Nice to see you: Jackalope proprietor Louis Li welcomes Hillary Clinton to his Merricks North hotel last week. Picture: Supplied

HEADS turned and diners whispered … hey, isn’t that Hillary Clinton at that table over there?

The US former First Lady and presidential candidate is certainly not your everyday guest but, there she was, enjoying lunch, at Merricks North’s luxury hotel Jackalope, Wednesday 9 May.

“It was an honour and a pleasure to have had Ms Clinton drop in to Jackalope to dine with us at Rare Hare today,” the hotel’s general manager Tracy Atherton said.

“Her PA made a booking and she was greeted by the hotel’s owner Louis Li who escorted her inside for lunch.”

Ms Clinton shared a meal over two hours (1-3pm) with five other members of her party, before sampling wines with Willow Creek winemaker Geraldine McFall. Secret service agents sat discreetly nearby.

Following a tip from reservations manager Catherine Flannery, the party then headed for Flinders, stopping – like any other tourists – at the blowholes.

The next night Ms Clinton spoke for an hour to 5000 people at The Plenary, Melbourne Convention Centre.

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 15 May 2018