Guest of honour Rachel Hunter cracks up laughing at her host's gaffe. Photo / Martin Sykes
She may have one of New Zealand's most recognisable faces, but Rachel Hunter's name was a little less memorable yesterday.
Frances Wilson, of St Marys Bay retreat Mollies Boutique Hotel, was thanking the glamorous supermodel for officially opening the new East Day Spa at Mollies in a speech,
when Hunter's name slipped her mind.
She turned, was prompted, then the two women - who knew each other from Hunter's stay at the hotel in September last year - cracked up, exchanged glances and laughed off the public hiccup.
"There is not a nicer person," Ms Wilson said of Hunter to 100 guests.
Hunter - who grew up in Glenfield on Auckland's North Shore, was married to British rock star Rod Stewart and more recently has been on reality TV shows in the US and UK - told the Herald the opening coincided with her stay at the hotel during a two-week holiday.
Looking relaxed in an Asian-inspired, beaded, Yvonne Benetti dress and flat shoes, Hunter said she indulged in a relaxation massage at the spa soon after arriving on Sunday.
"My sister just said to me, 'I've never seen you so bleary eyed coming out,' and I was actually only in there for half an hour because I had to go to my mum's for dinner. So it worked really fast."
Hunter said she just finished shooting next season's Lola swimwear range in Hawaii and was keen for plenty of rest and recreation with children Renee and Liam over the next two weeks.
"I'm just hanging out with my kids and stuff and just relaxing," she said. "We came here to do nothing."
