It may be a biting satire, a daring piece of social commentary and an irony-drenched exploration of the corrupting power of wealth. But as they take in the savage script and clever direction, viewers can’t help but think: the White Lotus has some lovely hotels.
The award-winning HBO comedy-drama has been a runaway success due to its entitled characters, sharp scripts and glamorous backdrops.
Another big draw is the location, with the fictional White Lotus luxury resorts chain set in sunshine-infused Hawaii in season one and Sicily in season two.
In season three White Lotus will move to another exotic locale, believed to be Thailand.
“The director went out early this year and scouted a few places including the Four Seasons in Bangkok, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai,” a spokesperson from the Tourism Authority of Thailand told the Guardian.
Given the previous seasons were shot in Four Seasons properties, the above seem likely contenders. But rumour has it location scouts have also visited The Siam Hotel Bangkok on the city’s fabled Chao Phraya River, the Rayavadee Krabi in the south and the Raya Heritage – a small hotel set in a verdant garden on the banks of the Mae Ping River in the northern province of Chiang Mai.
South-east Asia does not just do luxury hospitality, it defines it – the perfect choice for hedonists craving peace of mind. Thanks largely to hotelier Adrian Zecha, who in 1988 opened the Amanpuri on Phuket’s Pansea beach, Thailand is the fountainhead of the boutique hotel and stylish minimalism.
And staff at the Thai tourism board will surely be rubbing their hands with glee at the idea of millions of viewers around the world thinking about visiting the beautiful locations shown in the series, even if they hope the clientele will be a little more likable.
The theme for the series is thought to be spirituality. Series one tackled money and entitlement; the second, sex, power and betrayal. And the ocean – a place to pose, soul search, find oneself or wash up dead – has been a series mainstay. The smart money is on the karst-flecked Krabi province, the rainforested island of Koh Samui or the country’s spiritual core, Chiang Mai.
At Rayavadee Krabi, villas and two-storey pavilions poke through a coconut grove that spills on to an arc of fine-grain sand. There are butlers and…
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