{"id":2515838,"date":"2026-07-24T17:16:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T17:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2515838"},"modified":"2026-07-24T17:16:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T17:16:14","slug":"private-pools-celeb-spotting-and-intimidating-luxury-secrets-of-a-white-lotus-resort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/private-pools-celeb-spotting-and-intimidating-luxury-secrets-of-a-white-lotus-resort\/","title":{"rendered":"Private pools, celeb-spotting and intimidating luxury: Secrets of a \u2018White Lotus\u2019 resort"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By Francesca Street, celebrity.land<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur, France (celebrity.land) \u2014 <\/b>Kat Jamieson slid open the doors to her poolside hotel room in Saint-Tropez and was greeted with an unexpected sight: cameras and a film crew surrounding actor Laura Dern, who was<strong> <\/strong>holding court in front of the rippling blue water.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe was wearing this fabulous Missoni caftan,\u201d Jamieson tells <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\">celebrity.land Travel.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jamieson couldn\u2019t believe it. Not only was she witnessing an Oscar-winning actor at work, but she\u2019d also bought the exact same Missoni caftan the day before, in the hotel\u2019s on-site boutique.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was going to plan on wearing it that day, and then I saw her wearing it by the pool, and I was like, \u2018Oh my gosh, we\u2019re twins.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the idea of a hotel gift store selling a $1,000 designer pool throwover feels surreal \u2014 let alone an actor casually filming a poolside scene as guests watch on \u2014 you\u2019re obviously not familiar with the world of HBO\u2019s \u201cThe White Lotus.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jamieson\u2019s Laura Dern moment occurred while she was spending a week at <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/airelles.com\/en\/destination\/chateau-de-la-messardiere-hotel?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22436471236&amp;gbraid=0AAAAACeps7M-k_k3eMx5_0KIYFidXrZiI&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwxb7RBhA5EiwAQ-AAdBoQ94-8LXIAboIVWwk9gUU6hoLgP9nXnAMW0dwsGV5ye45QMQp_yhoCte4QAvD_BwE\">Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re,<\/a> a 19th-century palatial home turned sprawling C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur resort, run by exclusive French hotel company Airelles. The spectacular property is doubling up this summer as a functioning real-life hotel for the 1% and a principal filming location for the next season of the Emmy-winning, 1%-satirizing TV show, \u201cThe White Lotus.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Impossibly chic meets intimidatingly luxe<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Filming is currently underway for the fourth season of the show, which previously immortalized such impossibly chic, intimidatingly luxe properties as the Four Seasons\u2019 <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/article\/white-lotus-hotel-sicily-four-seasons-taormina\">San Domenico Palace in Taormina,<\/a> Sicily and Four Seasons Resort <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/thailand-white-lotus-season-3-locations-intl-hnk\">Koh Samui in Thailand.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rumors swirled for much of last year about season four\u2019s potential filming location \u2014 only the Alps were ruled out because creator Mike White <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7cd3LtDjFeQ&amp;t=7871s\">hates the cold<\/a>. When White zeroed in on the French Riviera, there were reports of him <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/2025\/09\/the-white-lotus-season-4-location-france-hbo-1236507930\/\">staying at the picturesque Hotel Negresco<\/a> on the promenade in Nice, France. <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fourseasons.com\/capferrat\/\">Grand-H\u00f4tel du Cap-Ferrat,<\/a> a Four Seasons property in the exclusive Riviera community of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, was repeatedly suggested as a potential player \u2014 given its grandeur and the franchise\u2019s previous preference for Four Seasons properties.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eventually, earlier this year, Airelles\u2019 Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re was confirmed as this season\u2019s principal filming location. Cannes\u2019 Art Deco <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hyatt.com\/unbound-collection\/en-US\/jcagh-hotel-martinez?src=sem_eame-n_dap_unbound_google_assembly_e_bps_en_france_cannes_unbound-collection_jcagh_h%C3%B4tel-martinez_x&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23787012608&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwxb7RBhA5EiwAQ-AAdMZvSLw7ZgvYpx19eyQe1oCOLyQCAmg_J3n8Z7ARk-vPpuQvk94V6BoCYAsQAvD_BwE\">Hotel Martinez <\/a>was also nailed down, with HBO announcing the Cannes Film Festival will serve as the starry backdrop to this season. Reports suggest the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia in Paris is also set to star in the series, but HBO has maintained the action will remain set on the Riviera. (HBO is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of celebrity.land.