The first season of The White Lotus was shot in Hawaii, and the second season was shot in Sicily.
A large portion of the satirical miniseries "The White Lotus" is set inside a lavish hotel. The dark comedy series follows the ups and downs of the resort's wealthy and frequently vain visitors and gives us a peek at what the incredibly polite staff members actually think of their patrons.
Its opulent tropical setting, with its incredibly picturesque surroundings, is typical of where the wealthy elite rest. The pristine setting, however, has a much bigger impact than serving as the show's backdrop because it starkly contrasts the conceits that many of its characters hold.
In The White Lotus, affluent, upper-class American families go on vacation to Hawaii to relax from their busy lives and take in the island's breathtaking surroundings. Tanya McQuoid, a wealthy woman with a lot of worldly belongings who is struggling with the untimely death of her mother, and the Mossbacher family, whose members seem to be either unpleasant and irritating or simply too reserved to even voice their ideas, are some of the guests. These eccentrics and the other vacationers get together for the perfect getaway, but as they do, their different socio-economic backgrounds collide in unexpected and entertaining ways, leading to unanticipated events.
The White Lotus' stunning backdrop is the result of the first and second seasons of the show being filmed in Hawaii and Sicily, respectively. The list of locations and a few additional details are provided below.
Four Seasons Resort, Maui, Hawaii (Season 1)
The fictional property where the show is set is a lavish resort called The White Lotus. The Four Seasons Resort at Wailea, which is situated on the island of Maui in the Hawaiian archipelago, is where the miniseries was actually shot. The expansive oceanfront resort is a very expensive establishment, with daily room rates that would make most people cry their eyes out.
The production of the show used 200 locals as extras and background actors over the course of about 8 weeks of filming at the resort. Filming took place in a variety of resort locations because the characters are all vacationing and staying at the hotel.
The resort's dining establishments, swimming pools, nearby beaches, and even the interiors of the rooms can all be seen in the series. Naturally, the property's name was changed from "The Four Seasons Resort" to "The White Lotus" on the signage. The actual resort is located in Maui at 3900 Wailea Alanui Drive. After the resort had been used for the majority of the filming, the production crew also traveled to other areas of Maui to shoot more scenes. Additionally, a crew of about 100 locals was hired for the production.
COVID Precautions
The first season of the show was shot between October and December 2020, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The entire cast and crew were required to stay in their resort and undergo nearly daily COVID tests, among other strict safety regulations. Nearly 2,000 COVID-19 tests had been conducted by the production by the halfway point of the shooting schedule, and no positive cases had been discovered.
Four Seasons San Domenico Palace, Taormina, Sicily (Season 2)
The town of Taormina in Sicily served as the main shooting location for The White Lotus Season 2. One of HBO Max's top shows explores the power dynamics of magnificent locales. The cities and communities of Sicily span the wealthiest and poorest regions of Italy, keeping the idea of class contrasts from The White Lotus in the back of viewers' minds. Rome on the Italian mainland and the Sicilian cities of Noto and Palermo were also used as filming sites for White Lotus season 2.
The Four Seasons San Domenico Palace in Taormina, a convent-turned-resort from the fourteenth century, served as the setting for The White Lotus season 2. Prior to declaring that the hotel was "love at first sight" for them, San Domenico Palace public relations coordinator Sonia Bonamassa claims that "the producers [of The White Lotus] visited roughly 70 hotels."
The White Lotus' season 2 cast visiting the same spot that attracted royalty like King Edward VIII is undoubtedly consistent with the program's critique of the culture of five-star resorts and the excessively wealthy side of society.
Why was Sicily chosen as the new location instead of Hawaii?
In a WSJ interview, creator of the White Lotus Mike White discusses the "villas on terraced hills, Mount Etna, and the Ionian Sea," saying that "if you want to go to Europe, this is the view you want to see." It makes sense that White, a former competitor on Survivor and The Amazing Race, would use The White Lotus as a means of travel. Even a well-known production like “The White Lotus” would be hesitant to move the entire cast to a different location, but it benefited the show as a whole.
Recognizing The White Lotus' superior selling power was another factor in the decision to move it to Sicily. The White Lotus was originally intended to be a short-lived HBO series, but it quickly gained popularity, sending creator Mike White and producer David Bernad on a Mediterranean scouting expedition.
“I feel like I've broken the code, and I really don't want to f— it up,” as White underscores in an interview with Vulture. The White Lotus gains new life and appeal by changing sites, capitalizing on its greater acclaim and distinctive advantages as a series about a posh resort company.
FAQs
Q. What is the genre of The White Lotus?
A. The White Lotus series falls in the Comedy, Mystery and Drama genres.
Q. Is there a season three of The White Lotus?
A. Yes, The White Lotus has been renewed for a season three that will be debuted by late 2023 or early 2024.
Q. Where is The White Lotus available for streaming?
A. The White Lotus can be streamed on HBO Max with a subscription.
Q. Can The White Lotus be streamed for free?
A. On a seven-day free trial, DirecTV will stream The White Lotus without charge; however, after that, a subscription is required.
