbourne. The scenic route we take goes past Sunbury, then along a splendid country road through Romsey and the magic, boulder-strewn landscape of Lancefield. Watch for kangaroos on the road!

Staying there

Go off-grid in style at Yellow Box Wood for glamping or try Mt Ida Eco Cabin for a couple’s weekend hideaway.

Eating there

French dishes at Chauncy — Award-winning French restaurant Chauncy.

At award-winning Chauncy , French chef Louis Naepels and sommelier wife Tess Murray have created a tiny, elegant pocket of rural France. Meticulously restored 1850s sandstone building, sun-drenched dining room, impeccable service, a menu suffused with local flavours and thoughtful wine pairings.

Fodder is both cafe and social hub. Chef Mo Pun and sister Lalita serve classic Aussie breakfast-to-lunch fare, though their Nepalese heritage sneaks through.

Playing there

Sanguine Estate ’s cellar door and terrace overlook bucolic vineyards. Its award-winning, dry-grown wines include the distinctive D’Orsa Blanc dessert wine, reflecting the family’s Swiss-Italian heritage. Order a charcuterie board and stay a while. Keep it carbon neutral by cycling some (or all) of the 50-kilometre O’Keefe Rail Trail to Bendigo.

At Bridgeward Grove , learn about the property’s Old Mission Grove heritage olive trees, do a sommelier olive oil tasting, and stock up on sustainably grown olives and oil. Explore the unique landscape, wildflowers and wildlife of pink cliffs geological reserve.

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