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When it comes to a quick and easy break from Melbourne city life, you can’t beat Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Endless ocean horizons, coastal walking trails, regional produce, boutique wineries and hidden coves beckon on slow days amid nature.
One of its most well-known and scenic resorts, RACV Cape Schanck, sits in its own sprawling estate at the very south of the peninsula. While it’s beloved by golfers for its oceanside 18-hole course, it’s the resort’s impressive offering away from the green makes it the perfect all-rounder.
Read on to discover why.
It’s a complete pace change
In the embrace of nature with panoramic views of the ocean, bush and rolling green hills, it’s hard to believe this perfectly peaceful spot is just a 1.5-hour drive from Melbourne’s bustling CBD. Surrounded by undulating golf course and salty air, with players strolling between holes at leisure, there’s absolutely no sense of rush or urgency here: that’s all left behind in the city.
Generously spaced resort rooms all welcome the outside in, with sweeping panoramas over the golf course or ocean (opt for a corner room with wraparound windows for real wow factor).
It’s one of the best Mornington Peninsula hotels for kids
Keeping little ones entertained round-the-clock is one of the challenges of a family holiday, but it’s a breeze at this well-equipped resort. For those downtimes between trips out and dinners, there’s a giant jumping pillow, flying fox and playground with climbing frames, plus a fun games room with retro arcade games, table football, a pool table and a TV and beanbag area. And did we mention the heated indoor pool and jacuzzi?
When it comes to dining, a kids’ menu is available at Samphire restaurant, Mantellina Italian café and on room service, perfect for the end of busy days when a quiet bite away from the crowd is in order.
It offers everything from hatted fine dining to casual pizzas
Whether you’re wafting in off the golf course for a post-round drink, grabbing lunch with the kids or looking for fine dining with a real sense of occasion, RACV Cape Schanck Resort covers all posts.
The jewel in the crown of its dining offering is the chef-hatted restaurant, Cape, which utilises ingredients sourced from local Peninsula growers and producers for its contemporary three or five-course menu, all with matched wines. Simplicity of touch ensures the high quality produce shines, in dishes like lamb with capsicum and macadamia, and fig with scallop and capers.
Looking for something laidback? Mantellina, the Italian indoor-outdoor cafe, allows you to post yourself next to the playground to have a bite to eat while the kids play. It offers grab-and-go ciabattas from the cabinet, stonebaked pizzas and pastas, along with pub classics like burgers, steak and a good old chicken parma.
Samphire sits somewhere in the middle, with Australian-inspired dishes served in a sophisticated setting, with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing those coastal views. Its sharing menu celebrates regional produce and local winemakers (think a seafood platter with market oysters, lamb rack and a side of Cape Schanck estate organic farm leaves).
There’s relaxation on the menu at One Spa
There really is something for everyone at this resort, and this day spa ticks another box. This architecturally impressive haven promises substance as well as style, offering water therapies, hammam bathing and a thermal stone steam room as a complement to its treatments. Along with massages and facials using Australian LaGaia UNEDITED products, its two to three-hour rituals are well worth investing in: the Driftaway experience is a holistic hug of a treatment, with exfoliation, a hydration wrap, a full body massage (including the scalp, neck and shoulders), and a facial all included.
And yes, RACV Cape Schanck golf is that good
The resort’s 18-hole, par 70 championship golf course is consistently rated among Australia’s top courses, and is easily one of its most scenic, with its immaculately kept greens, dramatic headland views and verdant wooded fairways. It’s one of more than 300 global courses designed by American architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., with superior drainage ensuring optimal year-round playing conditions. With its own golf boutique and buggy hire onsite, it offers the whole package for all players, from pros to occasional dabblers.
It’s one of many RACV resorts in Australia
RACV is a mark of quality and dependability wherever its resorts are found across Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania, whether you’re exploring the Goldfields of Ballarat, the historic gems of Hobart or the Gold Coast. Five-star beachside pool resorts, city centre bases and even self-contained options like cabins and apartments feature across its family friendly properties.
