Canonical: https://peninsulainsider.com.au/journal/luxury-hotels-mornington-peninsula/ Publisher: Peninsula Insider Published: 2026-04-22T00:00:00.000Z Modified: 2026-04-22T00:00:00.000Z Format: public main text, generated from the canonical page; imagery and interactive controls omitted. Dates and caveats below retain their page meaning; this format is not a new fact check. Service 22 April 2026 8 min read # Luxury Hotels on the Mornington Peninsula - The Honest Guide One MICHELIN Two Keys hotel, one IHG five-star on a clifftop, and a country house hotel with two AGFG hats. Plus the most common confusion on the Peninsula: Hotel Sorrento and InterContinental Sorrento are not the same property. Keep this for later - By **The Peninsula Insider** Luxury Hotels Accommodation Boutique Hotels Michelin Photo · Peter Foster, courtesy of Visit Victoria Illustrative image This image shows Jackalope Hotel. It does not depict the place described on this page. Luxury Hotels on the Mornington Peninsula - The Honest Guide in 8 photographs 1 / 8 Two guests walk out of the black-framed entrance beside a red-brick building at Jackalope Hotel, with a dark sculpture in front Jackalope Hotel, Merricks North, Mornington Peninsula. Photo · Peter Foster, courtesy of Visit Victoria ## One clarification before anything else **Hotel Sorrento** (5–15 Hotham Road) and **InterContinental Sorrento** (23 Constitution Hill Road) are completely separate properties. This confusion affects more bookings than almost any other issue on the Peninsula. Hotel Sorrento is a boutique pub hotel that completed a five-year renovation in January 2026. InterContinental Sorrento is an IHG five-star that opened August 2022 on the site of the 1875 Continental Hotel (known locally as “The Conti”). Different buildings, different streets, different ownership, different price points. Every piece of copy about either property should state the street address clearly. ## Tier 1: MICHELIN and five-star ### Jackalope Hotel, Merricks North Australia’s MICHELIN Two Keys property. 45 rooms on the Willow Creek Vineyard estate. The designation, awarded in 2025, recognises Jackalope’s position in international hospitality; the first Australian properties received it in 2025 and there are very few. The hotel: vineyard infinity pool, heated spa, infrared sauna, deep-soak Japanese baths in Lair and Vineyard Bath rooms. No children under 12. The food is a legitimate part of the stay: Doot Doot Doot (dinner nightly, one hat GFG 2025) and Rare Hare (walk-in, outdoor wood-fired, one hat GFG 2025) are both worth booking regardless of whether you’re staying. Rates sit at the top of the Peninsula’s range. Minimum two-night stay on weekends likely. Book direct for current rates. 166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North. [jackalopehotels.com]() ### InterContinental Sorrento, Sorrento (23 Constitution Hill Road) IHG five-star on the clifftop above Sorrento. Opened August 2022 after a nine-figure redevelopment of the site that’s housed a hotel since 1875. Heated outdoor bay-view pool with cabanas. Aurora Spa & Bathhouse with thermal bathing pools and a full treatment menu. CeeCee’s all-day dining plus the Pool Deck Bar. Minimum check-in age 18. The location (clifftop above Sorrento, walking distance to the village) is among the best of any hotel on the Peninsula. Rates sit at the top of the Peninsula’s range: book direct for current prices. Website: [thecontinentalsorrento.com.au]() Note: completely separate from Hotel Sorrento at 5–15 Hotham Road. ### RACV Cape Schanck Resort, Cape Schanck The Peninsula’s largest resort, 184 rooms. Five-star RACV property adjacent to the Cape Schanck lighthouse. Championship golf course on-site (one of two courses at Moonah Links). One Spa (massage, facials, hammam). Four dining venues: Cape, Samphire, Mantellina, and Cape Bar & Terrace. RACV member benefits apply. A strong fit for families and groups who want full resort facilities. The only hotel with golf course on-site. [racv.com.au]() ## Tier 1B: High-end boutique ### Lancemore Lindenderry Red Hill, Red Hill 40 rooms in a country house hotel format. The Dining Room holds two hats in the AGFG 2025/2026; dinner Thursday to Saturday, lunch Friday to Sunday. Lake views, tall silver birch trees, formal gardens. Recognised by Luxury Travel Magazine as one of Australia’s most romantic regional hotels. Rates span the upper-mid to premium bands depending on room and season. The AGFG recognition makes this a more serious food destination than its country-house aesthetic might suggest. 