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the news broke about Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re, Connecticut-based Jamieson already had her stay booked. As a longtime fan of the show, she was delighted. The fashion <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/katjamieson.substack.com\/\">influencer<\/a>, traveling with her investor relations adviser husband, assumed filming would be finished before they checked in. She never expected a scene to play out during her stay.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey didn\u2019t contact us, and I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s because they didn\u2019t know this exact schedule,\u201d she says of the hotel. \u201cI know they were reshooting some of the scenes because they had an actress change-up, so maybe it was just luck that we got to see the reshoots.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The change-up in question was Laura Dern replacing originally cast British star Helena Bonham Carter. The<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2026\/tv\/news\/white-lotus-season-4-cannes-plot-budget-helena-bonham-carter-exit-1236735535\/\"> frenzied reporting <\/a>around this news is illustrative of the buzz that continues to surround \u201cThe White Lotus,\u201d which has settled on a perfectly enticing formula: an intriguing cast of industry stalwarts and up-and-comers, super fancy hotels, out-of-touch rich folks versus downtrodden hotel staff \u2014 oh, and murder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jamieson and her husband didn\u2019t figure out too much about potential plot lines for season four, even though they \u201cgot to see the whole scene transpire around the pool.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The filming was visible from their hotel room terrace.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe could see the entire filming taking place and Laura Dern in her pool scene from our private patio,\u201d says Jamieson.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They weren\u2019t asked to sign NDAs, but the crew did ask that active filming not be recorded. Photos and videos were permitted when the cameras weren\u2019t rolling. All Jamieson could pick up plot-wise was some classic \u201cWhite Lotus\u201d-style \u201ctension\u201d in the poolside scene.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere seemed to be a tense conversation that Laura was having at the pool with the other actor. They were very deep in convo,\u201d she says. \u201cThey filmed for probably about five hours by the pool, but we were able to walk through the whole set in between takes, and it was very exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some hotel guests might complain about a pool being closed during their stay, especially when they\u2019re paying a big price \u2014 room rates fluctuate seasonally, with suites in peak season around $3,000-$6,000 a night. However, there are actually three large outdoor pools at Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re, as well as one indoor pool. When celebrity.land Travel visited in May, each pool looked stunning in its own right. One being off limits due to Hollywood stars didn\u2019t seem like a major hardship.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe didn\u2019t mind at<strong> <\/strong>all,\u201d says Jamieson. \u201cIt was just fun to be able to observe such a unique show that we\u2019ve been watching for years. My husband actually asked if he could be an extra in the show. They said, \u2018Sorry, we\u2019ve already cast a bunch of French people.\u2019 But it was still just so fun to be in the mix and observe.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the set was prepped for filming, the couple spotted the hotel\u2019s luxurious orange Airelles pool pillows being replaced on the sun loungers with equally luxurious, blue White Lotus-branded pillows.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey also laid out a bunch of protective carpet and everything like that, because they have those gorgeous pavements, and the grass is pristine, and so they kept it pristine, still,\u201d adds Jamieson.<\/p>\n<h2>Spying on filming<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The hilltop Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re is spread over roughly 32 acres, full of hidden, verdant corners that feel private and serene \u2014 think poolside terraces and individual picnic tables crowded with cushions, looking over Saint-Tropez\u2019s rolling hills and the hotel\u2019s flower-filled gardens. Visible in the distance is the Bay of Saint-Tropez.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During celebrity.land\u2019s visit, the Orient Express Corinthian \u2014 the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/luxury-hotel-yachts-ritz-carlton-four-seasons-orient-express-aman-spc\">world\u2019s largest sailing yacht, <\/a>whose rooms go for roughly $5,300 a night \u2014 was in port for its inaugural sailing and visible from the resort. Tucked away in the hotel\u2019s beautiful grounds are trampolines, tennis courts and an outdoor gym. Jamieson suggests the sheer size, sprawl and serenity of the property meant some hotel guests may have been entirely unaware that filming was even occurring.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey did a nice job of being really quiet and respectful,\u201d she says. \u201cBecause the hotel, again, didn\u2019t announce anything \u2014 you probably wouldn\u2019t have known if you weren\u2019t invested or watching the show. We just found it so thrilling, and we felt like we were so lucky to even get to see a little part.