Ocean Grove motel adds ‘wow factor’
Growing with town
THE Bellarine Peninsula has new up-market accommodation with the completion of the $4 million Ocean Grove Chalet.
The finishing touches to the 20-month build were last week added to the 15-bedroom motel and the first guests will be accepted in less than two weeks. The headline features of the four-storey development on The Terrace are its two penthouse apartments with sea views.
But the local owners were keen to provide a variety of accommodation options and Ocean Grove Chalet offers four two-bedroom apartments for families, two rooms with disability access, five “spa rooms” and two standard rooms.
All guests have access to the heated indoor pool and spa area.
Ocean Grove Chalet was designed and built by Ocean Grove builder Mark LeMaistre of LeMaistre Builders.
Mr LeMaistre, who shares ownership with Ocean Grove business consultant Mark Edmonds, said the business was catering for holiday-makers looking for a little extra “wow factor”.
“There is a lot of good accommodation in Ocean Grove,” he said. “We wanted to design and provide people something that is at that slightly higher level.”
Mr LeMaistre said the city council had been keen for holiday accommodation to be built on the standard 800 square metre residential block, which is about 100m to the east of the town’s shopping strip.
But although it is able to sleep up to 39 people, Ocean Grove Chalet is designed to minimise its visual impact, with the third level almost un- able to be seen from street level.
Mr LeMaistre said other design features included extra insulation and sound rating measures.
“Being a local builder we understand the coastal environment very well,” he said.
“When you stay here the temperature of the units will stay very temperate, which will be fantastic for guests in summer and winter.”
Mr Edmonds, the Geelong Chamber of Commerce president, said the tourism industry had recognised that there was a shortage of good-quality accommodation on the Bellarine.
“We are looking for people from Melbourne for overnight stays and the Chinese market with AirAsia coming into Avalon,” he said.
Ocean Grove Chalet is accepting bookings from November 30. THE Ocean Grove Chalet has a remarkable connection to the town’s history.
Part-owner Mark Edmonds said the original Ocean Grove Chalet, or the Coffee Palace as it was known, operated in the town in the 1800s. When building started on the new development in The Terrace, elderly neighbour Lorraine Holbrook made contact to say her parents were the last managers of the original Ocean Grove Chalet.
What’s more, her parents had lived on the site of the new motel. “We think it’s just fantastic and she’s rapt the name is continuing,” Mr Edmonds said.
Ms Holbrook was a special guest at the launch of Ocean Grove Chalet on Friday.