Hospitality Business Magazine

Boutique hotel MajorDomo celebrates Deloitte listing

A Queenstown company pegged as one of the country’s leading high-growth businesses has done it again.  New Zealand luxury accommodation and experiences company MajorDomo has featured for the second time on the Deloitte Fast 50 national awards, celebrating revenue growth among the best.

MajorDomo, owned and operated by founders and directors Fiona Stevens and Lisa Hayden, was one of just four business from the lower South Island to make it onto the coveted 2018 list. It’s the icing on the cake for a business that has just celebrated its fifth anniversary with a whirlwind of continued growth and expansion.

When they made the list in 2016 they had a small but hardworking team of four full-time and one part-time members of staff. The business was based in a shared working space to keep operating costs low, and used its website and social media as its main sales platform.

From left, directors Fiona Stevens and Lisa Hayden.

Fast-forward to 2018 and MajorDomo now operates from new offices in Queenstown with a team of seven full-time equivalent staff, as well as one part-timer and several regular contractors in Queenstown and Wanaka.

While it’s still proud of its innovation and nimble business model through direct website and social media sales, it is now actively selling ‘in market’ in the UK, Europe, US and Australia. It has launched a new division of MajorDomo called MajorDomo Select, specialising in high-end exclusive villas targeted to the discerning guest and high-end international travel agents.

It also launched luxury lodge and eco-sanctuary Mahu Whenua to the luxury international tourism market – a stunning homestead and private cottages set on over 550 square km of high-country land owned by globally-renowned record producer Robert ‘Mutt’ Lange.

MajorDomo is responsible for the marketing, management and operation of this beautiful lodge, a departure from the villa market yet one which works in “fabulous synergy” with the wider MajorDomo offering.Lisa and Fiona say they have loved seeing their hard work and dedication to the business coming to fruition.

MajorDomo private villa Kahurangi, located in Queenstown.

“We’ve worked hard to evolve our range of products and services so we’re internationally ‘market-ready’ for visitors, whether they’re adventurous and fun-loving families or friends, groups or individuals who prefer a luxury retreat in supreme exclusivity.

“Launching Mahu Whenua was an obvious highlight, and we’ve focused on adding to our portfolio of villas while not forgetting the fabulous owners we work with who’ve entrusted their precious property to our care.

“We’re still a small and boutique business and we’ve never forgotten that it’s not about us, it’s all about our owners and guests making sure they have the best experience and service, each and every day.”