John Jones arrived from Scotland in 1890 to work in the Governor-General’s household in Wellington. His small stature and expertise as a polo groom quickly earned him the nickname “Jockey.”

A word in his ear from Heaton Rhodes convinced him to leave Government House and join the ranks at a magnificent new estate being constructed outside of Christchurch. Jockey would become a fixture of Otahuna life for more than 60 years as Heaton’s personal polo groom, batman and chauffeur. Jockey was Heaton’s most trusted and loyal confidante, and in time would marry and raise his own family in a house still visible today from the Lodge’s Potager Garden.

The Jockey Jones Suite represents the culmination of the Otahuna interior aesthetic. This very special collection of rooms overlooks the Herb Garden, the terracotta roof of the Wine Cellar and the Woodland beyond. Inside, discover a bedroom clad in a chic 18th-century Pierre Frey wallcovering, a spacious sitting room with a sofa that can accommodate an extra guest, a striking collection of modern art by two emerging New Zealand artists and the ultimate in indulgence: two separate bathrooms.