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Jamieson, \u201cThe White Lotus\u201d crew also filmed at Saint-Tropez\u2019s Pampelonne Bay, known for its pristine golden sand, warm azure-blue waters and rows of exclusive beach clubs. Most of Saint-Tropez\u2019s hotels are dotted around the village and surrounding hills, all about a 15-minute-drive to the waterfront, but most have satellite beach clubs at Pampelonne. The town\u2019s luxury hotels ferry guests to the beach in style: Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re transports residents to its beach club, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/airelles.com\/en\/destination\/chateau-de-la-messardiere-hotel\/restaurants\/jardin-tropezina-saint-tropez-restaurant\">Jardin Tropeziana<\/a>, via Rolls-Royce.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe asked our driver one night, and he said he was able to be an extra in the show, so he loved that. He was really excited,\u201d recalls Jamieson. \u201cHe\u2019s like, \u2018I didn\u2019t say anything, but they filmed me opening the door and driving the Rolls-Royce.\u2019 So that\u2019s really fun. I\u2019m looking forward to seeing him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pampelonne Bay beach clubs also include celebrity hot spot<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.club55.fr\/restaurant-en\"> Le Club 55<\/a> \u2014 the original 1950s venue in Saint-Tropez, which has its origins in the filming of the 1956 French classic \u201cAnd God Created Women.\u201d Today, sun loungers at Saint-Tropez\u2019s beach clubs are priced by the hour, by row \u2014 according to their proximity to the Mediterranean Sea.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the day celebrity.land Travel visited Pampelonne, most guests were sipping ros\u00e9 and lounging rather than actually swimming. Bucking the trend by descending into the water offers dreamy swimming conditions \u2014 crystal-clear, warm water with a row of superyachts bobbing in the distance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The only negative? The intrusive thought that on \u201cThe White Lotus,\u201d this is exactly the moment the body would wash up on the sand.<\/p>\n<h2>Guests mixing with celebrities<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe White Lotus\u201d was conceived by director White during the pandemic as a way of utilizing the claustrophobia of a Covid \u201cbubble\u201d to create must-watch TV. In the first season \u2014 filmed at the Four Seasons\u2019 Maui at Wailea, Hawaii \u2014 White, his crew and his cast of actors including Jennifer Coolidge and Sydney Sweeney took over the hotel, empty of paying guests due to the pandemic, and filmed entirely within the confines of the resort.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Several years later, this model remains the show\u2019s modus operandi, though with pandemic restrictions gone, later seasons have seen an uptick in scenes filmed outside hotel grounds. The third season, for example, was filmed across several Thailand resorts and included numerous out-property scenes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even if the show has expanded its horizons, \u201cWhite Lotus\u201d actors still enjoy an extended stay at the luxurious hotels where they\u2019re filming, creating an unusual dynamic. Season three actor Jason Isaacs<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vulture.com\/article\/jason-isaacs-white-lotus-tim-ratliff-breakdown-interview.html\"> told Vulture <\/a>the experience is \u201ca cross between summer camp and \u2018Lord of the Flies\u2019 but in a gilded cage.\u201d His co-star Aimee Lou Wood <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2025\/tv\/news\/walton-goggins-aimee-lou-wood-white-lotus-feud-rumors-sex-scene-1236416275\/\">told Variety<\/a> that living and working on set is \u201cbasically a reality TV show.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During Jamieson\u2019s stay at Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re, she slowly realized several of her fellow hotel guests were actually \u201cWhite Lotus\u201d cast and crew.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe did get to see some of the actors off-duty one night, and they were all laughing and having fun, because a lot of them are in their 20s. So that was really cool to see. It seems like the cast really does mesh and get along, and they\u2019re just all having a blast,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey were mingling with the guests, kind of in an unassuming manner. Some of these actors are a little bit more up-and-coming, so I actually probably was sitting next to them and didn\u2019t even realize it at the pool or at breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The meta nature of \u201cThe White Lotus\u201d is part of its appeal. Jamieson was delighted by the idea that Laura Dern\u2019s fictional hotel resident probably picked up her Missoni caftan in the hotel gift store, exactly the way she did.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs a guest, you go into the boutique, try a couple things you gravitate towards. I gravitated towards the caftan, and it really was a natural move for her to wear that,\u201d she says. \u201cIt really shows that they were inspired by the setting, because it also was this season\u2019s Missoni. And Missoni and Saint-Tropez is iconic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One evening, Jamieson says she ended up lying poolside with the show\u2019s director of photography.