As much as you might dislike many of the – admittedly very dislikeable – characters of HBO’s breakout TV hit ‘The White Lotus’, there’s no denying the appeal of the show’s filming locations. The first season, which was set in Hawaii and revolved around the interactions between the guests and employees of a fictional resort chain, was full of spectacular backdrops and seriously enviable bits of luxury.
Season two of ‘The White Lotus’ is about to drop (on HBO in the US this Sunday October 30, and Sky Atlantic in the UK on Monday October 31) and the filming locations are just as jaw-droppingly deluxe. Here’s what you need to know.
What were the filming locations for ‘The White Lotus’ season one?
The first season of ‘The White Lotus’ was shot at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea in Hawaii, which is a five-star luxury resort. Other bits of the series were filmed elsewhere on Maui, as well as on nearby Wailea Beach.
Where was ‘The White Lotus’ season two filmed?
The second season of ‘The White Lotus’ is set to be no less deluxe than the first. The upcoming series sees the show move location to Sicily. Some of the series was filmed in the Sicilian cities of Palermo and Noto, as well as on the surrounding Ionian Sea. Other bits were shot at the Castello degli Schiavi in the coastal town of Fiumefreddo (also known for featuring in The Godfather), as well as the beachside La Cambusa restaurant in Giardini Naxos.
Non-on-location filming was shot in Lumina Studios, which is near Rome. But the star location, as in season one, is the hotel itself…
Why was ‘The White Lotus’ moved to Sicily for season two?
The series is about the ‘White Lotus’ chain of luxury hotels and the latest season involves a different hotel to the first. The cast is almost different, too – the only main characters coming back from season one are Tanya McQuoid-Hunt (played by Jennifer Coolidge) and Greg Hunt (Jon Gries).
How many episodes are in season two?
The second season will feature seven episodes in total, with the final episode coming out on December 11.
What hotel was ‘The White Lotus’ season two filmed at?
The hotel in question is San Domenico Palace in Taormina. Part of the famously lavish Four Seasons hotel chain, the San Domenico is in a fourteenth century convent perched atop a rocky height. On Sicily’s eastern coast, it boasts great views out over both the surrounding Ionian Sea and Mount Etna.
Even for a Four Seasons hotel, San Domenico Palace is pretty swanky. Book one of its 111 rooms and suites and you’ll also get access to three restaurants, two bars, an infinity pool and a gym. There are also loads of specially curated experiences, from tasting the local wines to trekking up Etna. Here are some pics of the place, plus a couple of stills from the upcoming series.
So how much can you expect to pay for all this? Well, the San Domenico Palace is, unsurprisingly, not cheap. Rates start at about £480 ($555) per night, though some suites push a whopping £6,000 ($6,900) per night. But that’s to be expected for this kind of swish establishment.
Excitingly, however, there’s currently a sale on at the San Domenico Palace. At the mo, the hotel is offering up to a whopping 20 percent off its usual bed and breakfast rates. The offer stands for trips of between four and 14 days in length, and you find out more about it here.
According to Town and Country, ‘The White Lotus’ series two started production in February 2022 and filming at the hotel wrapped in the summer. So you won’t bump into any of the characters, thankfully…
You can find out more and book a stay at San Domenico Palace here – but, in all likelihood, if you fancy a ‘White Lotus’-themed Sicilian getaway, you had better get saving!
Here’s everything we know about season two of ‘The White Lotus’.
Is ‘The White Lotus’ season three heading for Asia? Here’s what we know so far.
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