The second season of Mike White’s popular HBO anthology series “The White Lotus” has officially come to a close. And while most of the recent fanfare has to do with the demise of a beloved character “Derby” and another questionable fashion sense for another not-so-likeable character, there’s also a lot of talk about the show’s fancy locations.
Season one took us to the sunny outdoors of Maui while season two took us to another scenic beach destination in Sicily. With backstories so gorgeous, it’s easy to overlook the series’ messy drama — the murderous, often frivolous antics of the wealthy — in the face of these ambitious vacation spots.
Whether your heart desires the Pacific or the Mediterranean, here’s a closer look at the real-life White Lotus resorts, whether or not they’re open to the public and their most extravagant offerings.
Season 1: Maui
Season 1 introduced us to the gorgeous staff at the White Lotus Resort in Hawaii, the dysfunctional Mossbacker family, the newlywed-but-incompatible Pattons, and the lonely traveler named Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge) who seeks inner peace after the death of her mother. The focus here was money and power - which stir up rifts between guests and resort staff - along with a missing illegal green backpack. In the end, someone ends up dying, which adds to the larger comment about who has the power.
Murray Bartlett, Jolene Purdy, Natasha Rothwell, and Lucas Gage on “The White Lotus” (HBO)
All action takes place at the Four Seasons Resort Maui located at Wailea, a 5-star hotel currently available for reservations. It is located near one of Maui’s largest beaches, Wailea Beach, and features 380 rooms and suites. three pools; a spa offering poolside and ocean wellness services; Three golf courses and an art museum.
Sydney Sweeney, Brittany O’Grady and Alexandra Daddario in “The White Lotus” (Mario Perez/HBO)
Current room rates range from $1,160 per night, which is quite pricey, but totally reasonable compared to the most expensive suite. If you opt for the three-bedroom “Lokelani” presidential suite, which is akin to Shane (Jake Lacy) and Rachel Patton’s (Alexandra Daddario) requested for the Pineapple Suite, it will set you back $27,000 per night. What do you get? Huge area of 7,200 square feet. With an area of 1900 square feet. Private garden and options of 2 king and 2 queen beds. There’s also a 180-degree view of the nearby oceanfront and islands on the horizon.
If you’re a little more modest and still love a little extravagance like the Mossbacker family, the hotel’s slightly smaller “Maile” presidential suite measures 4,000 square feet. From the interior space, a 180-degree view of the Pacific Ocean, neighboring islands, and Wailea Beach. Or, if you’re going solo like Tania’s, it’s the Oceanfront Prime Suites, still very spacious at 1,400 square feet. with - what? - 180 degree ocean view of the beach and neighboring islands.
Steve Zahn and Connie Britton in The White Lotus (Courtesy of HBO)
Season Two: Sicily
One feature we hope not to miss on a jaunt to Italy is the floating corpse that Daphne Sullivan (Megan Fahey) bumps into while swimming in the Ionian Sea. Still, it’s easy to see why she and her husband Cameron (Theo James) — along with other couples Harper (Aubrey Plaza) and her husband Ethan (Will Sharp) and Tanya and her husband Greg (John Gries) — found Allure.
If you’re looking to recreate a romantic/dysfunctional getaway, you may need to plan ahead. Palazzo San Domenico at the Four Seasons in Taormina, a former 14th-century convent turned luxury resort where most events are currently closed but set to reopen on March 14, 2023. As Resort Manager Valentina will let you know, there are 111 rooms, suites and specialty suites (where you can get having an affair with a pianist) which cost $800 and up. If you’d rather not risk running into dead bodies in the sea, you can take a dip in the cliff-top infinity pool that overlooks the Gulf of Taormina. As we saw in the show, the San Domenico Palace is also located near Mount Etna, which may or may not erupt to great effect if you visit.
Simona Tabasco and Beatrice Grano in The White Lotus (Photo courtesy of HBO)
Fortunately, many of the historic towns and nearby landmarks featured in the show are also open to visitors. The first is Noto, the idyllic town in southeastern Sicily where Daphne and Harper spent their girls’ day trip. For free, you can admire the city’s Baroque architecture, limestone squares, and beautiful cathedrals. Noto and Piazza del Municipio are notably featured in Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1960 classic “La Ventura”.
But if you roll like Daphne, why not copy her vacations and rent the privately owned Villa Tasca (you know, whatever you have to do to make yourself feel good). Located in Palermo, the villa is only available to rent for private events and weddings, but Dream Exotic Rentals offers it for vacation rentals starting at about $5,684 per night. theft. The whole villa has four bedrooms, five bathrooms and a large pool, so check it out Kidnapping Bring plenty of company if you are planning a visit.
Megan Fahey and Aubrey Plaza in The White Lotus (Courtesy of HBO)
Suppose you follow the trail of Di Grasso’s men, who travel to Castello degli Schiavi, the famous place of death of Apollonia (Simonetta Stefanelli) in “The Godfather”. Less than a mile west of the Ionian Sea and about 10 miles south of the Palazzo San Domenico, the grand 18th-century estate is not at all far from your driver.
Among the many other attractions open to the public include Taormina, a beach town on the east coast of Sicily, and Teatro Massimo Palermo, where Tania watches “Madama Butterfly” accompanied by her shady friend Quentin (Tom Hollander). It’s up to you exactly how much of her adventure with the “distinguished gay” she wants to reproduce.
Beatrice Grano, Adam DiMarco, and Simona Tabasco in The White Lotus (Courtesy of HBO)
Season 3: Destination Unknown
It’s no surprise that staying at hot spots in “The White Lotus” is expensive, given its wealthy clients like Tanya, who has moved from Petal to Blossom over the years. If you have the means to live like them, feel free to replicate their experiences (without death, of course). However, if this lifestyle isn’t possible, you can simply drive by each site and peek at it.
The White Lotus Resorts world tour will likely continue with the show possibly heading to South Asia in Season 3, according to Daphne, who exclaims, “Next year, the Maldives!” at the end of its season. White also told Vanity Fair in an interview in December, “We’ll be exploring in Asia and looking at countries there.
He added, “My instinct is that maybe it has something to do with spirituality. Eastern religion versus Western religion, or Western culture in Eastern culture.” “Maybe it would be nice after sex to have something more heavenly or something a little more fleshy, I guess. But I don’t know.”
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