142 Arthurs Seat Road, Red Hill. [lancemore.com.au]() ### Hotel Sorrento, Sorrento (5–15 Hotham Road) Boutique pub hotel. 150+ year history, five-year renovation completed January 2026. Outdoor pool. Shi Hui Shi Cantonese restaurant in the limestone basement; chef Junlin Yi (ex-Red Spice Road). Mid-market rates for the luxury tier. Four-star. Note: completely separate from InterContinental Sorrento at 23 Constitution Hill Road. [hotelsorrento.com.au]() ## Spa and thermal spring stays ### Alba Sanctuary, Fingal The accommodation arm of Alba Thermal Springs. Five hilltop villas plus two studio rooms, with springs access during the stay. [Alba’s FAQ]() says a cot or roll-away bed can be arranged through reservations. Under-16s need an adult in the general springs; private springs and spa treatments have separate age conditions. 282 Browns Road, Fingal. [albathermalsprings.com.au]() ## How to choose **For a design-led food-and-wine stay:** Jackalope Hotel, particularly if MICHELIN recognition matters and budget is not the constraint. **For a heritage clifftop hotel with full service:** InterContinental Sorrento: five-star, IHG points, Aurora Spa, central for exploring the Sorrento tip. **For families:** RACV Cape Schanck Resort, the resort on the Peninsula with the scale to absorb children, golfers, and spa-seeking adults simultaneously. **For a romantic long-weekend with a serious dinner:** Lancemore Lindenderry; the Dining Room is hatted, and the setting matches it. **For spa-first travellers near the hot springs:** Alba Sanctuary: on-site geothermal access and the most resolved thermal-spring accommodation on the Peninsula. Last fact-verified: 22 April 2026. Prices may change. Confirm current rates directly with the venue or operator before booking. Something wrong on this page, or is this your business? [Tell us what to fix]() and you get a case reference back. corrections@peninsulainsider.com.au reaches the same desk. Questions readers actually ask ## FAQ What is the best luxury hotel on the Mornington Peninsula? Jackalope Hotel in Merricks North holds the MICHELIN Two Keys designation (2025) - among the first Australian properties to receive this award. 45 rooms, vineyard infinity pool, two hatted restaurants (Doot Doot Doot and Rare Hare). No children under 12. For a different character of luxury, InterContinental Sorrento at 23 Constitution Hill Road is a full-service IHG five-star with a heated clifftop bay-view pool and Aurora Spa & Bathhouse, built on the site of the 1875 Continental Hotel. What is the difference between Hotel Sorrento and InterContinental Sorrento? They are completely separate properties - different buildings, different streets, different ownership. Hotel Sorrento is at 5–15 Hotham Road: a boutique pub hotel with a five-year renovation completed January 2026 and Shi Hui Shi Cantonese restaurant in its limestone basement. InterContinental Sorrento is at 23 Constitution Hill Road: the IHG five-star that opened August 2022 after a nine-figure redevelopment of the original 1875 Continental Hotel. Do not book one expecting the other. Are there luxury hotels near Peninsula Hot Springs? The closest luxury option to Peninsula Hot Springs is The Sanctuary at Alba, 282 Browns Road, Fingal: five hilltop villas plus two studio rooms with access to Alba's springs. Alba's FAQ says a cot or roll-away bed can be arranged through reservations; springs guests under 16 need an adult, and private springs and spa experiences have separate age rules. On the same site as Peninsula Hot Springs itself, the Glamping & Eco Lodges include premium eco lodges with geothermal floor heating and full spa complex access. Does Jackalope Hotel allow children? No children under 12 are permitted at Jackalope Hotel. For luxury family accommodation, RACV Cape Schanck Resort (184 rooms, championship golf, multiple dining) is the best full-service option on the Peninsula. Or let PI plan your day ## Where in the Peninsula is PI? A painted Peninsula, three witnesses a stop, and the sun for a clock. Find PI before sunset and her route becomes a day you can drive. Find her and go in the draw for $250 to dine at Doot Doot Doot, Jackalope.[Draw terms and prize details]() [Play Case 02]() Six to ten minutes. Free, no account. Keep reading ## More from the Journal [All stories →]() Service 5 min ### [Waterfront Restaurants on the Mornington Peninsula]() 22 April 2026 The Baths at Sorrento, The Rocks at Mornington, and the Portsea Hotel all have genuine waterfront positions on Port Phillip Bay. Here is what each actually is, what to order, and when each one makes sense. 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