Jackalope

Situated on a private vineyard in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula wine region, Jackalope promises an experience to remember.

With a monolithic, jet-black exterior, the hotel stands in sharp contrast to the verdant rolling vines, this juxtaposition a nod to the hotel’s namesake, a mythical creature – part-jackrabbit, part-antelope – that exists only in folklore.

Jackalope unifies art, design, dining and storytelling in the guest experience, creating a whimsical interplay between the ideal and the surreal. Shared spaces are lavished with inhabitable art – think a 10,000-globe chandelier that adorns the dining room ceiling or a 7-metre tall namesake sculpture standing sentry on arrival.

The hotel’s 45 rooms are a restrained statement of whites and greys with floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces offering sweeping views over the 30-metre infinity pool and vines.

Two hatted restaurants surprise with contrasting takes on farm-to-fork food: Doot Doot Doot, delivers upscale dining and a tantalising tasting menu; while cellar door restaurant, Rare Hare, serves up a food and wine affair with a devil-may-care air. Food aside, a cocktail bar oozing curated-cool breathes new life into the property’s old homestead, while a cellar door is open for daily wine tasting.

Just a one-hour drive from Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula is a perfect addition to a Melbourne visit, offering some of Australia’s best food and wine, golf, adventure, beach and leisure activities. Over 50 cellar doors and restaurants dot the rolling hills around Jackalope’s own 11-hectare vineyard, while the Peninsula’s unique array of dramatic surf and sheltered bay beaches, natural hot springs, and national parks contribute to the perfect mix of coastal and country reverie.