VICTORIA
Jackalope’s dedication to
wine is endearing, from the
glass-walled wine cellar at reception
and estate-grown bottles in the bistro,
to the 10,000-globe chandelier in the
restaurant, designed to evoke the
fermentation process.
Don’t miss having a meal in
Rare Hare, which has local
ingredients and wine as its backbone,
and a wood-burning oven as its heart.
Breakfast in Doot Doot Doot
is a highlight. There’s a mini
bufet of fruit, baked goods and
cereals, but concentrate on the hot
dishes, the likes of chicken congee,
spanner crab omelette, and heirloom
tomatoes with stracciatella. In-room
dining is smart, too, and includes a
stellar club sandwich spiked with
chicken skin and bacon jam.
Flaggerdoot bar has some of
the best original cocktails in
Victoria. Its list changes monthly and
leans herbal, with drinks such as The
Sage, a lively mix of jalapeño-infused
tequila, Chartreuse, lime and sage.WHEREMornington
Peninsula, about 70km
from Melbourne, an
hour’s drive.COSTFrom
$650, with breakfast.
AT A GLANCE46 rooms
and suites, adjoining
rooms; bar, restaurants,
pool, free parking.
IN ROOMFree WiFi,
Bose Bluetooth speaker,
Samsung tablet,
balcony, some baths,
pillow menu, free
minibar, Hunter Lab
toiletries.BEST ROOMS
The Lair suites have
indoor-outdoor
fireplaces, dining
and lounge areas,
kitchenette and
enormous bathrooms.
A general rule of thumb:
ask for a vineyard view.JACKALOPE
When Jackalope opened in a
Mornington Peninsula winery last year,
it was like an alien spacecraft landing.
The charred timber-clad building, full
of arresting art and neon-lit corridors,
is like nothing else in the region.
Neither are the dark and handsome
rooms, many with freestanding stone
tubs, all with spacious balconies and
complimentary minibars. Guests
lounge beside a black infinity pool,
contemplating the vineyard and an
all-day menu, or shoot pool in the
starkly contemporary bar housed in
the 1876 homestead. Other diversions
includes dégustation-only restaurant
Doot Doot Doot and an excellent
bistro, Rare Hare. Alien maybe, but
Jackalope landed in the right place
at the right time.166 Balnarring Rd,
Merricks North, (03) 5931 2500,
jackalopehotels.com