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe was so excited to chat with my husband and I,\u201d saying she was excited to chat with new people after spending a month with the same group. \u201cShe was so sweet, just chatting to us about our life and our travels \u2026 I guess the Airelles property was really their home base for a whole month, that\u2019s a dream to be able to stay there for a month.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Hotel living<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For hotels, hosting a film crew for a month is no mean feat. Many of the resorts on the French Riviera are closed during the winter months, but behind-the-scenes factors make filming during the off-season tricky \u2014 not least because the sun-drenched look is central to the show\u2019s brand. TV viewers want to see Laura Dern wafting by a sunny pool in that Missoni caftan, not huddled for warmth in a sweater.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This filming situation is also complicated by the fact that a host of real-life wealthy guests see the French Riviera as their summer home-away-from-home. Karin Perrault, guest relations manager at five-star <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.byblos.com\/en\/\">Hotel Byblos<\/a> \u2014 a Saint-Tropez institution where Mick and Bianca Jagger celebrated their wedding in 1971 \u2014 says Byblos has regular guests who stay for up to two months in the summertime, \u201ceven a little bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sitting by Byblos\u2019 pool (unlike Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re, it only has one, though the hotel\u2019s also home to the famous Caves du Roy nightclub, where the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Lady Gaga have been spotted on the dance floor), Perrault tells celebrity.land Travel that Byblos gets frequent filming requests but turns them down.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey need certain dates, which are difficult for us to manage and welcome back our return guests,\u201d she says. \u201cWe cannot say \u2018yes.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anecdotally, it seems Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re may have had to do some juggling to accommodate this year\u2019s production. Irish couple Gabby Seputyte and Ben Hauer were booked to stay in the hotel in late April. Speaking to celebrity.land Travel in May over Aperol spritzes and ros\u00e9 on the terrace of the hotel\u2019s Bar 1904 (the house wine is Ch\u00e2teau d\u2019Estoublon \u2018Roseblood\u2019 co-owned by Airelles owner St\u00e9phane Courbit and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy), the couple recalls receiving an unexpected email ahead of their stay:<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur booking got canceled,\u201d says Hauer, explaining an exact reason wasn\u2019t given but they suspected it was due to a mix of bad April weather and \u201cthe filming of the show.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Dublin-based couple was offered a stay at the hotel\u2019s boutique sister spot, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/airelles.com\/fr\/destination\/pan-dei-palais-hotel\">Airelles Pan De\u00ef Palais<\/a> in the center of Saint-Tropez, or an upgrade and rebook for the end of May. They went for the latter, and like Jamieson, were absolutely delighted by the \u201cWhite Lotus\u201d link \u2014 even if filming potentially disrupted their vacation plans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve been a fan for a long time,\u201d says Seputyte.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was glad I booked this hotel before it was even announced, because it\u2019s probably going to be impossible to get a booking now, because it was already popular,\u201d says Hauer. \u201cLook at any of the other hotels that they filmed in for the other seasons, they quadrupled in popularity after the show\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Five-star luxury<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Much of the humor in \u201cThe White Lotus\u201d comes from the rich guests\u2019 entitlement, outrageous requests and out-of-touch perspectives on reality.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the first season, there\u2019s Jake Lacy\u2019s character Shane, who becomes obsessed with the fact he\u2019s missed out on the hotel\u2019s coveted \u201cPineapple Suite\u201d on his honeymoon. His obsession turns into a bitter feud with the hotel manager which spirals into comic tragedy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While reporting in the French Riviera, celebrity.land Travel overheard several conversations perfectly suited to the show. Take the Byblos residents casually discussing upcoming helicopter rides above Saint-Tropez \u2014 or a guest at chic new Saint-Tropez addition <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.arevcollection.com\/\">AREV<\/a>, explaining to a hotel employee in painstaking detail exactly why he enjoyed the hotel\u2019s Japanese toilets, while the waiter stood politely, listening diligently and nodding.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, at the Four Seasons Grand-H\u00f4tel du Cap-Ferrat\u2019s dreamy <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fourseasons.com\/capferrat\/dining\/restaurants\/club_dauphin\/\">Club Dauphin<\/a> \u2014 a restaurant built into the cliffs overlooking Cap-Ferrat\u2019s infinity pool \u2014 two women ordered, then promptly rejected, glasses of local Proven\u00e7al wine because \u201c2022 was a terrible year for ros\u00e9.\u201d (Cue this reporter frantically Googling \u201cwhat went wrong with 2022 ros\u00e9?\u201d under the table while continuing to happily sip said ros\u00e9.