Best glamping stays in the Mornington Peninsula

From winery stays to spa staycations, these four glamping getaways on the Mornington Peninsula will have you clicking ‘book’ on your next Victorian break.

A bucolic bubble, the Mornington Peninsula is well-known as the weekend retreat of choice for many Melburnians. Just a short drive away from the city, but offering oodles of greenery, a beautiful coastline and a ripper food and wine scene, it’s by no means light on draws. And if you’re planning on getting closer to Mornington’s action, and its bountiful flora and fauna, then booking a glamping stay might just be your best bet.

Peninsula Hot Springs

Just when you thought Mornington Peninsula’s vast hot springs complex couldn’t get any better, the attraction’s head honchos have gone and added glamping accommodation to the equation. Aside from enjoying access to all of the natural hot spring’s features (think a day spa, saunas, a reflexology walk, plunge pools, a cafe, bathing pools and more), glamping guests can enjoy peak serenity in the venue’s leafy grounds.

This is no twee, amateur set-up with walls that wobble in the wind or limited standing space either. Each tent sleeps a maximum of two, and features an ensuite, a walk-in robe, custom-made furniture, a king-sized bed, a private deck area and thermally heated concrete floors. Choose from three different glamping set-ups: garden view, lake view, or secluded pavilion, as well as a range of daily wellness experiences, included in your stay.

Address: 140 Springs lane, Fingal, Vic, 3939
Phone number: +61 3 5950 8777
Website: peninsulahotsprings.com/glamping

Iluka Retreat

Staying true to the more rustic-chic roots of glamping, the canvas bell tents at Iluka Retreat are kitted out with bunting, plenty of cushions, blankets and rugs, and a small private deck to boot. Moreover, they’re great for families, with space for two single bed mattresses to be added if you plan on bringing the brood. You can even hire a fire pit to sit around and toast marshmallows over.

Set on a 15-hectare property in Red Hill South, the glamping village at Iluka overlooks the lush valley, as well as the property’s lake below. Naturally, the peninsula’s beaches, cellar doors and award-winning winery restaurants are all supremely accessible, as is the nearby surf town of Shoreham.

Glamping guests share a camp kitchen, and a camp bathroom.

Treat yourself to a glamping experience at the picturesque Iluka Retreat.

Address: 20 Shoreham Rd, Shoreham, Vic, 3916
Phone: +61 3 5989 8505
Website: ilukaretreat.com.au

Mornington Peninsula Glamping

An adults-only glamping retreat, set within the grounds of a Mornington Peninsula winery: what more could you want? Located in among the hills that overlook Port Phillip Bay, some 300 metres above sea level, family-owned Blue Range Estate Wines is home to 10 glamping tents. Get back to (rather comfortable) basics in one of their spacious bell tents, which feature a queen-sized bed with 1000 thread count sheets, plus two armchairs and a coffee table, and solar power for charging up your devices. Guests share a cooking and dining area that’s home to two barbecues, as well as a bathroom that’s housed within a shipping container.

Spend your Saturday touring the peninsula’s best beaches, wineries and distilleries before holing up in your tent with a crisp glass of the estate’s pinot grigio to toast to the day that was, and perhaps spend a lazy Sunday morning on-site, soaking up the tranquility before heading home, and enjoying lunch at the winery’s restaurant, which boasts stellar views over the hills, vineyards and sea.

3An experience in the The Mornington Peninsula Hinterland.

Address: Blue Range Estate Wines, 155 Gardens Road, Rosebud, Vic, 3939
Website: mpglamping.com

Happy Glamper

If you’re sold on the idea of glamping, but not all too fussed about the destination, then try Happy Glamper out for size. The company creates bespoke glamping micro-adventures across the Mornington Peninsula: all you have to do is choose when, where and how.

There are three different sized bell tents to choose from, ranging between four and six metres, or you can go all out with Happy Glamper’s super spacious Lotus Belle tents. At most, the tents can sleep up to five. Best of all, Happy Glamper’s operation is far from bare bones – all the pitching, styling, packing down and removing is included within your rate, as are an array of furnishings, features and amenities such as an LED lantern, bath towels, outdoor and indoor mats, chairs, decorative bunting, board games, books and magazines, a combination lock for the tent door, and even string lights and power points if you book a powered site. Optional extras are available too (think bar fridges, picnic kits and heaters). The only thing that isn’t included in the price is the campsite itself. Instead, glampers can book their own sites, typically by the beach or on private land; if you’re not sure where to start, the Happy Glampers website has a handful of good ideas.

Wake as the happiest glamper.

Phone: +61 1300 911 140
Website: happyglamper.com.au