Melbourne's two great wine regions - the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula - are only a 45-minute drive from the city and that means ongoing reasons to get out of town.
Located just off the Moorooduc Highway and on the edge of the Yarra Valley in Chirnside Park, the Yarra Valley Lodge is a great base to explore this top-notch wine producing region.
Okay, not everyone will want to play a round on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course, but nearby to the resort is a plethora of great wineries, including Coldstream Hills, Chandon and Yering Station amongst others.
The property itself also features a day spa with a stack of decent treatments, a rather good restaurant (Bella) and relaxing surrounds. Many of the rooms open up onto the course, meaning a few late night wines after dinner on the deck outside is definitely in order.
Rooms at the hotel are spacious and after a long day's wine tasting, it's more than big enough to kick back with some room service and tuck into some decent plonk. If you drink it all, remember you can always pick up some more wine on your way home.