above & left: The resort’s king rooms and suites feature a king-sized bed, large LCD television, Wi-Fi access, work desk and a balcony with panoramic views across the golf course. The suites also have a very spacious ensuite with a large shower and spa bath. right: Views across the Portsea golf course from the hotel rooms are superb.

The steel-framed concrete structure has a metal deck roof which extends outwards to cover a portion of the clubhouse terrace. The façade features extensive glazing to provide panoramic views of the course and a combination of rendered blockwork, alucobond, exotec compressed fibre sheeting and a feature stone wall. Buxton paid attention to both the acoustic treatment and insulation to minimise noise transference within the building and to conserve energy.

Next on the club’s wishlist is a new practice fairway, plus a full irrigation system and eventually an overall assessment of the entire layout and vegetation with Cashmore Design. That may take time but already Portsea is a multi-faceted, integrated operation catering to a far broader market than before. It has emerged as an ideal place for golfing groups to base themselves for long or short trips. Its appeal as a club to take up membership of has heightened thanks to the improvement of the existing facilities and addition of others. And the clubhouse is now the perfect place for weddings, functions, conferences and corporate entertainment. Mercure Portsea Golf Club & Resort has it all.

Mercure Portsea Golf Club & Resort

Location: 46 London Bridge Rd, Portsea VIC 3944

Golf: (03) 5981 6155; Hotel: (03) 5981 6100

Web: www.portseagolf.com.au

The Mercure offers ‘Play & Stay’ packages that include 18 holes and a night’s accommodation for two in a king room with balcony overlooking the course. The hotel caters for conferences, events and weddings with conference day packages available from $55 per person and wedding packages starting from $135 per person, cocktail style, and $155 per person, sit down. Room rates at Mercure Portsea start from $169 per night.

Open daily for all meals, Spike restaurant offers modern cuisine using fresh local produce through its seasonal, a la carte menus. The restaurant features an extensive wine list, showcasing wines from the best of Australia’s wine regions, including the Mornington Peninsula’s own Red Claw Pinot Noir.