Thomas Bywater stays in Canterbury's most glamorous high country station.
The Golden Globes, the first salvo of gongs in Hollywood’s award season, is being held this weekend at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. While there will be 25 competitive categories at the 2024 awards, everyone’s a winner, really.
Especially when you take into account the US$500,000 ($800,000) goodie bags, handed to Golden Globe attendees.
Hopefuls for best actor and actress will be treated to a sample of gifts including holidays, jewellery and designer sneakers. This year’s Golden Globes goodies includes a free stay at one of New Zealand most expensive luxury lodges.
Three of this year’s crop of cinema competition will be invited to stay at Flockhill Lodge, in Canterbury. The recently opened $15,000-a-night sheep station lodge is just one of the travel-related giveaways by the former Hollywood Foreign Press Association bash.
Those lucky enough to attend the 81 Golden globes will find a suede Métier bag containing goodies and a list of potential gifts for Hollywood’s leading lights.
The gifts, which were curated by lifestyle brand the Robb Report, are a collection of more than 35 A-lister items and experiences which, according to the Globes’ goodie bag curators, are “collectively worth more than half a million dollars”.
Some Golden Globes goodie bags include US$10,000 in charter jet credits.
The Robb Report says hungry stars will find samples of Caviar Russe and Komos tequila inside the bags.
However, it is the luxury travel experiences that might make it hard to focus on acceptance speeches.
Andrew Cullen, Lodge manager of Flockhill says he was delighted to be offering up to three Golden Globes guests a three-night-stay at the end of this year.
The prize had been negotiated by the Robb Report’s writer Mark Ellwood, who had reviewed the lodge in September. Cullen told the Herald that their celebrity guests from the Globes would be arriving in time to be the first to dine at the Sugarloaf, Flockhill’s restaurant, which is slated for completion by December along with the first of the Lodge’s 15 planned chalets.
“We’ve had a very busy summer with back to back bookings from 13 December through to January,” says Cullen, who is confident the visitors would approve of their lodgings.
“There’s been a smattering of Hollywood guests already, though we can’t say who’s been.”
Sugarloaf will initially be open to inhouse guests, but aims to open for public booking and reservations by March 2025.
Flockhill Lodge in Canterbury will be welcoming guests from the 2024 Golden Globe awards. Photo / Lisa Sun
As well as a trip to New Zealand and glamorous hotel stays, one lucky recipient will find an invitation to a cooking class at Razza in New Jersey, “one of America’s Greatest Pizzaiolos”.
In this year’s bag are hotel memberships and even US$10,000 credit for use on private jet charters.
At US$500,000, president of Robb Report, Luke Bahrenburg said the gift bag may be the most valuable ever handed out on the red carpet.
“It’s also the most unique in terms of presentation, delivery, and curation of items,” said Bahrenburg.
“We are excited to have created a collection of the world’s finest luxury brands and experiences, from iconic names we all know to very limited craft brands.”
Fans of television and film will have no other option than to follow the gossip and awards drama online when the stars turn out for acceptance speeches between 2pm and 4pm on Monday, NZ time.
Sky TV, which previously broadcast the ceremony on its Vibe channel, has not taken up the rights to screen this year’s ceremony.
Following the dissolution of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which presented the Globes for the previous 80 years, Sky chose not to pursue a broadcast deal in New Zealand with new presenters Dick Clark Productions.
Punta Mita is a luxurious 600-hectare resort in Mexico.
Luxury travel experiences in Golden Globes goodie bags
A two-night stay at Abbaye de la Bussiere, a luxury hotel in Burgundy, France. This $3500 stay with Relais & Châteaux will be offered to 83 recipients.
A four-night charter through Indonesia on the Celestia Yacht. The bespoke 45-metre luxury Phinisi yacht trip is worth $80,000 and will be offered to all 83 recipients.
An all-inclusive stay at Flockhill Lodge, in Arthur’s Pass. This remarkably expensive getaway on New Zealand’s $18,000-a-night sheep station will be offered to up to three recipients.
All 83 recipients are invited to stay at the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita and Naviva in Mexico, worth $24,000.
All 83 recipients are invited to the Hotel Wailea, in Hawaii. Another Relais & Châteaux property on Maui, is inviting attendees to a two-night all-inclusive stay worth $8800.
Up to 15 attendees will be offered a trip to Les Bordes Estate, outside of Orleans in central France. This golfing experience is valued at $3000.
The Liss Ard Estate near Skibbereen, County Cork is inviting all 83 recipients for a two-night stay in Ireland, valued at $3500.
London’s One Aldwych in the Covent Garden theatre district is inviting three recipients for a $40,000 three-night stay in the Signature Suite. This includes theatre tickets and VIP Tours of the West End.
All 83 recipients are invited to the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman for a five-day stay. The luxury experience worth $32,000 includes transport and yacht charter.
Four guests will be invited for a spin in an Aston Martin Vanquish S Volante, the Robb Report Car of The Year. An experience worth $45,000.
Surfing lessons at Seabird Ocean Resort for all 83 recipients. A three-night stay is valued at $10,000.
Two recipients are invited for a two-night stay at the The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston, a favourite of Texan wine buffs,worth $8000.
All recipients will find a one-year membership to The Britely social club in Pendry West Hollywood, worth $4800.
Up to 10 recipients will be given complimentary membership with private jet company XO Jet, including US$10,000 in flight credits, worth around $17,000.
