This spring, the Four Seasons Resort Maui has been offering its guests the opportunity to "set-jet" into the first season of HBO's hit show, "The White Lotus."
The Emmy-winning show, which aired the finale of its third season last month, is a dramatic comedy that transports viewers to global locations of a fictional luxury hotel brand. But what fans of the show might not realize is that while The White Lotus brand isn't real, each season's host hotel is.
And so far, each of the hotels featured in each season have been Four Seasons-branded resorts — the 70-room Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui in Thailand and 111-room Four Seasons Hotel San Domenico Palace, Taormina in Italy hosted seasons three and two, respectively. But the 383-key Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea started it all in 2020 when the show filmed on the property, which was closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ben Shank, the current general manager at the Four Seasons Resort Maui, said the show made the hotel a "true pop culture touchstone," driving a 425% year-over-year increase in website visits and a 386% increase in availability checks as the first season aired.
"The rise of ‘set-jetting’ is an exciting evolution in hospitality," Shank said. "People aren’t just watching shows anymore; they’re choosing travel destinations based on them. Resorts like ours that have served as the backdrop for iconic shows or films offer travelers an extra layer of connection."
The show, which follows several wealthy guests during their stay each season, highlights key features of the actual hotel — but not everything is real. The White Lotus's Pineapple Suite — much coveted by the newlywed groom on the show — doesn't actually exist. The show's team redecorated parts of the resort for the show. The Lokelani Presidential Suite, which rents its 7,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor living space for $29,000 a night, represented the Pineapple Suite while the hotel's Elite Suite, which rents at the same price, was used to represent the fictionally inferior Palm Suite.
Featured frequently in the first season, the resort's adult pool is among the more iconic and most recognizable aspects for fans of the show. Riding the wave of the show's third season, the Four Seasons Resort Maui floated specialty poolside drinks — such as “The Pineapple Suite” and “The Lotus” — and added the Lotus Release Ritual as a poolside spa treatment. Additionally, guests can rent a Poolside Escape cabana for the luxe price of $1,350 per day. These features are available until May 16.
"It’s been a pleasure to welcome fans of the show," Shank said. "While visitors often ask about the show or take photos of recognizable spots, we've found ways to incorporate this interest into the resort experience in a positive manner that adds a fun layer of storytelling to the resort’s atmosphere."
It's not just the Maui guests that get to have all of The White Lotus fun. Through an exclusive partnership with HBO's Max, several other Four Seasons resorts all over the world offered special amenities for guests this spring, including episode viewings, bar and pool activations, and afternoon tea.
“Formalizing our partnership with HBO and Max marks an exciting milestone in our journey together, embracing a cultural phenomenon that blends exceptional storytelling with the universal love of travel,” Marc Speichert, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Four Seasons, said in a news release announcing the partnership for season three.
The Four Seasons did not comment on ongoing or future partnerships for upcoming seasons of the show.