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The highly-anticipated third season of The White Lotus is finally here – and this time the cast checked in to Thailand.
Despite destination speculation fancying Japan, the Maldives and European ski-scapes, filming for season three commenced last year in Thailand, and followed suit of the first two seasons by setting up in a Four Seasons Resort.
The Emmy-winning series, delayed due to both writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023, was finally released in the UK on 17 February, streaming on Now.
Where season one explored money and season two sex, season three aligns with its Southeast Asian location as a “rich tapestry” to delve into the themes of spirituality and death.
With a host of new characters ready to hole up on an annual trip to the HBO drama’s dysfunctional hotels, here are the paradise islands behind the wild whodunnit anthology.
Where was The White Lotus season three filmed?
Production plans were tight-lipped on official filming locations, but just ahead of the hit TV’s shows release of its third season this week, the ultra-luxury resorts used as the backdrop to the White Lotus hotel chain’s latest trials and tribulations were revealed.
While fans found out in January last year that the third chapter of The White Lotus would be prominently set in Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samui – announced by the Tourism Authority of Thailand – the official confirmation of some hotels used has only just been made.
Anantara announced that three of its Thailand resorts were used as filming locations. Many shots of The White Lotus Thailand resort were filmed at Anantara Bophut, found on the island of Koh Samui, made up of serene beaches, wellness parlours and luxury accommodations.
Anantara Bophut can be spotted in the show with its signature Thai-style lobby on display, as well as its jewellery store and grand tree-lined resort entrance. The hotel’s security station and staff parking lot also make cameos.
As if made for The White Lotus, Bophut has impressive features such as its lotus ponds and spa garden, designed by renowned architect Bill Bensley.
Another Koh Samui resort, Anantara Lawana, and more specifically its Singing Bird Lounge, is the backdrop of one of the most distinctive settings in the show’s third chapter for a bar scene.
This remarkable treehouse-style bar is nestled within the branches of a magnificent 120-year-old tree, allowing guests to enjoy a pre-dinner aperitif named after local birds while the sun sets on the island.
Over on another Thai island, a third Anantara property, the Mai Khao Phuket Villas, was used during filming for the fictional Wellness Sanctuary and Spa, as well as Belinda’s (Natasha Rothwell) room.
The 183 villas and suites lie on the northern tip of the island of Phuket at a beachfront location, beloved by guests for its seclusion, privacy and sophistication. A number of the pool villas are dotted around a lagoon, mimicking a Southern Thai village style, offering private oases. Suites come in different styles and sizes, with some decked out specifically for kids and families.
To celebrate the use of its resorts, Anantara has created a ‘Lotus Awakening Escape Package’, a four-night retreat that allows guests to stay in all the resorts featured on the show, including spa experiences, local tours and themed dinners.
The last two seasons used Four Seasons hotels as the backdrop to the drama, and this time is no different. Aside from Anantara, one of the prime settings for the new instalment was Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui.
The luxurious property sits against a long stretch of white sands, tranquil waters and a wide selection of luxury villas dotted around the resort, from sea-facing villas with private dining decks to four-bedroom residencies with two infinity pools and indoor-outdoor living spaces.
In the show, the Four Seasons resort is the setting for the Ratliff Family villa, the Ladies’ villa, Rick (Walton Goggins) and Chelsea’s (Aimee Lou Wood) room, the breakfast and lunch restaurants, the pool, beach and various common areas, gyms and paths, as well as the spirit house.
Where were seasons one and two filmed?
The relocation to Asia for season three follows a stint in both North America and Europe during the show’s first two seasons.
As the respective episodes aired, the allure of star-studded casts and the idyllic settings saw the resorts trend as the place to go for a luxury getaway and a boom in bookings spiked at the service-centric Four Seasons Resorts seen on screen.
Season one – Maui, Hawaii
The 2021 series saw a tropical debut in Hawaii at the fictitious White Lotus Resort.
Set at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, characters’ – including complex hotel manager Armond, emotionally volatile Tanya and tech exec Nicole’s – tumultuous travels were based in and around the Hawaiian “Valley Isle”.
Covid restrictions limited filming locations largely to the confines of the hotel, but some backdrops saw guests venture to the golden sands of the neighbouring Wailea Beach when outside of the infamous (and invented) “Pineapple Suite”.
Season two – Sicily, Italy
The cast jetted to Italy for a series shrouded in Sicily’s amorous mythology and the San Domenico Palace, Taormina – a member of the Four Seasons group on the northeast coast – formed the facade of the second instalment of The White Lotus.
Free from the pandemic measures of series one, the towns of Taormina, Noto and Cefalù also took centre stage for the twists and turns of the seven Sicilian episodes orbiting the five-star hotel of horrors.
Seasons one, two and three of The White Lotus are available to watch on Sky and NOW.
