I stayed at a real-life 'White Lotus' hotel for a weekend. It was nothing like I expected.
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WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. − "Welcome to the White Lotus."
That's what the employee behind the front desk told me as I checked in. I wasn't really pulling up to a White Lotus, the fictional resort and setting of the hit HBO show of the same name − not exactly. But I was about to stay in the closest thing to it. In honor of the Season 3 finale, which dropped on Max Sunday, HBO took over the Four Seasons Westlake Village in Southern California, decking it out as if it were an actual White Lotus hotel from the show.
I'm an avid fan of the series and a wellness enthusiast, so I couldn't pass up an opportunity for a two-night stay. As I headed to my room, I wondered what my experience would bring. Would I discover deep truths about myself, as many characters do? Would someone whisk me onto their yacht − a place where, if "The White Lotus" has taught me anything, nothing good ever seems to happen? Would I accidentally get caught in a murder-revenge plot? (Thankfully, no.)
More importantly, I wanted a glimpse into a world that's been on the rise for some time but is now getting spotlighted in a major way, thanks to "The White Lotus": wellness travel. The most recent season of the show centered on a White Lotus resort specifically geared toward wellness − and it's a trend that Henley Vazquez, the CEO and co-founder of the travel agency Fora Travel, says more and more tourists are craving in real life, too.
"Something we've seen firsthand is a shift in how people are viewing their vacation time," she says. "People are using their precious vacation days to cure burnout, rest, detox and come home feeling refreshed."
Would my White Lotus experience deliver on these things? I was about to find out.
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"The White Lotus" films at Four Seasons properties around the world − with Season 1 in Hawaii, Season 2 in Sicily and Season 3 in Thailand.
Westlake Village isn't exactly a far-off destination for me. (It's about an hour away from where I live in Los Angeles, pending traffic.) But it is home to a Four Seasons property catering to wellness. A concierge told me during my stay that this particular Four Seasons is known for its wellness offerings, making it a destination for celebrities and high-profile people in Los Angeles looking for a luxurious staycation.
Vazquez says wellness travel has been on the rise in recent years, with interest in these types of vacations usually peaking around January. The trend could be due to more people prioritizing health and wellbeing following the COVID-19 pandemic, but the effect "The White Lotus" has had on travel is also undeniable.
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In the five months after Season 2 dropped, Vazquez says, Fora saw an average 44% month-over-month increase in bookings to Sicily. The fallout from Season 3, she says, has been similar: From February to March, travel to Thailand has outpaced all other travel growth on Fora.
"With this newest season set in Thailand, the show isn't just entertaining the audience," Vazquez says. "It's convincing them to book their next trip."
In Season 3, characters come to the Thailand resort for yoga, massages and medical screenings offering personalized health data. I got to do all these things during my stay. Other attendees at the Four Seasons Westlake Village also got into the spirit of the show.
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"Happy White Lotus!" I heard one woman exclaim at dinner to a group sitting at a table on a balcony overlooking a waterfall. "We have zero worries here." Looking out at the California sunset from a nearby table, I found it hard to argue with her.
The most impactful wellness activity, however, ended up being one that didn't involve much luxury at all − and it played a critical part in Season 3.
It was a meditation class.
I checked into a real-life White Lotus for wellness. Here's what I learned
On Monday morning, a meditation instructor walked us through some of the core tenets of Buddhism and told us our meditation for the day would focus on the principle of "metta," or "loving-kindness." As we sat cross-legged on cushions in the dark, she asked us to call to mind various people from our lives and to wish health, happiness and safety upon them.
She told us to picture someone we love, someone we feel neutral toward and ourselves. She also told us to picture someone we find challenging or difficult to love − and to wish blessings upon them, too.
"The White Lotus" may be known for cynicism and biting satire, but I found this meditation sincere and moving. It wasn't just me either. One woman told me it helped center her so she could fully take in the rest of the retreat's offerings. Another guest said tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of all the love she had for her mother.
Ironically, this experience also showed me real wellness isn't something you can buy. Sure, a stay at a fancy hotel is nice. But you don't need to travel around the world to feel gratitude. You don't need a bunch of medical tests to discover all the love you have in your life. As one character puts it in the unforgettable Season 3 finale: "Stop worrying about the love you didn't get. Think about the love you have." If more characters heeded her words, the season would probably have ended differently.
Overall, my stay left me feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. But it also gave me a deeper appreciation for the things in life money can't buy. It's a "White Lotus" lesson that probably wouldn't land with Victoria Ratcliff, but it wasn't lost on me.
The reporter on this story received access to these services from the Four Seasons. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.
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