From villas tucked in lush hillsides overlooking picture-perfect beaches to rooms that appear fit for Thai royalty, these are the resorts featured in the smash hit ‘The White Lotus‘ Season 3.
Thailand takes centre stage for the latest season of the much-loved comedy, The White Lotus, a social satire that follows the exploits of various guests and employees at the fictional The White Lotus resort chain.
The first season, which premiered in 2021, was set in Hawaii, and the second season in Sicily. Both regions saw an influx of ‘jet-setters’ wanting to stay at the locations featured in the series they’ve seen on the screen.
Now, it’s Thailand’s turn to brace for a similar influx of film-enthusiast travellers as The White Lotus season three is about to kick off in Australia (17th February).
The Anantara effect
Anantara has a reputation synonymous with luxury, and for those who love Anantara branded hotels, there are three properties where The White Lotus was filmed to choose from.
Days could be spent just swanning around this recently renovated resort with its lush tropical gardens that include a pretty lotus pond.
A beachfront retreat set in a coconut plantation, rooms reflect their surrounds with earthy wood tones and subtle greens. There’s also a new kids and teens club in a treehouse-inspired design with its own terrace and state-of-the-art Technogym fitness facility. Float in the pool shaded by palm trees and dine at Thin Tai for local southern cuisine.
Another Koh Samui stunner, this Anantara beachfront property was awarded a ‘Michelin Key’ for “creating an atmosphere of tranquil seclusion, while still offering easy access to all the bustle of this most vibrant of island destinations. Anantara has always specialised in a sophisticated and urbane version of the high-end beach escape, and on that score this one is no different”.
For ‘The White Lotus’ fans, The Singing Bird Lounge restaurant tucked in the canopy of a 120-year-old jungle canopy was one of the production sites in the series, where you can order cocktails named after local birds and sip them to a bird’s-eye view of the property.
Anantara Mai Khao Villas (Phuket)
Already a film star, Anantara Mai Khao Villas in Phuket featured in the 2024 Netflix film, ‘The Mother of the Bride‘, starring Brooke Shields. If you want to follow in her footsteps, book the Two-Bedroom Royal Villa by Jim Thompson, which Brooke Shields’ character Lana called home during filming.
Regardless of which room you choose, there’s plenty to do at this picturesque private resort, which sits on the northern tip of Phuket.
Spa treatments are offered in suites tucked in lush gardens, while there are 12 dining options, from lagoon-side dining to winding your way up an ancient banyan tree to dine at Tree House restaurant on cuisine that takes a modern twist on traditional Mediterranean and Asian practices.
While it’s still under wraps exactly where scenes were filmed here, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok confirms it was a location in the latest series of The White Lotus, and a portrait of the show’s Creator Mike White has been added to the hotel’s ‘Author’s Wing’.
Many authors have stayed here, including Dame Barbara Cartland, Graham Greene, Wilbur Smith, John Le Carre, Ian Fleming, Noel Coward and Norman Mailer, and their photographs now grace the walls in the Authors’ Wing and Reading Room.
Another Michelin Key resort, the revered guide says of the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok’s three key rating, “The newer wings put their elevation to use offering impressive views over the river; lavish comforts like butler service are universal throughout.
“Of particular note are the extraordinary array of restaurants, including the one-Michelin-star Le Normandie, as well as the famous Sala Rim Naam, a traditional Thai restaurant featuring an immersive culinary experience; it’s set across the river, along with the hotel’s spa, and is reached via a brief but memorable shuttle boat ride”.
Designed by renowned architect Bill Bensley, this secluded retreat (main image and above) has villas perched on the hillside with private infinity pools and terraces to soak up the sea view.
With a private strip of pristine beach, beachfront infinity pool, a Muay Thai Ring, and Asia’s first and only rum library, there is no shortage of things to do – and that’s before you leave the resort.
Guests staying here can also enjoy premiere screenings of The White Lotus – watching the scenes play out on the screen while in the exact location where filming took place.
The White Lotus will be available to stream in Australia on Binge on 17th February.
