First Look: Hotel Sorrento Is Finally Opening Its Rooftop Restaurant and Bar Inspired By the French Riviera
The 320-person rooftop boasts uninterrupted views across the bay.
At the end of 2023, Hotel Sorrento reopened following a luxurious transformation — constructing 13 new hotel suites, and refurbing the existing rooms, 30-metre lap pool and day spa. And now, almost exactly a year later, it's finally opening its sun-soaked rooftop restaurant and bar with sweeping views across the bay.
On Friday, December 13, Hotel Sorrento's Rooftop will officially open its doors to the public, beckoning them into the space, which is inspired by the work of Italian photographer and furniture designer Willy Rizzo. Rizzo's work showcases Saint-Tropez at a time when its rooftops would come alive with summertime parties full of good Mediterranean food and drinks, plus plenty of dancing.
The team here has worked closely with Six Degrees Architects and Jack Merlo Landscape Architecture to bring some of this energy to the Mornington Peninsula. Expect muted green and white striped umbrellas, plush couches, tiled high-top tables and a heap of natural finishes throughout the 320-person space — keeping it beachy and elegantly understated.
Food-wise, Hotel Sorrento's Executive Chef Beth Candy has designed a menu full of shareable dishes that champion local produce — serving up a range of small snacks and larger sharing dishes. The sip and snack crowd is catered for as well as those who have a hankering for a long boozy lunch out in the sun.
Expect bites like fresh oysters, spiced kingfish crudo on cassava crackers and a lobster brioche roll with pickled cucumber and watercress as well as a selection of pizzas and fresh Mediterranean salads.
Local wines, draught beers, summery cocktails and a rolling music program full of DJs help amp up the party vibes, whether you're looking to hang around for a short stay or well into the night.
In addition to the rooftop launch, Hotel Sorrento has also given its late-night bar Salt a cheeky little makeover. It now has its own entrance and floor-to-ceiling windows that open to a north-facing terrace. It has a relaxing cocktail lounge feel during the day and then transitions into more of a nightclub as the sun sets.
It looks like Hotel Sorrento is going to go off this summer — for those spending the night in one of its luxury suites, and folks simply heading skywards for long sun-drenched lunches and parties under the stars during balmy nights.
Hotel Sorrento's Rooftop and Salt are set to open on Friday, December 13 at 5/15 Hotham Road, Sorrento. For more details, you can check out the venue's website.
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