Recently updated on June 30th, 2025 at 11:36 am
The White Lotus is one of the biggest TV shows to make an impact in the last five years or so. With three seasons out (and counting), the show has touched down in Hawaii, Sicily and Thailand, showcasing some of the fanciest hotels and most stunning scenery in the world.
Here’s everything you need to know about The White Lotus, from what it’s about to where it was filmed.
What is The White Lotus about?
The White Lotus is named after the series’ eponymous, fictional luxury hotel chain, following a different group of wealthy American vacationers for the duration of their stay each season. It’s part murder mystery and part dark comedy, with each episode revealing more sinister dynamics and more complex stories, unpicking class conflict and social inequality between not just the guests, but the hotel staff and the locals.
Is White Lotus based on a book? No, The White Lotus is an original creation from Mike White. Allegedly, White’s inspiration come from his own experiences vacationing in Hawaii.
Mike White of School of Rock fame created, wrote and directed The White Lotus. The script is full of social commentary in the way you see the wealthy families treating the resort and staff.
With only a few recurring characters across the seasons, the cast has included actors like Jennifer Coolidge, Alexandra Daddario, Aubrey Plaza, Theo James, Meghan Fahy, Aimee Lou Wood, Walton Goggins and Parker Posey (to name a few).
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Where was The White Lotus filmed?
The White Lotus filming locations have taken us around the world, and the hotel itself has always been set at a real Four Seasons hotel: the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Hawaii in season one, the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace in Taormina, Sicily for season two, and the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, Thailand for season three.
Such a thing as the ‘White Lotus effect’ has been coined (in tandem with the rise of ‘set-jetting’), where locations used in filming have seen a spike in visitor interest – the Hawaii location saw a 425% increase year on year in website visits after the success of the first season.
Where was The White Lotus season 1 filmed?
Season one was filmed during the pandemic in late 2020, which is why all the cast and crew lived, worked and quarantined at the Four Seasons Resort Maui for the whole shoot. The location is absolutely idyllic with amazing ocean views, luxe rooms and Hawaii’s wild, tropical landscapes nearby.
Where was The White Lotus season 2 filmed?
While the first season was filmed almost entirely in and around The Four Seasons Resort Maui, season two was shot outside the pandemic and so was able to venture outside of the hotel in Sicily, Italy.
Part of the Four Seasons portfolio, the hotel is set at San Domenico Palace, Taormina, on the northeast coast of Sicily. The impressive hotel overlooks Mount Etna,
While most locations were around Taormina, the beach seen in the opening episode season two is actually in Cefalu, over two hours away on the other side of the island. Recognizable shots of Cefalu are in the background of several beach scenes, including the fisherman’s houses in the old port and the town’s 12th-century Norman Cathedral. Isola Bella also appears in the season, most prominently in a particularly poignant final scene between Fahy and Will Sharpe.
Palermo also features heavily throughout the season, from Palermo’s grand Opera House and the neoclassical Villa Tasca, as well as the Palazzo Ducezio and Cathedral in Noto.
Where was The White Lotus season 3 filmed?
The third season was set and shot entirely in Thailand, with locations shot across Phuket, Bangkok and Koh Samui.
What resort is White Lotus 3 filmed at? The real hotel used as the set for The White Lotus season three is Anantara Lawana Koh Samui. Meanwhile, the spa in season three was filmed at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket.
Koh Samui features heavily throughout the season; the guests visit Mu Ko Ang Thong National Marine Park, an archipelago west of Koh Samui, as well as Choeng Mon Beach on Samui’s northeastern peninsula. The famous full moon party is set at Haad Rin on the neighboring island Koh Phangan. The Buddhist monastery seen in season three is in Wat Pu Khao Thong, on the north coast of Koh Samui during a scene where the guests visit a temple.
Phuket was the season’s secondary location, with arrival scenes shot on the island’s southern Ya Nui Beach. The Phuket Yacht Haven Marina on the north-east coast is also featured, as well as Café Del Mar on Kamala Beach in the east. Muay Thai (Thai boxing) is featured during an episode where three girlfriends visit Bangla Boxing in the Pa Tong area with the hotel’s yoga instructor.
Filming locations in Bangkok were spread across The Mandarin Oriental hotel, boutique nightclub Sing Sing Theater, and the Wat Paknam Phasi Charoe Buddhist temple.
Will there be a season 4 of White Lotus?
Season four has already been confirmed, but very few details have been released.
The location for the next season hasn’t been confirmed. In a behind-the-scenes clip after the final episode of season 3, creator Mike White said for the next season he wants to “get away from the crashing waves against rocks vernacular” but there’s “always room for more murders”.
HBO’s EVP Francesca Orsi told Deadline: “We’re going on some locations scouting in the next couple of weeks, so we’ll know soon. I can’t really say where we’re going to land but chances are somewhere in Europe.”
Where can I watch The White Lotus?
You can watch White Lotus on HBO in the U.S., or stream it via NOW, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, or YouTube.
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Have you seen The White Lotus? What did you think? Did it inspire you to want to visit Hawaii? Let us know in the comments….