Before shots are fired and a face-down body floats by a glassy pavilion in the opening scene of Season 3 of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” your first question was probably: Where is this nirvana and can I go there? The answer is the spa at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas in Thailand — and yes, yes you can.
While the Four Seasons Koh Samui’s dramatic shoreline and sprawling suites feature prominently this season, another trio of exotic gems serve as backdrop to some of the most stunning and quintessentially “White Lotus” scenes. They each have their own scene-stealers, so pick your poison, or book the Lotus Awakening Escape to seamlessly experience all three. At Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, the pool villas inspired by traditional Thai wooden houses are the star, and at over 2,000 square feet, bigger than most NYC apartments. They’re the setting for Belinda Lindsey’s (Natasha Rothwell) room, with double pocket doors that open up to a private pool, massive outdoor soaking tub (filled and custom-salted upon request), outdoor shower and loungeworthy cabana. You won’t want to leave — especially when you can order the addictive Yam Som O pomelo salad with tamarind dressing and toasted coconut, or a silky curry to your villa — but you must.
Densely draped in Bill Bensley-designed gardens punctuated by a connected lotus lagoon, it’s easy to forget that the beach is just a boardwalk away from Mai Khao. Call for a buggy (resortspeak for golf cart) or pad down early to nab a pair of the oversized chaise lounges installed in the pool. These go fast and can’t be reserved — or held for more than 30 minutes with a copy of Elin Hilderbrand’s latest novel.
You, too, can attend group sound bowl therapy or book the signature Thai Warrior Massage in that spa pavilion — and actually relax. That is, as long as the monitor lizards aren’t splashing nearby. Wildlife is a part of life at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, with nods to sea turtles throughout the property and 98 bird species on-site. One, the red-eyed male Asian Koel, sings like he’s still auditioning for a part in “The White Lotus” theme song.
While you’re more likely to travel by plane instead of the traditional Red Dragon yacht that carries guests of the White Lotus hotel to Koh Samui, it’s worth the hop, skip and a jump to Thailand’s second-largest island after Phuket. There, in addition to pristine white sand beaches and crystal-clear water, sits Anantara Bophut Koh Samui, home of the now infamous hotel entrance in Season 3.
Don’t linger too long on your iPhone at the looming monkey fountain like Jason Isaacs’ character Timothy Ratliff when you can cool your heels in the gorgeous lobby (also featured on the show) with an icy welcome tea and mint-infused compress. If you must check your email, do so in the adjacent library which was transformed into the White Lotus’ gift shop and — spoiler alert — scene of a crime in Episode 2.
Beyond lies a serene, Instaworthy pond with giant water lilies and lotus. But make no mistake: Bophut has a decidedly mystical and hedonistic vibe, right down to the resort’s South American and Nikkei fusion restaurant, unironically named Guilty (where you should shamelessly order the tableside guac), and a beachfront pool scene buzzing with couples on island time. The expansive sea views at Bophut mean there isn’t a bad beach chair or room in the house, but if you want to stay like a top-billed cast member, book one of only two private one-bedroom pool villas that feel utterly secluded but are situated just steps away from the action.
The crown jewel of Anantara Bophut Koh Samui — and one of the focal points of the show — is the spa. Within the dusty pink of a walled garden, you can practice yoga like Piper Ratliff (Sarah Catherine Hook) or calm your monkey mind in one of six exquisite, stand-alone rooms where our fictional spa manager Belinda hones her skills. The foot ritual she receives kicks off the Lotus Indulgence Treatment, a 90-minute full-body massage with lotus essential oil. Not all hotel spas are created equal, but as Belinda says, “you know how to treat a burnt-out bitch.”
Don’t sleep on the resort’s lotus-folding class, a surprisingly satisfying and Zen lesson in fashioning the flower’s petals through Thai folding techniques. Take a bouquet back to your room or along with you to Wat Phra Yai (aka Big Buddha Temple) as an offering. You might even say a little prayer for another excursion: Koh Samui’s Fishermen’s Village Night Market. Steps from the resort on a pedestrian street, the island’s most popular market for local goods and street food has the foot traffic to show for it. Prepare to wander stalls at whatever speed the crowd permits, haggle for your knockoff handbag and eat anything delicious-looking on a skewer without overthinking its anatomical origin. It’s a jungle out there and you’re here for it.
Last but certainly not least, Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, host to the White Lotus hotel bar. Here it’s called the Singing Bird Lounge and the best seat in the house for taking in the sunset or sipping on a Red-Whiskered Bulbul, a handshaken cross between an amaretto and bourbon sour. The Lounge is open to the public — until that White Lotus Effect takes over — but it’s worth being a resort guest to experience Lawana’s understated luxury. From the infinity pool overlooking a breathtaking beach to interior design touches inspired by Thai-Chinese traders and classic shop-houses, this coastal chic resort lives up to its Michelin Guide One Key distinction. If “roughing it” is more your style, kayak at sunrise to the uninhabited nearby island or strike a lotus pose at group yoga on the beach. The next episode of “The White Lotus” can wait.
Getting to these destinations is a trip unto itself, but Cathay Pacific operates three flights daily from JFK to Hong Kong as well as daily flights from LAX and SFO. It’s worth springing for a premium-class ticket to access one of the airline’s lounges for a pre-connection massage or a visit to the Noodle Bar.
Pool villas at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket start at $714 per night; beachfront pool suites at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui begin at $593 per night; rooms at the Lawana Koh Samui Resort begin at $560 per night.
