When Melbourne people want to give visitors a treat they often take them to Sorrento, on the Mornington Peninsula.
This historic beachside settlement is a 90-minute drive along the Nepean Highway.
Sorrento, with its quaint boutique shops, cafes and old stone buildings, has a picture-postcard bay where even the dinghies arebrightly coloured.
One of the buildings, built in 1880, is Eastcliff Cottage, the former home of a local stonemason. Restored three years ago, it now offers first-class bed and breakfast.
There are four-poster beds, ensuites and a spa bath. Breakfast can be delivered to the door in a hamper or enjoyed in the cottage garden.
A weekend costs $A396 ($470) for two. An overnight stay during the week costs $A165 ($195).
