As the scandalous third season comes to a close, The White Lotus has cemented its status as a cultural phenomenon. Sure, it’s one of the top-viewed shows on television, but as a meme-generating monster, its presence is felt even by those who don’t watch. And while it stirs up plenty of intrigue by mining taboo subject matter, world travelers seem more compelled by its association with a certain real-life hotel brand.
The Four Seasons has served as scenic backdrop for the series since its debut in 2021; first at its Maui resort, then in Taormina and most recently with a property on the plush Thai island of Koh Samui. Because The White Lotus focuses on — and takes its name from — a fictionalized chain of luxury resorts, these real-life hotels often feel like stars of the show.
So, despite the abhorrent activities depicted onscreen across these various settings (a list which now includes staff-led room break-ins and robberies, shootings and even murder), set-jetters can’t stay away. Four Seasons Maui observed a 386% increase in availability check-ins in the immediate wake of season one. The moment the first episode of season two hit airwaves in October of 2022, all 111-rooms of its Taormina setpiece were booked up into the following April.
Four Seasons is obviously well aware of the set-jetter appeal and has been emphatically leaning in. Google “White Lotus Koh Samui” and the top search result is a link to the non-fictional Four Seasons Resort from that idyllic slice of Thailand. “Experience the Poolside Escape cabanas inspired by the HBO Original Series,” its website promises.
In February, the company opted to combine set-jetting with good ol’ fashioned jet-setting, announcing an ultra-luxe 20-day itinerary that takes guests to all of the White Lotus properties in an opulently-appointed Four Seasons private Airbus jet. The trip takes off in May of 2026 and is already close to selling out, even while bearing a stratospheric price tag of $188,000 per person. If they brought a film crew onboard, the sort of clientele it lured in would likely provide ample source material for White Lotus: The Reality Show.
Personally, $188,000 is a bit beyond my budget as a travel writer. Nevertheless, through a blend of coincidence and good fortune, I did manage to make my way to the primary trio of White Lotus shooting locations last year — minus the private jet. It wasn’t as prohibitively expensive as you might suspect. And as much as I wanted to dismiss set-jetting as some vapid trend, I couldn’t deny the excitement of lounging around in locales that already felt so familiar from now-iconic moments of modern television.
Furthermore, because I stayed at Koh Samui well before the start of season three, this guilty pleasure flowed in the opposite direction. When it was airing, I would often (regrettably) point at my screen saying, “Hey, I had dinner at that exact table,” or…”I jumped into that plunge pool right by where Lucius Malfoy almost shot himself in the head!”
All this is to say, if you’re looking to recreate that same sort of thrill, I’m in a unique position to help. Regardless of what season you fancy most, here’s the best way to live your best White Lotus life — without the rampant criminality or ceaseless parade of moral complications, of course.
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Rising gracefully from a pristine slice of Hawaiian sand, this was actually the first ever tropical resort in the Four Seasons portfolio. And though it opened some 35 years ago, it has undergone several renovations, ensuring it feels as fresh and vibrant as ever. When the White Lotus cast and crew came to film the first season here, it was during 2020 lockdowns, so virtually every scene of the six-episode arc takes place on property. Indeed, working within COVID-era parameters is what inspired writer Mike White to create a hotel-based show in the first place.
From the moment you enter the open-air lobby, you feel as though you stepped on set. The kiosk that Armond the general manager used as his base of operations is right there under a tropically-themed mural. Across this Four Season’s 15-acre footprint you’ll find three main pools. Fans of White Lotus will want to beeline directly to the adult pool, hidden off the southern edge of the main building. This is where most of the show’s poolside scenes were shot. It includes a swim-up bar, backdropped by sweeping panorama of West Maui and Lanai.
The family at the heart of season one’s drama, the Mossbachers, stayed in what was dubbed the “Tradewinds Suite.” In real life, it’s known as the “Maile Presidential Suite” — a palatial, 4,000 square foot, three-bedroom interior that usually rents out for around $37,000 per night. And yes, that sizable sum has gone up since the show first aired.
I opted instead for an entry level ocean-view guest room, which starts at a more manageable rate of $1,100 per night —though for a few hundred more, I could have upgraded to the club floor and had unlimited re-ups on locally-sourced snacks and Mai Tais. It occupies the top level of the eight-story structure, and quite frankly I’m surprised that the inevitable hijinks associated with club access were never mined for story fodder on the show.
At any rate, even from my sixth floor balcony, I enjoyed a partial view of the famed courtyard with the Pacific framed directly behind it. And I still was afforded plenty of Mossbacher-like escapades to engage in throughout my stay. There was a morning outrigger ride on Wailea Beach led by native Hawaiians — the same experience which ultimately inspired the family’s teenage son to extend his stay on island. From Ferraro’s Restaurant and Bar, I dined alfresco and was able to marvel at the same traditional fire-dancing performance that was captured so cinematically during a particularly tense moment of episode five.
I also had access to something that none of the characters did: the award-winning cuisine of legendary chef Wolfgang Puck. The hotel’s very own spin on Spago features a menu defined by Hawaiian-Californian fusion. And though you won’t initially check into the property by boat — as is customary at White Lotus outposts — you can catch a culturally immersive dinner aboard a catamaran: A Wayfinder’s Journey is a three-hour excursion hosted by Hawaiian navigator Kala Baybayan Tanaka. Attendees learn the sacred ritual of charting the sea and stars, while savoring food and wine pairings designed to highlight the canoe plants that ancient Polynesian travelers would bring from island to island on their extended journeys upon the open ocean. The experience starts at $15,500 for up to six guests — none of whom are likely to carry the ashes of dead relatives with them.
