Mary-Kate and Ashley, peanut butter and jelly, Sunday and scaries: Some issues simply belong collectively.
Whereas many seen HBO’s “The White Lotus” and 4 Seasons as an analogous pairing, some eagle-eyed readers clued TPG into an indication the fictional White Lotus resort chain may be transferring on to a distinct model for its third season set to happen in Thailand.
Whereas most retailers (this one included) assumed one of many 4 4 Seasons properties in Thailand have been a shoo-in for the following season, a number of readers have since pointed to the truth that reservations at Amanpuri — an Aman resort in Phuket — are blocked off from June by way of August.
TPG confirmed the closed-off dates with Aman’s reservation system and famous these identical dates present availability at every of the 4 Seasons properties in Thailand.
The primary season of “The White Lotus” was filmed on the 4 Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea throughout lockdown in 2020 whereas the resort remained closed to friends. The second season, filmed on the San Domenico Palace, Taormina, a 4 Seasons Lodge in Sicily, started capturing whereas the resort was closed for the offseason in early 2022.
Thus, Amanpuri’s three months of unavailability may be the very best clue about the place the third season is heading.
An Aman spokesperson declined to touch upon why the resort was closed to reservations for 3 months, and representatives with HBO and 4 Seasons didn’t reply for remark in time for publication.
However resort business sources have been made to imagine the 4 Seasons-HBO marriage wasn’t essentially a lock heading into the third season of “The White Lotus.”
A number of properties from numerous resort corporations have been vying to be the brand new host resort — the resort business’s equal of touchdown the Summer season Olympics. Who can blame them?
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Streamed films and TV reveals at the moment are the highest supply of journey inspiration — besting social media posts and on par with suggestions from household and buddies, based on a report final yr from Expedia Group.
“Motels are very ‘attractive’ locations for films, tv reveals and books to current plot twists and pleasure. The TV sequence ‘Lodge’ ran for 5 years within the ’80s and was primarily based on a novel; the ‘St. Gregory Lodge’ was really the Fairmont San Francisco,” stated Leora Lanz, assistant dean of educational affairs at Boston College’s Faculty of Hospitality Administration. “Although not a resort, look what the sequence ‘The Love Boat’ did for Princess [Cruises]. There’s actually a parallel there.”
Why Aman?
Don’t count on Aman to alter course and blab anytime quickly about whether or not “The White Lotus” is definitely filming on the Phuket property. Discretion is in its model DNA.
The model is thought for its hyperattentive service, ultraluxurious lodging and seclusion. There’s even a time period for religious followers of the model: Aman junkies.
So, for those who’re ever staying at an Aman (count on to fork over just a few thousand {dollars} an evening for even the most affordable rooms on the model’s New York Metropolis resort) and also you see a Kardashian stroll by — don’t say hello.
You don’t keep at one in all these resorts to hobnob with strangers on the bar, which may make for an attention-grabbing spin on a brand new season of “The White Lotus.”
How the 4 Seasons deal got here to be
The specifics are restricted relating to how 4 Seasons agreed to be the preliminary stand-in model for the fictional White Lotus chain.
Whereas HBO initially pushed again in opposition to filming in Hawaii, the eventual cope with 4 Seasons supplied enterprise to a resort that was in any other case shuttered as a consequence of lockdown. The primary season was a success, and the franchise grew to incorporate the second 4 Seasons resort in Sicily.
It’s a threat that seems to have paid off: Within the U.S., greater than two-thirds of American vacationers thought-about visiting a vacation spot after seeing it on a streaming film or TV present, based on Expedia. Sixty-one % really booked a visit, which could clarify why charges are higher-than-high at each of the 4 Seasons properties featured in “The White Lotus.”
But it surely’s not at all times assured manufacturers are prepared to play ball.
Singapore Airways reportedly declined to participate in “Loopy Wealthy Asians,” whereas the Metropolitan Museum of Artwork needed nothing to do with the 1999 reboot of “The Thomas Crown Affair,” which depicts an artwork heist at a New York Metropolis museum. The Met appeared to alter its tune by permitting “Oceans 8” to point out a jewellery heist on the museum in the course of the Met Gala.
Then again, some journey model appearances may make you scratch your head: Delta Air Traces signage options prominently in among the opening scenes of “Contagion.”
Extra resorts on the silver display
Analysts count on extra focused model tie-ins to return into focus in future movies and tv reveals.
The present season of “Succession” included an episode with the Juvet Panorama Lodge in Valldal, Norway (spoiler alert!) because the backdrop for heated negotiations between the Roy household and a possible purchaser of their firm. Curiosity within the resort spiked this week following final week’s episode.
“These sort of media crossovers have been very profitable,” stated Richard Clarke, a managing director who covers the resort business at Bernstein. “One of many greatest success tales has been ‘System 1: Drive to Survive,’ the System 1 documentary on Netflix, which massively elevated the curiosity in System 1 within the U.S., the place it was by no means significantly in style.”
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Clarke additionally factors to how actual property brokers use media tie-ins to promote pricy properties just like the $29 million New York Metropolis apartment used because the fictional house for Kendall Roy in “Succession.”
“We’ll most likely see extra media era to assist explicit properties,” he added. “You will see extra of this form of guerrilla media the place folks will take a look at the 4 Seasons [and] ‘White Lotus’ tie-in and say, ‘Oh, really, that is the place we need to keep.’”
That’s nice information for resort corporations that handle to get the coveted spot on a success tv present or film.
However put together to save lots of up for those who ever plan on staying at one in all these resorts.
“I’d think about the San Domenico Palace will do very properly occupancy- and rate-wise this summer season, a projected results of traveler demand with residual assist from the notice it acquired from the present,” Lanz stated. “How many people are attempting to guess which resort would be the location for Season Three? It is a enjoyable pop icon and cult favourite, and the way nice to have such enjoyable distractions from the actual world.”
She later added (spoiler alert!): “We solely want Jennifer Coolidge may come again.”
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