In 2021, most of us watched in awe when the first season of HBO’s smash hit “The White Lotus” premiered. On it, a group of well-heeled travelers jetted to Hawaii to check into a glossy five-star retreat that offered the ultimate in luxury...and drama.
While the ensuing chaos wasn’t remotely close to the reality of the average vacation, the setting is real. You’ll find it at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, which claimed the starring role as the sleek hotel that splashed across our screens in its debut season. I’ve been lucky enough to stay at this hotel twice, and IRL, it’s even better than it looks on TV.
Some parts are easy to recognize, while others require an in-the-know eye, especially following a massive resort-wide transformation that recently refreshed guest rooms, amenities, and the spa.
After checking into dozens of hotels in the past year alone, this is the one I recommend most to friends, and not just because of its claim to fame. Even if you stripped away the glitz and glam, you’d still be left with a sensational property and location fronting Wailea’s golden sands.
So while we anxiously await the next installment of the anthology series, here’s a closer look at the hotel that launched it, minus all the twists and turns.
In this article
The Rooms Are As Decadent As You’d Expect
I’m not one of those people who view a hotel room as just a place to crash. To me, it’s the focal point of any stay, the relaxing base to return to after a long day. Ideally, it’s large, well-designed, and comes with a plush bed for restorative sleep so I don’t return home feeling like I need a vacation to make up for my vacation.
At the Four Seasons Maui, standard rooms start at a super-spacious 600 square feet (not including the furnished balcony) and come with lanais (most have ocean views), oversized bathrooms, decadent marble accents, and customizable mattresses for your preferred firmness.
They look quite different from what you saw on the show following renovations, and all will be updated by the end of 2026. My personal favorite rooms are those on the Club Floor, which feels like a hotel within a hotel.
These rooms come with access to a lounge space serving snacks, drinks, breakfast, afternoon snacks, and hors d'oeuvres, plus exclusive amenities and perks such as a dedicated check-in desk.
Oh, and the so-called “Pineapple Suite” that stirred up a bitter feud on the show? It’s really the 7,200-square-foot Lokelani Presidential Suite, and can easily command $30,000 per night.
Dining is Much More Varied
On the show, viewers watched as the hotel guests sat down to a daily buffet breakfast and returned to the same restaurant each night for dinner.
In real life, there's far more variety. I was pleased to find multiple venues, from the oceanfront Ferraro’s, serving Italian-inspired fare; to Spago, Wolfgang Puck’s operation serving Hawaiian and Californian fusion; and Duo Steak & Seafood for premium cuts at dinner and an eye-poppingly large buffet each morning.
My top pick, though, is Komo, which I’d seek out whether I was staying at the hotel or not. The Japanese restaurant is helmed by Tokyo-born Chef Kiyo Ikeda, who flies fish in from Japan’s Toyosu Market weekly. Order the Mystery Box to try an assortment of Nigiri that come directly from there based on what’s fresh and seasonal—even Chef Kiyo doesn’t know what will make it inside week to week.
I’m also a fan of the hotel’s new Pantry by Madhappy, an LA-based cafe concept that made its Hawaii debut here, with an expansive matcha menu (cloud foam, all the way, fresh grab-and-go items, gelato, and dangerously good pastries).
You’ll Recognize the Adults-Only Pool Right Away
Most filming sites don’t look the way they did on TV. The show’s hotel check-in desk, for example, is really the concierge desk today. The rooms have been fully redesigned, and that aforementioned breakfast buffet that made several appearances is actually where you’ll now find the hotel’s lobby lounge.
But one venue is, without a doubt, recognizable: the adult-only pool.
One of three pools at the hotel, this pool is stunning and looks pretty much as it did in the show. There’s a swim-up bar with in-water stools, plush cabanas and loungers, and an infinity edge with—pun intended—drop-dead gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean.
A selfie here is a given, and it’s one of the best areas to spend a leisurely Maui afternoon whether you’ve watched the show or not.
A New Spa Supports Wellbeing and Longevity
The spa made a few appearances on the show as a point of connection between two main characters, but at the Four Seasons Maui, it’s been totally reimagined.
In 2026, the hotel opened Kai Holo Spa, a wellness sanctuary offering advanced facials, therapeutic body rituals, and an expansive aquathermal circuit. Surprisingly, you don’t need to book a treatment to access the latter. All hotel guests are invited to use it, which includes a vitality pool, whirlpool, cold plunge, steam room, sauna, and infrared chamber.
I found this quite unique, as most high-end hotel spas require a costly treatment to access these amenities. But here, all that’s needed is your room number. The same goes for the large fitness center and many movement classes.
Also new is the Next|Health studio, which houses a hyperbaric chamber and offers IV therapies, stem cell treatments, and other infusions aimed at promoting wellness and longevity.
There Are Loads of Unexpected—and Free—Perks
Spa access isn’t the only perk about staying here. One of the reasons I keep recommending this hotel far and wide has nothing to do with its famous past. It’s for the number of inclusions that would be nickel-and-dimed anywhere else.
For starters, most pool cabanas are first-come, first-served, with no cover fee or F&B minimum (though there are a few exceptions). Similarly, beach chairs are available at no added cost, as are snorkeling gear and boogie boards.
Most cultural programming and activities are also free, from a floating weekly sound bath to a tour of the hotel’s own beehives or Queen’s Garden, outrigger canoe rides, lei making, hula dancing, yoga classes, tennis and pickleball, a supervised kids club, town car service within Wailea, and a fire knife show that takes place on weekends.
While staying at this hotel is pricey, add all of those inclusions up, and the nightly rate is probably comparable to the hotel down the street that’s cheaper at face value.
The Shortcut
Forget what you saw on TV: Nearly everything from Season 1 has been redesigned. The adults-only pool is the one spot you’ll recognize on sight.
You don’t need a spa booking to use the spa: The full thermal circuit is open to every guest. Most luxury resorts make you pay for a treatment first.
The rate looks steeper than it is: Cabanas, beach gear, cultural activities, and rides around Wailea are all included. Add up what those cost elsewhere before you compare prices.
Make one dinner reservation at Komo: The fish arrives weekly from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, and it’s the restaurant I’d book even without a room here.
