The Mornington Peninsula, about an hour’s drive south of Melbourne, boasts cinematic ocean vistas, exciting small vineyards and some of Australia’s best-regarded farms, but, surprisingly for all its attractions, enticing accommodation has, until now, been in short supply.
Set dramatically atop a ridgeline amongst Willow Creek’s 11-hectare vineyard, the 46-room Jackalope is the debut project of 29-year-old entrepreneur, Louis Li. Owing to his background in filmmaking, the hotel – a low-slung angular building by local firm Carr Design Group – reveals Li’s theatrical bent with an inky colour scheme that is topped by artist Emily Floyd’s 7m tall sculpture of a jackalope, the mythical jackrabbit with antelope horns, after which the hotel takes its name.
Melbourne-based Carr Design Group, has taken the brief to the extreme, with moody ebony hues that are revealed through black-painted walls, deep-soak Japanese bath tubs, muted furnishings by local outfit Zuster and outside, an inky 30m infinity pool that overlooks the vineyard and the adjoining yoga lawn.
There is Rare Hare, an immersive casual restaurant, but Doot Doot Doot could well be the hotel’s highlight: the four- or eight-course degustation menus lean heavily on Mornington Peninsula produce and are artfully prepared by chef Guy Stanaway, a former star at the luxe Aman resorts. The 1200-bottle cellar only includes wines from vineyards 11 hectares or smaller, while the adjacent cocktail bar, Flaggerdoot, is decked out with furniture by fashion iconoclast Rick Owens among others.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
166 Balnarring Road
Merricks North
-
The bespoke Jaguar E-Type GTO melds elements from every era of the classic sports carECD Automotive Design’s one-off commission caters to a client who wanted to combine the greatest hits of Jaguar’s E-Type along with modern conveniences and more power
-
Casa Sanlorenzo debuts in Venice as a new hub for contemporary artThe luxury yachting leader unveils a stunning new space in a palazzo restored by Piero Lissoni – where art, innovation, and sustainability come together
-
Once vacant, London's grand department stores are getting a new lease on lifeThanks to imaginative redevelopment, these historic landmarks are being rebonr as residences, offices, gyms and restaurants. Here's what's behind the trend
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter: ‘a lush restaurant with rooms’In Sydney’s Paddington, chef Josh Niland opens the 14-bedroom luxury hotel alongside his pioneering restaurant
-
Book a brutalist one-room wonder Down Under, the Vipp Tunnel in TasmaniaThe Danish design brand's bookable showcases arrive in the southern hemisphere, thanks to the vision of Tasmanian architectural firm Room 11
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Eve Hotel Sydney: a lush urban escapeA new Sydney hotel makes a bold and biophilic addition to a buzzing neighbourhood that’s on the up
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Lo Scoglio: an Australian vacation rental with regenerative principlesTucked away in Byron Bay’s hinterland, an Italian-style farmhouse presents a sustainable approach to luxury
-
Five influential women hoteliers reflect on the changing face of hospitalityAs women continue to gain ground in the hotel sector, despite still being underrepresented in senior positions, five female moguls share their experiences of the past and projections for the future
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Melbourne Place: ‘an alchemy of colour, texture and personality’Designed by Kennedy Nolan, Melbourne Place is the Australian city’s newest independent hotel, oozing creativity and urban energy
-
All aboard the world’s most luxurious train journeysStay on track with our pick of the most luxurious train journeys around the world, whether in 1920s-style opulence or contemporary chic
-
Six hotels where you’ll find the winter sun this FebruaryFrom intimate seaside inns to lush tropical resorts, here are six Wallpaper*-approved winter sun escapes
