It’s a surreal experience arriving at Thailand's Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui. After taking a sharp right off the island's trundling main road, you go from bustling shopfronts to seconds later standing on the open deck of the reception, looking down over palm trees, blue sea and the pointed roofs of luxury villas.
It is the same bewitching view that greeted Mike White, director of the TV series White Lotus, and convinced him within 30 seconds that, after visiting 20 other luxury hotels in Thailand, this was the place to film.
General manager Jasjit Assi recounts how White stood for a moment, turned to him and said: “This is it. This is about a luxury traveller who wants to be spoiled in a place with character and spirituality.”
The little touches
It soon becomes clear that the resort is much more than White Lotus location-spotting, as you’re spirited by golf buggy down steep slopes to one of the villas.
The hotel goes far beyond the luxury suggested in the drama of American angst and introspection. Luxury at surface level is one thing, but the Samui residence digs deeper, looking for those small thoughtful touches.
A pot of freshly cut fruit sits in a blender, ready to be whirled into a rewarding healthy beverage. More alluringly, next to it lie five napkins, monogrammed for my wife, daughter, two sons and me. In an instant, it becomes clear that this is somewhere memorable.
Honeymooning couples get pillow cases stitched with their marital name, an innovation that comes from the manager's biannual brainstorming sessions held with all staff.
Given the ability of teenagers to lose themselves online with little attention to the outside, Four Seasons has introduced a DJ course, a photography course for the Instagram generation, and a multitude of other activities.
Eternal views
Leaving the premier ocean view villa, priced at $2,100 a night, is a struggle – why would you want to go anywhere when you have a small but perfect eternity pool, spacious cushioned loungers, food and drinks a phone call away? Not to mention a buggy ready to rush you down to the beach, spa and leisure facilities.
But with many tonnes of imported sand on its 1,400 square metres, a dreamy pool, the adjacent Pla Pla restaurant and elegant cocktail bar, the beach is an easy allure.
There is no mad dash to reserve a spot with a towel. Instead, guests are treated to comfortable cabanas where they can order drinks with the tap of a button.
The increasing popularity of Four Seasons, particularly among US and European tourists, means that people are staying longer, enabling them to enjoy Koh Samui’s leading attraction, the Fisherman’s Night.
Against the backdrop of astonishing fire acrobats tossing sparks into the surf, tables are laid out like a wedding under torchlight. Behind them is an array of stalls, serving everything from freshly caught fish to delicate pastries, amazing Thai dishes and Wagyu steak.
Massages and Muay Thai
Buried among the jasmine-scented jungle foliage is a secret garden of five cottages, each with a highly qualified masseur. An hour passes with ease as total relaxation is achieved with scents and soothing massages, until a gong signals the end of your reverie.
Loosened muscles make you gym-ready, but of course, it’s not just any workout. The treadmill overlooks a 17 hectare estate that stretches out over the jungle and beyond into the Andaman Sea, with distant islands shimmering in the haze.
Nearby is a Muay Thai gym, where coach Aan takes us through some entertaining but intense training, followed by a bout against my 12-year old. “What, I get to punch Daddy?” he asks, delighted. “Yes, just not in the head,” says Aan.
My own bout with Aan underlines the sport’s intensity, with punches and wrestling holds. You can dedicate your entire holiday to learning the sport.
Any calories you burn are quickly replenished with a delightful mix of Thai and Italian dishes at the Pla Pla restaurant, with the lobster spaghetti among the highlights.
No problem
It’s also the “can-do, no problem” attitude of Four Seasons that makes it special. Friends on Samui, an hour’s flight from the capital, ask to visit and play tennis on the courts honed out of the hillside. The ever-helpful communications manager Noon is completely unfazed when our number spirals to more than a dozen. “Please don’t worry at all, I’m more than happy to assist,” she says. Balls, racquets, towels and extra water are rapidly delivered.
The memories keep piling up. A kayak ride around the bay in a gentle but warm drizzle, a lie down in the hammock used in White Lotus, a plunge in the villa’s deep and scenic baths.
There are a few moments when the experience of the resort is overtaken by White Lotus references, such as the fine breakfast buffet at the hilltop Koh Thai Kitchen restaurant, where you eat in the spot where scenes from the series were shot.
The show has certainly led to a surge in footfall among families, couples and solo travellers, also joined by Gulf royals who usually take up one of the stunning large residences, complete with their own butler and chef.
“I want people to take back something that resonates that we came to Thailand and there was a great connection emotionally to Koh Samui and it felt great and there's a lasting recall,” says the affable Jasjit.
A few months on from our summer visit, he’s right. We’re still talking about the memories, the hammock, the pool and the Fisherman’s Night.
