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It’s the news that all us serious people have been waiting for: the third chapter of The White Lotus is on its way and it will be set in Thailand.
Of course, spoiler alert, my beloved Jennifer Coolidge as the delightfully deranged Tanya McQuoid won’t be able to make the trip (or will she? I’m hoping for a miracle…) but at least Mike White’s artwork The HBO series is returning. And we all know that the setting is as crucial as the characters. The first series was in Maui, Hawaii, the second in Taormina, Sicily. And Thailand’s exquisite highlands and islands will be the new backdrop for the show’s biting social commentary on the corrupting power of wealth. In a generous act of public service, I singled him out.
After flying into Bangkok, I took a 45 minute connecting flight to Koh Samui and checked into Six Senses. This dream world of 66 wooden villas with private pools is located on the northern tip of the island. Immersed in nature, yet cut down on an expensive basis, this is rustic luxury at its best. With a lot of emphasis on sustainability and connecting with nature, it’s the land of the thoughtful billionaire tech brother, not the brash would-be showboats.
You could waste hours gazing out over the Gulf of Thailand, or lounging on a lounger by the infinity pool, judiciously crafting the cocktail menu. Pleasantly, all guests are allocated a ‘GEM’ (Guest Experience Manager) who can book tables at the award-winning Dining on the Rocks restaurant or design excursions.
Like all Six Senses in Thailand, the hotel has an organic garden and farm where guests can pick up their own eggs for breakfast. Everything from napkins to towels is made from natural materials. The good life without guilt.
Next, another domestic flight to Phuket, and then a short boat trip to Six Senses Yao Noi (Thai for “little long island”). Nestled in the limestone of Phang Nga Bay, this resort, made up of 56 discrete villas, is arguably even more breathtaking, overlooking neighboring islands. Kit Harrington, Tilda Swinton and Cristiano Ronaldo have stayed here.
The drink party that greeted us on arrival, with expensively dressed guests, blue butterfly pea flower cocktails, and Thai women performing traditional dances, could have been a scene from The White Lotus. I almost looked over my shoulder for Coolidge and co.
Again, the hotel has a focus on sustainability – including a mushroom hut where they grow all kinds of mushrooms for the restaurant – and even has a water plant. Proving once again that sustainability doesn’t mean giving up on luxury, guests are transported in electric buggies.
The resort, designed to resemble the yellow-billed hornbill’s nest, is dotted with incredible restaurants serving exquisite food, mostly Thai. Highly recommended is a long tail boat trip to a deserted island where the chefs will set a table on the sand and serve up the most amazing barbecue dinner. On another day you might take advantage of their professional Muay Thai boxer, on hand in case a guest feels like a spin in the ring, or spend an hour in their yoga shala in the mangroves.
As the team waves from your hotel pier, it’s hard not to shed a tear, but a couple of nights at stylish Anantara Phuket should lift your spirits. Don’t forget to visit the night market to stock up on designer bags. Hotel UHNWIs might not approve of the bling, but your LNWI friends in London sure will.
Scott Dunn is offering eight nights from £3,551 per person based on a family of two adults and two children. Includes three nights at Six Senses Samui, three nights at Six Senses Yao Noi and two nights at Anantara Mai Khao, plus return flights from the UK and private transfers. scottdunn.com020 8682 5080.
