While the fall outs, awkward dinners, and occasional deaths that occur in The White Lotus aren’t what holidays of a lifetime are made of, the hotels featured in the Golden Globe Award-winning series more than make up for the devastation.
Since series one of the hit show aired in 2021, we've been keep one eye on the drama unfolding, whether it's on the blue shores of Hawaii or among the Mediterranean backdrop of Sicily, and another on Googling how we can immediately book a holiday to its far-flung destinations.
Of course, The White Lotus isn't the only TV series that has us rummaging around in our bedside tables for our passports. After all, who can forget the fictional 'home' of 'quiet luxury'- HBO’s Succession? While the Roy family dynamics might have reflected a Cluedo board of backstabbing (in the boardroom) and self-annihilation (that rapping scene from Kendall), the list of their holiday destinations read like it had been lifted from the pages of our travel bucketlists. From Kendall soaking in a tub in an Icelandic spa, to matriarch Caroline's wedding in Tuscany, the billionaires might not have figured out how to love one another, but they sure nailed the foreign séjour.
The last year's roster of TV shows in addition to recent films like Saltburn, Triangle of Sadness, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and has taken voyeur escapism to a new level, and left us longing to live the life of the rich we love to hate. While we might not be able to afford to buy super-yachts, extravagant villas in the Med, and mansions in the Cotswolds, there are numerous travel destinations we expect to be incredibly popular next year, and we plan to book our stays early to beat the rush.
According to American Express' recently released annual list of trending destinations, based on Amex card member bookings and recommendations from the company’s 7,000 travel consultants, Mexico is predicted to receive a huge influx of travellers in 2024.
Of course, the third largest country in south America has never not been a go-to holiday destination, but thanks to some of our favourite celebrities spending time there over the summer (we’re looking at you, Hailey and Justin Bieber), and Dior choosing to host its Cruise 2024 show in Mexico City earlier this year, Mexico has quickly risen to the top of everyone’s must-visit list. And it's not hard to see why.
There are numerous Mexican hotels to choose from for luxury, from Hotel Esencia to Susurros del Corazón, but we suggest exploring southern Jalisco for A-list levels of peace and serenity. Enter Four Seasons Tamarindo.
The 20-minute drive through the property's 3,000 acre private nature reserve sets the scene for your stay. The coastal area in west-central Mexico was off the grid until the resort's opening in 2022 which you can tell as you move through the winding paths of its well-preserved landscape. The view on arrival at the hotel is sure to make Succession's Shiv Roy impressed; built into the cliff side with an infinity pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the open-air lobby, La Mansion, has a minimalist, striped back decor which invites nature to take centre stage. It's a theme which runs throughout the resort.
The hotel's 157 rooms sit scattered along the coastline like mini museums and are accessible by golf carts, which guests request via the Four Seasons app (a touch we only can only imagine would be expected by the likes of Kendall Roy). The properties come in three styles – nature, beach and cliffside – and were designed to camouflage into the surroundings so not to disturb the coastlines appearance. Inside, the suites are spacious, filled with locally sourced artefacts, and understated. Think The Row rather than Louis Vuitton.
Elsewhere, it's clear to see that resort's decor is a celebration of Mexico's heritage and surroundings. On the beach front, there's a private boat which invites guests to head out into the Pacific Ocean to spot dolphins and whales, while a night time tour of the nature reserve with the hotel's resident biologist enables culture lovers to find out more about the creatures which inhabit the local area.
If you're looking for a holiday that combines a boujee beach stay with a city break (the Tamarindo resort is less than an hours flight from Four Seasons Mexico City), then this is the spot for you. We'll see you on the beach with our ludicrously capacious bag.
Nature rooms at Four Seasons Tamarindo start from $850 a night.
Amy Brewster is ELLE UK's Social Media Manager, handling everything from fashion week Insta-polls through to celebrity Q&As.
