Luxury accommodation in the Mornington Peninsula

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From a boutique bolthole awash with contemporary design, to an exclusive farmhouse that was made for long summer nights spent wining and dining with friends, there’s a luxury accommodation option to suit all tastes on the Mornington.

The bucolic pocket that has it all, not only is the Mornington Peninsula home to world-leading maritime wineries, acclaimed restaurants with sweeping verdant valley views, and gorgeous stretches of coastline, but it’s also home to some of Victoria’s best hotels. Read on for details of several of the region’s most noteworthy options.

 

Don’t miss: The best places to eat & drink on Mornington Peninsula

Jackalope Hotel

No list of the Mornington’s best accommodation would be complete without mention of Jackalope. Open since April 2017, this luxurious and hyper-modern boutique hotel is arguably the one that put the peninsula on the map, much to the annoyance of in-the-know Melburnians who wanted to keep this idyllic region all to themselves.

 

The minimalist rooms and suites are dressed in moody shades of smoky grey and black, and feature custom-made furniture, floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces, some with vineyard views. But it’s not just the accommodation that’s winning over guests: the property is also home to award-winning fine-dining restaurant Doot Doot Doot, where the food is a standout, but the decor is just as noteworthy, the ceiling an art installation covered with 10,000 light bulbs. And did we mention the infinity pool, spa, casual Rare Hare restaurant and wine bar, or the Flaggerdoot cocktail lounge?

Jackalope Mornington Peninsula
The Jackalope hype is well and truly worth it

Address: 166 Balnarring Rd, Merricks North, Vic, 3926

Phone: (03) 5931 2500

Website: Jackalopehotels.com

Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill

If the premise of Jackalope’s ultra-contemporary surrounds proves a turn-off, then the Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill might just be the answer to your accommodation prayers. The property’s light-filled, classic country house character will have you feeling right at home. Rooms are doused in white, dove grey and taupe, and most have access to some sort of outdoor area, whether a shared balcony, or a ground floor terrace. The pick of the bunch at this boutique, 40-room hotel is arguably the spacious balcony suite, which has its own open fireplace – the perfect place to unwind with a glass of Lindenderry’s pinot noir and perhaps a cheese board.

 

Set amid 34 acres of gardens and vines, the boutique hotel is also home to an indoor swimming pool, a sauna, a rather wonderful farm-to-fork restaurant, a cellar door, lakeside lawns to picnic in, and more.

Lancemore
Lancemore is set amongst 34 stunning acres of gardens and vines.

Address: 142 Arthurs Seat Rd, Red Hill, Vic, 3937

Phone: (03) 5989 2933

Website: lancemore.com.au/lindenderry-red-hill

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Polperro Farmhouse

Secreted away on the grounds of the boutique winery’s estate, the Polperro Farmhouse might just be the perfect little bolthole. Renovated with guidance from what is perhaps Melbourne’s preeminent interior design firm, Hecker Guthrie, this quaint, three-bedroom cottage is a masterclass in 1950s design fused with modern minimalism.

 

Inside, guests will find an open fireplace, a fully equipped kitchen, a minibar replete with Polperro wines and cocktails, Smeg appliances, a sizable bathtub, and a bounty of natural light pouring in. But it’s outside where this property really shines. Dine al fresco, under the sun-dappled shade of trees, overlooking a sea of vines; marvel at the stars while sitting around the firepit in Adirondack chairs; soak up the last of the day’s rays on the patio; and go to town with the farmhouse’s extensive outdoor kitchen, which houses a top-of-the-line barbecue, a spit roaster, and a vast island counter for prepping and plating.

 

The estate also has four villas, which each sleep two.

Find the farmhouse secreted away on the boutique winery’s estate.

Address: 64 Donaldsons Rd, Red Hill, Vic, 3937

Phone: (03) 5989 2471

Website: polperrowines.com.au/farmhouse-accommodation/

 

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RACV Cape Schanck Resort

When you think of no-holds-barred luxury accommodation, RACV’s resorts might not be the first place your mind wanders. But this five-star property on the southernmost tip of the Mornington Peninsula is a bit special. Sure, it’s not quite as boutique as the other options on this list, but what the guest rooms lack in individualism, the resort makes up for with facilities: a championship 18-hole par-70 golf course, an acclaimed restaurant with a modern Australian menu, two further more casual eateries, a respectably sized fitness centre, a luxury day spa, a games room and playground for kids, and three floodlit tennis courts.