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many of the region\u2019s hotels \u2014 including Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re, Hotel Martinez and Grand-H\u00f4tel du Cap-Ferrat \u2014 recently scored a coveted spot on France\u2019s official <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?sca_esv=54f2dfe3db26537b&amp;rlz=1C5GCEM_enGB1111GB1111&amp;sxsrf=ANbL-n4kxhnmUkElG34nZZogKWqsuLtxsA:1781095800335&amp;q=france.fr+palace&amp;tbm=nws&amp;source=lnms&amp;fbs=ADc_l-aN0CWEZBOHjofHoaMMDiKp0UJuhqwKhR0QUhF54-6jIQsCvkgJGxu91qEhdVGulp4lcwrbe1w10ET9Oer-WSSe6StHh9fCUiAqXQdEyRepz_nmH9HZOpqosFuAWb6a5WlQBsm5KnfVsufRm0ATnr5FbJ1S_MjQcemOxGlImTU6rBeZqrq7y9nYAslCjKnb64XaTyHXQbyvMWnixqPoYb1j_l8hgg&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiGofXz2vyUAxUadUEAHRA3MH4Q0pQJegQIEhAB&amp;biw=1502&amp;bih=806&amp;dpr=1.8#:~:text=Search%20Results-,Le%20Monde.fr,1%20week%20ago,-France.fr\">\u201cPalace\u201d list<\/a> reserved for hospitality levels that exceed even those of a traditional five-star property.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The service at these ultra-luxury properties is on another level. It\u2019s common, for example, for guests to receive multiple gifts over the course of their stay. celebrity.land Travel spotted sportswear-clad guests enjoying the extensive breakfast buffet at Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat carrying Four Seasons-branded water bottles inside large, gifted straw beach bags. The bags are given their own designated seats at the terrace tables.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And these hotels aren\u2019t giving out cheap freebies \u2014 think luxurious pajamas, scented candles, leather pouches, and glamorous straw hats. When Hauer proposed to Seputyte during their stay at Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re, he says they returned to a hotel room filled with heart-shaped balloons, a bottle of 2015 Veuve Clicquot champagne, a cake and a framed photo of them post-proposal, snapped by staff that very lunchtime. He hadn\u2019t given the hotel a heads-up, and couldn\u2019t quite believe it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The five-star Riviera lifestyle is an easy one to adapt to: suites with private pools, delicious fresh seafood, and beautiful views from secluded terraces. Everything is so stunning, and everything is so seamless. Consequently, when something doesn\u2019t go entirely to plan, the mishap stands out far more than they would anywhere else.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On celebrity.land Travel\u2019s trip there were a few moments that prompted the \u201cWhat would Shane from season one say?\u201d train of thought \u2014 from getting dropped off by a hotel chauffeur at a public beach parking lot, a 25 minute hike away from the intended swanky Saint-Tropez hotel beach club destination, to arriving solo in a new hotel room only to be inexplicably greeted with a \u201cHappy Wedding Anniversary\u201d chocolate cake.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mike White is an expert at finding humor in these moments, mining each chosen destination for its specific idiosyncrasies. Series producer David Bernad <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/tv\/articles\/why-white-lotus-picked-france-162000018.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADlPDJ-kFXOe_FUcIy3IBQYx2wYyps-uXCJD4pSm3h6LTeaCtdgizkLHshIEtlD_ToBvXlbB2QIdRSTHaaHiCV-AAtv5vMIRh12PuseV0IKy7JsW64J2GD9eIEC2wbtMPdPkAzTQ80M9aOTt2V5paafzhNUxh4itWnlrZi12gHMK\">has hinted that <\/a>the writer settled on the French Riviera setting after \u201ca really specific experience with a waiter and a ma\u00eetre d\u2019, and it was the stereotype. It was a very funny moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Celebrity and fame<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This upcoming season also promises to focus specifically on celebrity and fame, a perfect match for the French Riviera. Saint-Tropez became the center of French filmmaking in the 1950s and 1960s, morphing from a sleepy fishing village to a global celebrity hot spot. VIP guests are commonplace in the region, and according to Byblos guest relations manager Karin Perrault, every hotel in the area is used to accommodating stars and their specific needs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe have our security agents always walking around,\u201d she says. \u201cThe Saint-Tropez authority, they work very hard also to make this place feel secure \u2026 It\u2019s a small village, but you have beautiful properties, so it\u2019s a big investment, and everything works in harmony.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While stars vacationing on the Riviera usually want to remain discreet, during the Cannes Film Festival, their presence is thrust under the spotlight. Cannes\u2019 Hotel Martinez is confirmed by HBO to be playing the fictional \u201cWhite Lotus Cannes\u201d and in real life, the Martinez serves as a major hub for celebrities during the annual movie showcase, thanks to its proximity to Cannes\u2019 famous Boulevard de la Croisette.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">celebrity.land\u2019s Thomas Page, who has covered the Cannes Film Festival since 2017, calls the Martinez the \u201cperfect choice\u201d for a season filmed around the festival. He points to the Martinez\u2019s famous staircase, with its \u201cbeautiful geometry,\u201d as an obvious filming location. Page also suggests the Cannes beach clubs, which host private after-parties that run into the early hours, could provide the perfect stage for some typical White Lotus theatrics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou are feet away from the sea, on the fringe of those parties,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s exactly the kind of setting where events could spill over; things could spell doom for someone, potentially.