All White: Booking.com Reveals the Luxurious Stays Behind the Popular Dark Drama TV Series
One of the breakout hits of the 2021 lockdown and 14-time Emmy Award winner, the dark comedy drama that documents the secrets and twisted truths of a luxury hotel chain is set to return to screens with a bang in 2025. The second series moved from Hawaii to the north-east coast of Sicily, and it has just been announced that the highly anticipated season three will be filmed at two luxury resorts in Thailand. With over half (57%)* of travelers wanting to embrace ‘main character energy’ in 2024, what better stage than one of the stunning locales where this acclaimed drama was filmed? Booking.com, global leader in connecting travelers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, reveals the real-life resorts behind the series – new and old – and some of their most extravagant offerings.
Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui – Koh Samui, Thailand
With backdrops so gorgeous, it’s no wonder this aspirational vacation locale was singled out for season three. Set on a tropical hillside on the northwestern tip of Koh Samui with vistas of the private beach and Gulf of Thailand, the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui offers every imaginable comfort. Seductive villas with expansive sea views come with private infinity pools and stocked wine fridges, while the spa offers massages that will knead away any trace of real-world stress. Enjoy a main character moment on the sea-facing daybeds at the beach bar, where attentive staff whip up an array of cocktails. There’s even butler service, on hand with chilled towels at the pool and golf carts to run guests up and down the steep hill. Visitors can let daily island life unfold here, rising for yoga or Muay Thai on the beach at dawn, cruising into the horizon on a private yacht during the day, and returning for a candlelit dinner in a secluded cove. With a private pick up straight from the resort, sign up for a Koh Samui Instagram Tour: Most Famous Spots for next-level backdrops around the island, from famed temples to magical gardens.
Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas – Phuket, Thailand
A coconut plantation turned all-villa retreat on Phuket’s secluded northwest coast is where the upcoming season will also be set. The Mai Khao is charmingly intimate and personal. Palm-shaded villas weave around a blue lagoon, each with their own plunge pool and sundeck where obliging staff deliver breakfast by boat. Stretching the length of the beachfront, the main pool offers guests the chance to float on a daybed or paddle up to the infinity bar for a cocktail. With a soundtrack of birdsong and geckos, this stay is the perfect spot for yoga, a massage or an intimate dinner in its treehouse restaurant. Extravagance is never far away, with the resort hosting regular feasts on the beach and spectacles complete with fireworks and flamethrowers. Staff at this Booking.com Travel Proud property are renowned for going above and beyond, even playing cupid and helping to plan surprise romantic treats for guests. Continue the screen theme on a nearby James Bond Island Day Trip with Sea Canoeing to the iconic Phang Nga Bay and explore the tropical mangroves in a traditional longtail boat.
Four Seasons Maui at Wailea – Wailea, Maui, Hawaii, United States
The first season introduced viewers to the kooky staff and dysfunctional families at a fictional resort in Hawaii. All the drama takes place in the real-life Four Seasons Maui at Wailea resort that overlooks the glimmering Pacific Ocean. Aloha bliss! Its grand, fountained pool is dotted with white cabanas, while an adults-only serenity pool has a swim-up bar that serves tropical cocktails in carved-out pineapples. Key to the drama are the suites, all decorated with muted tones and marble bathrooms, and boasting next-level beds with temperature-regulation tech and pillow menus. This island-chic resort is a favorite getaway for A-listers and its friendly staff dish out complimentary poolside snacks, sunscreen and chilled towels. Guests can enjoy nightly hula shows at sunset and dine at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant which serves spectacular island-inspired fare. The resort’s phenomenal range of artwork, spanning 2,000 original pieces, is dotted around and walk-worthy of an evening stroll. Just a short drive away in Lahaina, a Myths of Maui Luau Dinner and Show offers a traditional Hawaiian party including thrilling fire-knife dances, which wouldn’t feel out of place in this TV drama.
San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel – Taormina, Sicily
A former 14th-century convent-turned-luxury resort, this indulgent stay is where most of the action of season two takes place. Perched on a cliff over the Ionian Sea, the San Domenico Palace, Taormina, A Four Seasons Hotel is perfect for those wanting to channel their inner film star and have their own Monica Vitti moment. With original frescoes, vaulted ceilings and statue-filled courtyards, its historic interiors are as mesmerizing as its views of Mount Etna. A cliff-top infinity pool overlooks Taormina Bay, while above lies magnificent Italian gardens fragranced with lemon trees and lavender. This Sicilian oasis is shrouded in history and guests can sip a cocktail in the Grand Cloister bar or stay in one of the monastic rooms, each with a fresco of a saint above the door. Modern rooms are furnished in sumptuous style with deep soaking tubs and heavenly beds, along with sea views that will transport guests into a whirlwind of bliss. Other amenities include a gym, a wellness center and three polished restaurants where guests can savor Michelin-star cuisine. For more action, a Godfather vs Mafia Tour & Sicilian Light Lunch will take travelers to the cobblestoned streets of Savoca and Forza d'Agrò where this iconic movie was filmed, and which is referenced throughout this dark comedy drama.
*Travel Predictions 2024 research commissioned by Booking.com and conducted among a sample of adults who plan to travel for business or leisure in the next 12-24 months. In total, 27,730 respondents across 33 countries and territories were polled (including 1008 from Argentina, 1012 from Australia, 505 from Austria, 1001 from Belgium, 1002 from Brazil, 1009 from Canada, 1009 from China, 1002 from Colombia, 508 from Croatia, 504 from Denmark, 1011 from France, 1011 from Germany, 1016 from Hong Kong, 1004 from India, 510 from Ireland, 504 from Israel, 1014 from Italy, 1004 from Japan, 1009 from Mexico, 1014 from The Netherlands, 1015 from New Zealand, 500 from Portugal, 502 from Singapore, 1010 from South Korea, 1009 from Spain, 502 from Sweden, 507 from Switzerland, 504 from Taiwan, 1003 from Thailand, 502 from the UAE, 1007 from the UK, 1005 from the US and 1007 from Vietnam). Respondents completed an online survey in July 2023.