“Absolutely the best TV show in 2021/2022, excellently-written plot, devious and compelling characters, twisted dramas, a pitch-perfect cast …..”
All these describe HBO’s widely-acclaimed black comedy-drama, The White Lotus, which fans are calling the most addictive and juicy show.
The big-wigs of Hollywood agree, with The White Lotus winning big time at the 2022 Emmy awards – bringing home a total of 10 Emmys, more than any other series.
With Season 1 and Season 2 done and dusted, White Lotus fans around the world are gleefully celebrating the fact that the show’s director Mike White has confirmed that there will be a Season 3. In this article, we get to visit the dreamy White Lotus locations of Season 1 and Season 2, plus ponder on which exotic locations Season 3 will be filmed.
Why The Fuss About The White Lotus?
The White Lotus is a black comedy that revolves around the interactions of the guests and employees of the fictional White Lotus resort location. It is both hilarious and serious in how it showcases the difference in classes, and how some of the wealthy and privileged (badly) live their lives. There are a variety of colourful characters and everyone will have their choice of a favourite and most annoying character.
However, the one thing that all viewers will agree on is the deliciousness of the show’s filming locations. The White Lotus: Season 1 was set in Maui, Hawaii while The White Lotus: Season 2 was set in Sicily, Italy. Both seasons generously offered TV viewers scenes of spectacular backdrops and drool-worthy hotel locations dripping with enviable bits of luxury. Each one had us second-guessing our intended vacation plans and dreaming of or planning budget-friendly getaways to a White Lotus resort location.
The Show That Changed Lives
The White Lotus locations Season 2 was set in Sicily, Italy with the picture below showing the San Domenico Palace which was used as the titular White Lotus. Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore (pictured in pink below) plays Valentina, the hotel manager in the second season of the show. She says she was under a lot of pressure as Season 1’s tragic hotel manager Armand was a most beloved character, with some of the best scenes and the centre of the show’s climax.
Nevertheless, she more than lives up to expectations and has one of the best lines with the show’s childlike heiress character and fan favourite played by Jennifer Coolidge (involving Peppa Pig – we won’t tell you more than that). She says that her life after the show, didn’t simply change, it was turned upside-down. “It was all beyond my expectations, but it definitely lived up to my dreams,” the 54-year-old actress says.
THE WHITE LOTUS LOCATIONS – SEASON 1
Fun Fact: The sumptuous Four Seasons Maui also featured in some episodes of the popular Modern Family comedy.
In both The White Lotus: Season 1 and The White Lotus: Season 2, real Four Seasons locations were used to represent the titular White Lotus chain. The White Lotus: Season 1 was shot at Four Seasons Maui, a five-star luxury resort at Wailea in Hawaii. Other parts of Season 1 were filmed in different locations on Maui, as well as on nearby Wailea Beach.
Holiday like the rich and badly behaved – in case you’re wondering what’s the price tag of holidaying White Lotus style, the Four Seasons Maui features bedroom suites that overlook Wailea Beach, prime real estate at its most glorious, and range from USD9,000 to USD26,000 per night.
Then there’s the resort’s acclaimed “Complete Suite” experience – based on years of servicing the most discerning of guests.
(Shane, the obnoxiously wealthy honeymooner pining for his Pineapple Suite, which some viewers may be sad to know does not really exist in the real hotel, from Season 1 may come to mind).
Complete Suite guests are treated to an array of included amenities including round-trip luxury transfers, daily breakfast, an in-suite Peloton bike, credit to the Resort’s luxury boutiques, unlimited laundry, and even a one-way use of PS, a private airport experience for commercial flights at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The most valuable amenity can be said to be the dedicated Guest Experience Team who use their personal contacts and insider knowledge to craft exclusive experiences that give guests the very best of Maui.
THE WHITE LOTUS LOCATIONS – SEASON 2
Why was The White Lotus moved to Sicily for Season 2?