San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel
Although it only became part of the Four Seasons portfolio in 2020, this enchanting retreat — hugging the cliffs of northeastern Sicily — has its roots firmly planted in antiquity. From 1430 until 1866, the historic structure forming the main part of the hotel served as a convent, never exceeding 40 members in its community. By 1896, a modern wing had been seamlessly added to the existing compound, and it entered a new era as San Domenico Palace, one of Italy’s first five-star resorts. Today it holds 111 guests rooms, including over half a dozen tiers of speciality suites.
The most modest quarters here will require around $2,000 per night. But it can go up to nearly 10x that amount if you want something like what you saw the Spillers or Sullivans stay in; sprawling, high-ceilinged rooms, complete with private plunge pools positioned towards the active flow of Mt. Etna.
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As enticing as that may be, these suites exist in that late 19th century annex. I personally found the original structure to be far more magical and transportive. Besides, White Lotus aficionados won’t require a private plunge, as they’ll much prefer to congregate in and around the iconic communal pool where so many memorable scenes from season two were shot. Lounge here throughout the day and savor hand-delivered Aperol Spritzes alongside complimentary granita and gelato from an antique dessert cart.
Adjoining the panoramic hilltop terrace is Anciovi, an all-day restaurant specializing in seafood fare, like Aeolian salad under seared tuna filet, or pasta with linguine and lobster. Directly above that is a 4,000 square-foot garden, perfect for an afternoon respite from the pounding Mediterranean sun. Its well-manicured foliage frequently served as expositional B-roll; an idyllic puncture through second season melodrama. Hidden a level below is the hotel’s new Botanica Spa. Its five treatment rooms and indoor pool opened to the public in July of 2024 — so don’t expect to recognize anything from the show down here.
I felt the most familiarity in the main dining hall of San Domenico Palace. I was welcomed into the space by way of Bar & Chiostro, where signature cocktails were garnished with inventive edibles. You can get a Negroni saddled with fruit leather, or a whisky smash topped with cannolo. But this is the infamous setting where Lucia would frequently try and seduce hotel guests and Mia took her star turn on the piano. So I chose to honor their escapades by ordering one of the three White Lotus-themed drinks currently on menu. The one dedicated to the Taormina season incorporated gin, peach liqueur and Italian white wine.
Beyond the bar is a grand dining room that eventually spills out onto a stunning outdoor patio overlooking the Ionian Sea. This is Michelin-star Principe Cerami. The reservation-required venue offers up a polished tasting menu nightly, available in 3-, 4- and 5-course variations. Highlights include Maialano Nero — piglet under turnips and seasonal stone fruit — and a “Mount Etna” spaghetti, plated under salta ricotta and black breadcrumbs, made to resemble volcanic ash.
A voluminous wine list boasts the widest selection of bottles anywhere in town. So order judiciously, or just throw caution to the wind and live the life Tanya had imagined. Speaking of that celebrated socialite, admirers of the ill-fated character will have a laugh returning to Principe Cerami’s alfresco terrace in the morning to recreate her overindulgent routine at the sprawling breakfast buffet.
Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui
The most recent season of White Lotus is the least confined to one singular production locale. It’s really more of a composite of several luxury hotels across Thailand. Pivotal moments from the lobby and boutique were captured in a resort 30 minutes east of the Four Seasons in question. Spa scenes were filmed at Anantara Mai Khao, which is actually in Phuket. Some of the sets exist on a soundstage in Bangkok. So, for set-jetting purists, a trip to this particular Koh Samui property might prove tricky in trying to forge “I remember that spot” epiphanies.
Koh Samui Is One of the World’s Best Beach Getaways
Beaches and Buddhism crossed with Thai food and hospitality provide the ultimate escapeNevertheless, there are plenty of pretty scenes to gawk at while staying at the five-star sanctuary. Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui was formerly a coconut plantation on the northwestern edge of its eponymous island. In 2007, the 40-acre footprint was reborn as a collection of 71 villas overlooking the Gulf of Siam. The verdant, almost jungle-like sprawl that was carefully preserved throughout its development is a veritable supporting star of season three. Paths to the gym as well as the on-property prayer rooms are lined with palms and were frequently used for establishing shots. The property’s main dining concept, Koh Thai Kitchen is also a frequent feature in season three — the setting for many uproarious antics during breakfast and lunch sit-downs. Pla Pla is also featured heavily, with a series of open pavilions used for breakfast and lunch scenes. The outdoor venue focuses on Southern Thai specialities like Yum Tua Plu Goong (prawns with winged bean salad) and Gaeng Poo Bai Cha Plu (whole Blue Crab curry, with wild betel leaves).
Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui also offers its famous over-water hammocks, available exclusively to hotel guests making use of its private beach. This particular amenity will remind viewers of the contentious moment between siblings Piper and Lochlan Ratliff in episode two of the new season — filmed right here. The Ratliffs, of course, are not without their significant familial drama. But if you don’t mind following in their footsteps, you can do so by renting the “Three Bedroom Family Residence with Pool,” which starts at around $7,200 per night. It’s over 10,000 square feet of living space, adjoining 42 acres of hillside jungle.
Personally, I found the Island Ocean Pool Villa to be private enough, with its own infinity edge watering hole overlooking the surrounding cerulean sea. It was a bargain by comparison, a mere $1,900 per night. That price will go up slightly during high season — between December to March — when the weather is more dependably dry. And it’ll all be much easier to access come late October, when United Airlines starts offering direct service to Bangkok out of LAX and SFO.
Even still, getting to Koh Samui will require at least 20 hours worth of total travel time from the West Coast of the U.S. So if you’re a set-jetter, you better be really devoted to the show if that’s your sole reason for taking flight. Or you could just wait for season four in the hopes that it’s shot at a Four Seasons near you.
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