There’s a certain compelling rhythm that defines the Emmy award-winning American TV series The White Lotus – a hypnotic synthesis of eerie, pulsating beats and ethereal harmonies that instantly transports you into its world of sun-drenched decadence and slow-burning scandals replete with dark secrets and twisted truths.

Just as unmistakable as Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s haunting soundtrack for Season 2 (spoiler alert: he’s changed the intro song for Season 3, but it’s still dark and mysterious) is the show’s commitment to showcasing ultra-luxurious escapes, turning these destinations into something far more significant than mere backdrops.

They become mainstays of the TV show created by Mike White, whispering secrets through swaying palms and infinity pools, beckoning guests into their own undoing. With that said, no other hotel brand has been more synonymous with The White Lotus than Four Seasons.

The White Lotus x Four Seasons: An Opulent Match

From the volcanic shores of Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea to the historic grandeur of San Domenico Palace, Taormina, The White Lotus has made a tradition of immersing its audiences in settings so opulent, they feel almost surreal. Now, the show’s latest season unfolds in yet another dreamlike sanctuary – Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui in Thailand.

Unlike conventional product placements, where brands subtly weave into the background, Four Seasons properties are deeply intertwined with the storytelling in The White Lotus and it just works. Each location shapes the energy of its season, reinforcing themes of power, privilege, and the simmering tensions that inevitably arise when wealth and entitlement clash with human nature.

A Force of a Narrative

In The White Lotus, the resorts are never just scenery but are the microcosms of the very themes the show unpacks. Maui’s golden beaches and rolling waves masked the undercurrents of exploitation and self-indulgence in Season 1. On the other hand, Taormina’s Sicilian extravagance, perched above the Ionian Sea, became a haunting stage for hedonism and betrayal in Season 2.

Now for Season 3, Koh Samui – with its secluded villas, dramatic cliffs, and mesmerising Gulf of Thailand views – sets the scene for a season of the show where paradise once again becomes a gilded cage.

Four Seasons properties offer the perfect paradox – they are simultaneously idealistic retreats and breeding grounds for the existential unravelling of their wealthy inhabitants. This delicate interplay between the resorts’ seamless service and the characters’ deep-seated dysfunctions is what makes the setting so integral to The White Lotus experience.

The Four Seasons Effect

For Four Seasons, this ongoing collaboration is an act of genius in immersive branding. Instead of traditional advertising, it allows audiences to vicariously experience these resorts – exploring their sunlit terraces, sipping cocktails by their infinity pools, and slipping into the fantasy of unbothered indulgence. The impact? An almost obsessive hankering to book a stay at one of these properties.

Following the first two seasons, Four Seasons undoubtedly saw a surge in travel interest, with guests eager to step into the world of The White Lotus – sans the existential crises, of course. Koh Samui is poised for the same phenomenon, with travellers longing to bask in the very same paradisiacal setting that frames this season’s most tantalising twists.

The Enduring Allure of The White Lotus Luxury

With each new season, The White Lotus looks beyond the lavish settings to highlight the stories that unfold within them. And with Four Seasons continuing to play a fundamental role in the series, it proves that, more often than not, the most captivating dramas are just as much about the places that shape them as they are about the people within them.

As the latest season unfolds in Thailand, one thing remains clear: whether in Maui, Sicily, or Koh Samui, The White Lotus and Four Seasons have perfected the art of making paradise feel as intoxicating as it is treacherous. For us, the audiences, the only question that remains is – where will they take us next?

Season 3 of The White Lotus, now out on HBO Max, was filmed across several resorts in Koh Samui and Phuket in Thailand, including Four Seasons Koh Samui, Anantara Bophut Koh Samui, Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, and Rosewood Phuket. It features cast such as Aimee Lou Wood (from Sex Education), returning actress Natasha Rothwell, Jason Isaacs (from the Harry Potter franchise), Lisa from Blackpink, and more.

Featured image: Four Seasons