The show is about the fictional ‘White Lotus’ chain of luxury hotels all around the world, and most of the show’s cast are different too. So for the much-awaited Season 2, the cast and crew were transported halfway across the world from the Hawaii-set first season to Sicily, an Italian island region in the Mediterranean Sea, where another lavish Four Seasons hotel chain, the San Domenico Palace in Taormina was used.
Mike White chose Taormina for its charm, and as he and his cast stayed there for months for preparation, they fell in love with the quaint cliff-top town that was compact enough to pack in plenty of sight-seeing, activity and romantic diversion.
Fancy a stay at the swanky San Domenico Palace? Expect to pay USD555 upwards per night for a room, with suites at USD 6,900. There are 111 rooms and suites and you also get access to three restaurants, two bars, an infinity pool and a gym. There are specially curated Sicilian experiences, from tasting the local wines to trekking up Etna.
The White Lotus: Season 2 was also filmed in the Sicilian cities of Palermo and Noto, as well as the surrounding Ionian Sea. Other scenes were shot at the Castello degli Schiavi in the coastal town of Fiumefreddo (this is also known for featuring in The Godfather), as well as the beachside La Cambusa restaurant in Giardini Naxos.
THE CLIFFHANGER: WHERE WILL THE WHITE LOTUS SEASON 3 BE FILMED?
All eyes are now on where the next instalment of The White Lotus will be filmed. Once director Mike White made the press announcement that they were “looking east”, there was a frenzy of speculation about the location that included destinations like Maldives, Bali, and Japan.
Our bet is that the next season of the show will be filmed at one of the uber-spectacular Maldives resorts. Read through our post for a glimpse of what Maldives has to offer. You will see the most pristine beaches, azure waters, and stunning landscapes. A testament to the fact that Maldives resorts are the Number 1 choice for honeymooners worldwide, according to Agoda.com.
Where else could be a more perfect setting for the new guests of White Lotus to showcase their beach bodies, and tans and off-load their ton of drama into our living rooms and eagerly expectant selves?
Weather-wise, Maldives enjoys clear sunny skies all year long – it’s warm sunny days throughout most of the year with occasional rainy seasons. The best time is between November and April when it is sunshine all day long and rain is rare whilst the monsoon season runs from May to October, peaking around June.
So, here are the Maldive resorts we think would be perfect for the eagerly awaited next White Lotus installation.
OPTION #1 – THE ST. REGIS MALDIVES VOMMULI RESORT
OPTION #2 – THE RITZ-CARLTON MALDIVES, FARI ISLANDS
Yet another gorgeous hotel and participant of the Stars & Luminous program is the Ritz-Carlton Maldives. The hotel is located on the Fari Islands, which are a new, reclaimed archipelago about an hour’s boat ride from the capital city of Male. Everything from the resort’s iconic architecture to the food and adventures is literally centred around the beautiful waters of the Indian Ocean, meaning you are surrounded by 360 degrees of spectacular ocean views.
The resort uses a classic minimalist, curved design to accentuate the beautifully turquoise Maldivian waters and its natural marine life. The unique design is already iconic and has been captured all over Instagram. It features a circular boardwalk, or The Halo as it is nicknamed, which connects the individual overwater villas with the resort’s ring-shaped spa.
The iconic design is the brainchild of legendary architect Kerry Hill, who says that minimalist circular architecture is inspired by nature.
OPTION #3 – CLUB MED – THE FINOLHU VILLAS
Club Med – The Finolhu Villas has just 52 exclusive standalone villas that are up to par with any 5-star resort in the world and comes with your butler that you can call or text. Choose either beachfront or overwater – both are gorgeous, with the beachfront villas having their own private stretch of beach.
This is an eco-chic, all-inclusive getaway where you can enjoy the finest experiences including panoramic views, underwater discoveries, and pampering indulgences. Club Med can also propose an itinerary that is as bold, trendy, and once-in-a-lifetime as your dream getaway should be. Here you are promised an all-inclusive holiday like no other. No matter which resort you travel to, it’s all included: the experiences, discoveries, services, and little touches that make Club Med simply unique.
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