JUST an hour from Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula is the perfect place to escape to for a mid-week break to recharge and relax.
Dotted with boutique wineries, great beaches, farm gates and even hot springs, there’s plenty to pack into a few days.
At the coastal resorts of Dromana and Rye you can also find sophisticated bars, winery restaurants and golf courses.
For the ultimate vineyard escape, Lakeside Villas at Crittenden Estate – a short drive from Dromana – is well worth a look-in.
Winner of Best Self Contained Accommodation at last year’s Victorian Tourism Awards, the three boutique villas – all with king-size bedrooms, wood fires, spas and private decks – are part of the Crittenden Estate winery and built over the vineyard’s lake.
They are run by Crittenden Estate winemaker Rollo Crittenden and his wife Linda, who decided to switch careers three years ago and take over management of the villas. All villas have ramp access, grab handles in the bathrooms and are spacious.
If you don’t feel like heading far for dinner, you can meander along the lake to the onsite Stillwater restaurant or sample more than 20 wines at the property’s Crittenden Wine Centre.
The Lakeside Villas are a stone’s throw from many Mornington Peninsula attractions including cellar doors, beaches, golf courses, farm gates around Red Hill and the Peninsula Hot Springs.
If you go...
CHECK out Heronswood Garden (home of The Diggers Club), which showcases the best flowers and plants for Australian conditions.
The gardens change throughout the year.
The garden shop has a wide range of plants and specialises in Diggers signature heirloom seeds, cottage flowers and edible plants.
Other places to visit:
Peninsula Hot Springs, Octopus’s Garden marine trail underneath Rye Pier and the rainbow-hued bathing boxes found all along the shoreline of Port Phillip Bay.
