Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui Review: The Third Season of ‘White Lotus’ Is Filming at This Iconic Thai Resort — Here’s What It’s Like to Stay
"Location scouts for The White Lotus knew what they were doing when they chose to film part of the third season of the highly acclaimed HBO series at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui. Cloistered in a hillside jungle on the northwest tip of the Thai island, this 70-key resort is a rattan-and-teak fantasia whose zigzagging boardwalks and dignified lounges are ready-to-wear for the privileged guests we love to hate. The thoughtful landscape architecture understands the assignment: providing privacy, shade, ecological sustainability — deep roots protect the soil against landslides — and a compelling, enveloping sense of place. Pastry chef Fabien Casalino’s baked goods harmonize French technique and Thai ingredients; think plush, aloe-green pandan cakes and cubic brioche filled with passion fruit and cloaked in raspberry glaze. Guests get to see a different artistic side of Bensley in the new art gallery, where his vibrant paintings glow on the walls. The best-in-the-biz service is amplified even further in a country where gracious hospitality is a DNA-deep pride point. The smallest of the seven villa types measures over 1,000 square feet, so you’ll have plenty of space to spread out inside soothing white rooms with dark woodwork, sky-blue accents, and potted orchids. A dressing area, wardrobes, and twin sinks and vanities connect the bedroom and the bathroom, which has an oval soaking tub that looks out through glass doors onto the pool deck and beyond. Unlike other “villa” properties on the island, the careful positioning and dense landscaping provide absolute privacy; you won’t see your neighbors at their pool while swimming in yours. Guests requiring even more space and seclusion can book one of the six private residences; expect to get a good look at them (the privileged guests and the stunning homes) on The White Lotus. Michelin swung through Samui for the first time this year, and Koh Thai Kitchen, the Four Seasons’ main restaurant, landed a recommendation from the guide. Completely open-air, with terraces suspended over the emerald ravine, the restaurant’s setting is gorgeous, and fortunately, the food matches. Breakfast and dinner happen here, the former a feast of fresh juices and fruits, artistic pastries, coconut French toast, delicate dumplings, satay, wok-fried noodles, eggs any way — and that’s just scratching the surface. Start dinner with a parade of Thai tapas (prawn spring rolls, crispy sea bass with shallots and lemongrass), then explore the half-dozen intricate curries. Club and katsu sandwiches, prosciutto and melon with fried gnocchi, and miso-rubbed grilled octopus fill out the menu at the airy Pla Pla, down by the beach and the pool, whose chic bar, CoCoRum, just debuted a smart, playful list of Tiki-ish cocktails. Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui makes an art out of the stop-and-flop stay. Comfy loungers, cabanas cooled by lazy overhead fans, and double-wide daybeds with cyan-striped pillows front the main pool, a massive rectangle whose long infinity edge appears to spill onto the beach. Staff pass by with iced elixirs and fruit skewers on trays, the cocktails (with and without alcohol) are terrific, and the vibes are entirely relaxing. That said, a robust experience menu is ready for guests who crave action. Take the yacht to explore Angthong Marine Park’s 42-island archipelago, dive in the coral reef, visit an elephant sanctuary, learn Muay Thai boxing, and more. From Maui to Kyoto to Orlando, Four Seasons, as a brand, consistently excels at both spa design and spa talent, and the Samui resort is no exception. Comprising a peaceful reception pavilion and five gleaming teak tree houses set into the vertiginous hillside, the intimate spa hits a balance of manufactured luxury and raw nature. The four elements of Thai medicine — fire, wind, earth, and water, each of which corresponds to a birth month — underpin the menu of treatments, which begin with an essential-oil selection and makrut-lime footbath by the nimble therapists who will later climb on the massage table and bend your body like a Twizzler. Honeymoon in the sheets, but kid-friendly in the streets, Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui offers tons for families. There’s a complimentary kids’ club (ages 4–12), a game room equipped with pool and air hockey, and Muay Thai classes made especially for pint-size featherweights. Children under 5 also eat free. While the villas are all on one floor with wide, accommodating doorways, the steeply sloped topography of the property, along with the numerous boardwalks and steps stitching it together, are not easily navigated by wheelchairs. Certified Gold by Southeast Asia’s Green Hotel Standard, the resort’s many sustainability features include greywater recycling, on-site composting, and coral conservation efforts led by the resident marine biologist. Tucked on the quiet northwest corner of the island, Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui is about 12 miles from the airport, which translates to 40 or so minutes on roads that run one lane in either direction. The nearest village is Nathon Town, with its ferry dock, lunar low-tide beach, and boho cafés." - Adam Erace Adam Erace Adam Erace is an award-winning food and travel writer, restaurant critic, and cookbook author. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and three maniacal rescue dogs. His favorite country is Mexic