 

Located amid sand dunes and dense coastal scrubland, the resort also boasts a number of great walks right on its doorstep, leading guests to some rugged windswept landscapes. From a distance you can also admire the sculptural architecture of the RACV Cape Schanck, a landmark local building that looks different from every angle.

 

Address: Trent Jones Drive, Cape Schanck, Vic, 3939

Phone: (03) 5950 8000

Website: racv.com.au/racv-resorts/Cape-Schanck

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Chloe Cann
Chloe Cann is an award-winning freelance travel and food writer, born in England, based in Melbourne and Roman by adoption. Since honing her skills at City St George's, University of London with a master's degree in journalism, she's been writing almost exclusively about travel for more than a decade, and has worked in-house at newspapers and travel magazines in London, Phnom Penh, Sydney and Melbourne. Through a mixture of work and pleasure, she's been fortunate enough to visit 80 countries to date, though there are many more that she is itching to reach. While the strength of a region's food scene tends to dictate the location of her next trip, she can be equally swayed by the promise of interesting landscapes and offbeat experiences. And with a small person now in tow, travel looks a little different these days, but it remains at the front of her mind.
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This geological wonder is hiding in the heart of Victoria

    Michael Turtle Michael Turtle
    Mythical, historical and most of all, spectacularly beautiful, Buchan Caves demands you take your time – and a tour. 

    In the pools of water, so still they could be mirrors, the reflections of the stalactites make these limestone towers seem even taller. Almost 400 million years ago, an underground river carved through the rock to create the Buchan Caves. Now, artworks created by dripping water adorn these subterranean galleries: stalactites hanging from the ceiling, pillars connecting some to the ground, even curtain-like wave formations clinging to the stone.

    Caves House
    Visit the caves for the day or stay onsite in the campground or at the self-contained Caves House. (Image: Ben Savage)

    “This is called the Fairy Cave because it’s full of fairy dust,” a guide tells visitors as they enter a cavern glittering with “calcite that’s solidified into thousands of tiny little diamond shapes”.  Buchan Caves is Victoria’s largest cave system, but Fairy Cave is a highlight and, along with nearby Royal Cave, is accessible only by tour. Naturally cold, naturally dark, these caverns deep below the surface light up as the local experts tell their stories. 

    couple walking in cave
    You’ll need to book a guided tour to see the caves. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the hundreds of caves, some can be easily accessed from the surface. For instance, a casual stroll along the FJ Wilson Interpreted Walk, as kangaroos watch on from beneath acacia trees, leads into the 400-metre-long Federal Cave and its natural steps of white limestone. A slightly longer track, the Granite Pools Walk heads through soaring forest down into moss-covered gullies where the calls of lyrebirds trill through the leaves. 

    A quick history lesson on Buchan Caves 

    Buchan Caves
    Buchan Caves are a must-visit attraction in Gippsland. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Among the geology and the nature are millennia of history. This part of East Gippsland connects the high country to the coast and was long a place of refuge for the local Gunaikurnai people on seasonal migrations to the mountains. Archaeological studies show humans lived here up to 18,000 years ago, with artefacts such as small stone tools found around the site. But not too far into the caverns – oh no! The Gunaikurnai didn’t dare venture deep into the dark at Buchan Caves, telling stories they were inhabited by gnome-like nyols (small grey-skinned creatures that could steal memories). 

    Buchan Caves Hotel
    The Buchan Caves Hotel was rebuilt after burning down in 2014. (Image: Jess Shapiro)

    By the early 1900s, more people had started to hear about these incredible caves and so the Moon family set up home at the site and started to run tours below ground for intrepid visitors. More than a century later, their historic residence is available as accommodation, with the three-bedroom house sleeping up to eight people and now equipped with modern amenities the Moons could only have dreamt of. 

    But whether you stay overnight or just spend the day here, it’s worth taking your time to explore more than just the main caves, to get a deeper understanding of one of Victoria’s fascinating geological attractions.