French-inspired boutique hotel on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula for sale

But the sprawling property, on 15 hectares on the banks of Lake Connewarre in Leopold, was completed in 2008 under the supervision of Aaron Parkill, the nephew of former Westfield boss Frank Lowy, and is a short drive to Geelong.

Originally built as a home for Mr Parkhill and his wife Meg Blackhall with materials sourced from France, China and Indonesia, the property has been operating as a hotel since 2018 and has hosted celebrity guests including Bec Judd as well as the MasterChef  TV show.

There is currently a development application in place to expand the main building – which houses five bedrooms, each with an en suite and lounge area – to fit an additional five accommodation suites, according to listing agent Sean Cussell, of Christies International Real Estate.

The main property also features a conservatory, den, formal and informal living, dining rooms and a commercial-grade kitchen.

Mr Cussell said the property was being pitched to hotel operators as well as residential buyers seeking a trophy home near the coast.

Rooms in the property currently go from upwards of $800 a night, according to the Campbell Point House website.

“For an existing operator it’s a fantastic opportunity, they are saving years of red tape … given the time and cost in putting this together and that getting a planning permit is extremely difficult, as well as the difficulty in finding a piece of land this good,” he said. 

“Given the boutique nature of the property and its privacy it may also suit a corporate retreat. It’s a bit of a trend happening around the world and has happened in America with large corporations,” he said. 

Outbuildings include a pool house, with infinity pool, sauna and stunning marble fireplace, two three-bedroom cottages, a four-bedroom Lake House and a caretaker’s cottage, all set among manicured formal gardens.

In total, there are 15 guest rooms across the property with a capacity for 30 guests.

The property has a tennis court, boat shed, jetty, pavilion and an approved helicopter landing site.

Mr Cussell said much of the property’s appeal was its unique outlook and the melding of rural privacy with city convenience.

“The position on the lake is really what makes it so unique because of the outlook across the lake – I have not seen anything like it. It has this beautiful rural feeling when you arrive and then you look across the lake and realise it’s across from the ocean,” he said. 

With the hotels current operators looking to “move on to their next project”, Mr Cussell said the time had come to list the property to market.