The White Lotus effect: Inside the filming locations made famous by the HBO series
As the highly-anticipated third season of The White Lotus lands on our screens, discover the islands and hotels that set the scene – and are reaping the benefits
Anyone who has watched The White Lotus will know the filming locations are as integral to its success as the star-studded cast and addictive storylines. With the first season premiering in summer 2021 – a time when the world had been starved of international travel thanks to pandemic restrictions – the Emmy-nominated series flew viewers to the balmy beaches of Hawaii, and resulted in a 386 per cent increase in holiday enquiries for the Pacific island. A fluke? Not when Sicily – the sunny setting of the second season – also experienced a tourist boom shortly after it aired. Welcome to The White Lotus effect.
So, when it was announced that Koh Samui – Thailand’s second-largest island, situated in the Gulf – would host the fleet of White Lotus producers, executives and castmates for its third season, the country braced itself for an influx of tourists looking to live like Jennifer Coolidge, Leo Woodall, Theo James and Sydney Sweeney. Filmed at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui – a fitting extension from the previous two seasons, shot at Four Seasons Resort outposts in Hawaii’s Maui and Taormina in Sicily – the third season cements the show’s exclusive relationship with the five-star hospitality brand.
As Marc Speichert, executive vice president of the Four Seasons, explains: “[Director] Mike White and his team have created something truly special. For many Four Seasons guests, especially our pop culture enthusiasts and travel trendsetters, The White Lotus serves as the perfect travel inspiration. After showcasing the beauty of Maui and then our breathtaking Taormina property, we’re excited to celebrate Koh Samui in the third season of this beloved show.”
Here, we take a tour of the White Lotus filming destinations that made the series famous, and go inside the three hotels that posed as the perfect backdrop.
The White Lotus Season Three: Koh Samui, Thailand
Images: Warner Bros
It was announced in 2022 that The White Lotus would return for a third season, and the Thai government was ready to welcome its producers with open arms – and $4.4 million in tax incentives – to ensure one of its islands was the leafy backdrop for the six new episodes. Unlike the hotel-confined filming locations of the first season, the cast and crew have traversed the depth and breadth of Thailand for season three, including pitstops in Bangkok, Phuket and, of course, Koh Samui. The latter hosted cameras at Wat Pu Khao Thong – a Buddhist temple on the north coast – and Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park, an archipelago lying west of Koh Samui, which also served as a filming location for Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach (2000).
The hotel: Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui
Overlooking the Gulf of Thailand from an exclusive hillside location, Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui epitomises barefoot luxury, featuring pristine sandy beaches bordered by lush tropical greenery and tranquil blue seas. Villas and residences are designed to integrate seamlessly with the natural surroundings, featuring contemporary Thai architecture, private infinity pools, and spacious, sun-drenched decks that provide unobstructed sea views.
Three delectable restaurants tempt all manner of discerning diners. Koh Thai Kitchen does exactly what the name suggests and pays homage to authentic southern Thai cuisine in an al fresco jungle setting. Pla Pla, on the other hand, serves a Mediterranean-inspired menu specialising in fresh seafood, and CoCoRum is a poolside lounge featuring Asia’s only rum vault. For relaxation and rejuvenation, head to the Secret Garden Spa, hidden among the resort’s lush gardens, where a treatment menu inspired by ancient Thai healing traditions awaits.
From £961 per night.
The White Lotus Season Two: Sicily, Italy
For the sunny second season, Mike White and co ventured to Europe, specifically Sicily, the Mediterranean’s largest island just off the toe of Italy's boot. A stone’s throw from Malta and home to Mount Etna – an active stratovolcano on the east coast – Sicily is famous for its medieval architecture and unique, hybrid cuisine influenced by Italy and Greece, harking back to its ancient roots.
Released in 2022, White told Entertainment Weekly that being able to explore the island during The White Lotus season two was a huge relief for both crew and cast: “I'm not going to complain about being at the Four Seasons Maui, but you do start to feel like it was a Hawaiian Shining. It was cool this season to be able to feature more of the city and some of the iconic places in Sicily. The canvas gets much bigger and that's a huge improvement.” Expect appearances from Taormina, Noto – a UNESCO Heritage Site thanks to its beautiful baroque architecture – and Cefalù on the north coast, dubbed one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
The hotel: San Domenico Palace, Taormina
The White Lotus filming request was perfectly timed for San Domenico Palace, which only opened its doors a year before the season aired – and resulted in searches increasing by 300 per cent and the hotel being fully booked for six months. A former 14th-century convent perched high on a cliff above the Ionian Sea, it blends chic, contemporary style with historic frescoes and original relics from the convent. A stone’s throw from Taormina, it’s also ideal for exploring eastern Sicily, including the historic cities of Modica, Noto and Siracusa, and the tiny island of Ortigia – everything camera crews could have wanted for its culture-filled second season.
Fine dining fare comes courtesy of much-lauded chef, Massimo Mantarro, who helms Michelin-starred Anciovi, serving quintessential Sicilian cuisine with a side of sweeping vistas of Mount Etna and Taormina Bay. Other key details include a 21m infinity pool, blending with the Ionian Sea, the extensive Botanica Spa, lush Italian gardens big enough to get lost in and, finally, La Sala della Grande Madia, displaying artefacts from the 16th-18th centuries which belonged to the San Domenico Monastery.
From £1,154 per night.
The White Lotus Season One: Hawaii, USA
Given the first season was filmed from October to December 2020, with both cast and crew quarantined in the Four Seasons Resort Maui for the duration of filming, you’ll notice that the cameras don’t really extend outside of the hotel’s four walls. What you will catch glimpses of, however, is Wailea Beach – quite literally on the hotel’s doorstep – and an array of different swimming pools, gardens and terraces spanning the 15 oceanfront acres. Plenty to play with, then.
The hotel: Four Seasons Resort Maui
The White Lotus producers had several Four Seasons resorts to choose from in Hawaii, but Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea was the one that swayed them – and for good reason. Located mere minutes from championship golf courses and luxury boutique shops in Wailea, the hotel is centred around a formal courtyard featuring fountains and waterfalls, leading to an oceanfront pool and private beach. Among the first in the Four Seasons’ American portfolio, the hotel opened in 1990, combining contemporary tropical Hawaiian motifs, koa-inspired wood furnishings and an exclusive art collection sourced solely from the island and displayed across 383 rooms.
Aside from the state-of-the-art spa – featuring a colour palette inspired by Maui's golden-sand beaches and the Pacific's translucent aqua water and sky, with natural bamboo accents and signature Lomi Mohala massages – and six restaurants (don’t miss Wolfgang Puck’s Hawaiian-Californian fusion eatery, Spago), what makes this hotel stand out from the crowd is its immersive excursions. Private catamaran sail and snorkelling, Haleakala sunrise tour, or Moloka'i voyage helicopter ride, anyone?
From £660 per night.
Read more: Weekend breaks in the UK: Where to stay, eat and what to do