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re\u2019s confirmed fictional name \u201cWhite Lotus du Cap\u201d suggests the resort could be playing a fictionalized version of Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat or, perhaps more likely, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oetkerhotels.com\/hotels\/hotel-du-cap-eden-roc\/\">Antibes\u2019 Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc <\/a>where celebrities often stay during the festival and which Vanity Fair <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/style\/story\/hotel-du-cap-eden-roc-cannes-film-festival?srsltid=AfmBOooAyqPHZCjAhW1W9CwnKCGbrfrreZLn1eEi_3DKWDOVx1OSFK4i\">recently dubbed <\/a>\u201cthe glamorous power center of Cannes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the film festival serving as backdrop, unconfirmed reports suggest the series could revolve around two rival film crews, one staying at the \u201cWhite Lotus Cannes,\u201d and the other at the \u201cWhite Lotus du Cap.\u201d Filmmakers were recently spotted recreating the Cannes atmosphere post-festival, in late May.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This recent Cannes filming coincided with US real estate developer and film enthusiast Michael Banovac\u2019s French Riviera vacation. To his excitement, while dining al fresco at Cannes\u2019 Ristorante Federal, Banovac found himself sitting next to season four actor Steve Coogan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe just struck up a conversation, and I was asking him a little bit about \u2018White Lotus,\u2019\u201d Banovac tells celebrity.land Travel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe was filming this past week on a yacht in the C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur near Cannes. They\u2019re going to be integrating between Saint-Tropez, Cannes, a very little bit of Paris \u2026 And then they\u2019re going to have a little bit of filming in Monaco, I don\u2019t know where. But that\u2019s kind of what I gleaned.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Coogan was tight-lipped on exact plot points, but Banovac was still excited to get a bit of insight into the show\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve seen all the seasons, and I\u2019ve been to the majority of the hotels, except for the ones in Thailand,\u201d he says. \u201cThe settings are so lavish and elegant.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Banovac had also been expecting the Four Seasons Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat to play a starring role and has his own theories on why the production went in a different direction with Ch\u00e2teau de la Messardi\u00e8re.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMike White needed a place that they could rent out, have some privacy, and also get a lot of local extras involved in the hotel, and I think that\u2019s why they chose that hotel in Saint-Tropez which is a little more remote,\u201d he suggests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During his 10 days touring the French Riviera, Banovac says he constantly found himself in conversations about the show. During celebrity.land\u2019s South of France soujourn, the name was also a constant refrain across breezy hotel terraces and sun-kissed beaches.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Banovac suggests the C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur is the perfect fit for the upcoming series.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe main theme, from what I\u2019m gathering, is fame and relevance,\u201d he says, suggesting the hotels in the region, being famous in their own right, are the perfect fit. \u201cWhen they\u2019re at these very extravagant hotels, I think it\u2019s going to tie into beauty, extravagance, opulence, and also relevance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The-celebrity.land-Wire<br \/>\u2122 &amp; \u00a9 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source kesq.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Francesca Street, celebrity.land C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur, France (celebrity.land) \u2014 Kat Jamieson slid open the doors to her poolside hotel room in Saint-Tropez and was greeted with an unexpected sight: cameras and a film crew surrounding actor Laura Dern, who was holding court in front of the rippling blue water. \u201cShe was wearing this fabulous Missoni [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2515839,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25173],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2515838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Private-pools-celeb-spotting-and-intimidating-luxury-Secrets-of-a-\u2018White.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2515838","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2515838"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2515838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2515840,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2515838\/revisions\/2515840"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2515839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2515838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2515838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2515838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}