Meet the Kiwi who plans dream NZ holidays for rich-listers and celebrities

Jacqui Spice is the founder of Touch of Spice, the luxury travel company that organises expensive New Zealand holidays for high-end celebrities, rich-listers and the ultra-wealthy. Photo / Supplied

The skills Jacqui Spice learned as a 20-something chief stewardess on the international super yacht circuit set her up well for her later career – catering to the world’s uber-wealthy through her luxury tourism business Touch of Spice. In operation for nearly 20 years, Spice serves high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth visitors to New Zealand, catering to their every whim, making her the ‘First Lady’ of all luxury travel concierge services.

”Most of our clients are international, hailing from the US, Europe, Saudi Arabia, and Asia, as well as Australia,” Spice tells Spy.

She strictly won’t name names, but there’s a long list of high-profile guests we suspect have used Touch of Spice’s services – like Tom Cruise, Adele, Justin Bieber, Jason Momoa, Rita Ora and husband Taika Waititi, as well as ultra-wealthy sports stars and tech billionaires, and one of the world’s richest men Jeff Bezos.

Spice won’t confirm her client list but says, “We get everyone from high-profile actors filming in New Zealand; famous bands or singers who might be doing a few concerts or even those that want to stay on; to international government officials; international royalty; very famous tech entrepreneurs; international athletes at the top of their game and super-high-net-worth individuals.”

Jason Momoa has spent a lot of time in New Zealand recently. Photo / @prideofgypsies

The company represents only the very best of the best luxury villas and lodges starting at $3500 per night, as well as premium residences and large estates that fetch as high as $80,000 per night, given the pure size and scope of what they offer.

Facilities can include heated swimming pools, infra-red saunas, ice baths, gyms and massage rooms, soundproofed music rooms and cinemas, incredible art collections, exquisite wine collections and vineyards, helicopter landing facilities, catamarans, private jetties, private beaches and even private islands.

“Our portfolio includes all the stunning luxury lodges and their owner’s cottages or residences and includes a portfolio of more ‘unique’ offerings such as The Hills Collection, Cliff Tops, Pure Pods, The Lindis, The Potting Shed and super yachts such as The Rua Moana,” she says.

After an inevitable drop from 24 staff to three during Covid, Spice has micro-focused the TOS offerings to the top one per -cent of the world’s uber wealthy, and business is once again booming. She has built the business back up to a team of 12.

TOS now operates requests for Australian and Fijian itineraries in some of the very best luxury lodges and private residences on offer. Spice has been personally head-hunted to work on new projects coming up all over Australia, consulting on additions to the offerings of lodges, villas and golf courses all of which she says are mind-blowing.

Last year TOS re-launched their Fiji offerings working with all the top resorts such as Laucala, Kokomo, Dolphin Island, Six Senses, Vomo and Likuliku.

Flockhill Lodge is one of the properties Touch of Spice recommends to its ultra-wealthy clients. Photo / Supplied

“You can land your private jet at Laucala, if you have one, and helicopter easily out to the many island resorts,” says Spice.

Back in NZ, private jets are commonplace for guests arriving in the country, and Queenstown is a favourite first stop. Spice says Queenstown Airport’s unique positioning by the lake affords the opportunity for unique airport transfers to guests’ accommodation, from sleek black Range Rovers with tinted windows to jet boats, or even private yachts on Lake Wakatipu.

Spice says that without a doubt Queenstown is still the No1 desired destination for their clients and it’s where TOS has the biggest villa portfolio.

“From slow-paced to fast-paced, from relaxing stays to high adrenalin ones, food and wine, golf and walks, nightlife and spas, Queenstown has it all,” she says.

TOS has a growing portfolio in Auckland and its surrounds and is now a destination in which they recommend guests stop before they move on to see the rest of the country.

Waiheke might have some of New Zealand’s flashiest houses, but many Rich Listers on the island aren’t quite yet ready to share their palatial baches. So, for her clients, it’s not really an overnight option, but slowly she is building up a portfolio of premium villas on the island.

The Bay of Islands is also a must-do and see in TOS-created itineraries. Favourites in the north are The Landing, Eagles Nest, Kauri Cliffs, a mega residence called Somewhere, as well as creating experiential golf days at Tara Iti and Te Arai.

”If guests have longer itineraries we send them to Cape Kidnappers in Hawke’s Bay, Huka Lodge in Taupo, Falcon Brae Villa in Nelson, Flock Hill in Canterbury, Bay of Many Coves in Marlborough, Otahuna Lodge on the outskirts of Christchurch, then usually down to Wānaka and Queenstown,” she says.

For their top tier of customers, the company operates their residence portfolio like an exclusive use ‘lodge’, with a minimum of five bedrooms, all with ensuites – some catering for up to 30 people.

The Lindis luxury lodge in the Ahuriri Valley. Photo / Shaun Jeffers

“We provide a full complement of trained in-house staff to cater to their every whim – private chefs, butlers, housekeeping, private guides, drivers, security and so forth,” says Spice.

Spice says the travellers and agents who love to work with TOS want to really immerse themselves in New Zealand’s unique environments. Through her connections, they get to venture to places that are often off limits to the public. The company will introduce their guests to like-minded Kiwis or to people with the same business interests and lifelong connections are often made.

“We plan their stay end to end, always showcasing the best New Zealand has to offer in terms of not only experiences, but also world-class food and wine, entertainment, wellness and adventure,” says Spice

”We have turned gyms in to gorgeous bedrooms, we have ‘added’ rooms to the house, purpose-built with carpet, plush interiors, TVs, sitting areas. We push our trusted suppliers to go over and above and do a little bit more to every experience – which has seen us referred repeatedly with many guests returning year after year.

The service can include arranging guests’ favourite dishes to be put back on the menu at their favourite restaurants, just for their reservation. Spice’s team can arrange for stores to be closed for private shopping or private art gallery tours. Spice says one guest invested close to $1 million in art on one visit.

”We have access to the very best private planes and helicopters within the country, as well as private car collections owned by New Zealand’s Rich List. In recent months this included use of an Aston Martin Vulcan, the only one within the Southern Hemisphere.”

TOS can have guests spending anything from NZ$30,000 up to the NZ$1.8m mark on their holiday or incentive experience. Spice says this is outside of their international flights or any spend in the local economy, restaurants, bars, real estate purchases or art investments. Spice is proud of facilitating the big bucks flowing through into the local economy.

It’s no surprise Spice invests in herself and her team, travelling to many luxury travel trade shows worldwide. She also tests out the overseas competition to see what trends A-Listers are enjoying and demanding.

Spice has personally been awarded a Condé Nast Travel Specialist – Villa category for 13 years – the only person in New Zealand in the Villa category.

She and her well-trained team operate on a 24/7 availability where nothing is ever a problem. ”Nothing is impossible - If they ask for a big pink elephant, we ask them what shade of pink,” she says.