Hotels on Screen: Vacation Like The White Lotus Socialite Tanya McQuoid at San Domenico

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Influencer Allie Provost partnered with Variety and Hotels.com to explore the Sicilian resort that was the stand-in for the fictional luxury chain in Season 2

Have you ever dreamed of traveling to destinations seen in your favorite movies and TV shows? Many filming locations have become pilgrimage sites for fans. In fact, one in four travelers polled in Expedia’s 2024 Unpack travel trend report stated that screen inspirations influenced their travel decisions more than social media and podcasts.

Among those set-jetters was influencer Allie Provost, who checked into the real hotel where Season 2 of “The White Lotus” was filmed. The award-winning series follows the exploits of various guests and employees at an exclusive White Lotus resort. For its second installment, a Four Seasons Hotel was once again chosen as the stand-in for the fictional luxury hotel chain.

The San Domenico Palace, A Four Seasons Hotel in the Sicilian resort town of Taormina, was the primary setting for all seven episodes and was also the location where the cast and crew stayed during production. According to the luxury hotel, the creator of the show Mike White visited “more than 30 different hotels from the South France to the South of Italy” and “immediately fell in love with San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel.” White is said to have deemed the hotel “a place where I could get inspired to come up with something juicy.”

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Inspired by the Italian vacation she saw on screen, Provost planned a trip to the hotel, which is housed in a 14th-century convent and perched on a hillside overlooking the Ionian Sea. Provost, who was joined by her friend Carly Hill, channeled many of the show’s wealthy vacationers, including her favorite boozy socialite Tanya McQuoid, during the once-in-a-lifetime getaway.

“Staying in a reimagined 14th-century convent felt like an absolute dream,” Provost says. “But what was even more surreal was feeling like I was living a scene out of one of my favorite shows. It was almost as if I had stepped right into my TV screen and could run into Mia and Lucia at the piano bar at any moment. Between the five-star service and litany of famous guests, I almost began to feel like a celebrity myself!”

The San Domenico Palace has been welcoming guests since 1896. However, the property has recently seen a surge in tourists and TV fans after Season 2 of the show highlighted its spacious rooms, fine dining and lavish amenities.

“The rooms are beyond luxurious, and fit for royalty,” Provost shares. “Our room had a terrace that was the perfect setting for breakfast every morning, and it’s safe to say pancakes have never been chicer!”

During her stay, Provost also treated herself to meals at the hotel’s top-rated restaurants. “When you’re ready to break away from the room, the restaurant on the property is the cherry on top of your day,” she says. “I’m still dreaming about the Tuna Wellington we had.”

Among her favorite things about the hotel were the many amenities that she saw in the show, including the breathtaking panoramas of Taormina and the cliffside infinity pool. “The views, the views, and oh my gosh the views!” Provost recalls. “The San Domenico Palace sits on a hill overlooking the Ionian coast with panoramic views of Mount Etna and the turquoise blue sea. The only thing better than this view was this view poolside with a cocktail!”

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Variety and Hotels.com launched the new “Hotels on Screen” video series to spotlight fictional worlds where real-life hotels were used as locations and sets. Watch the “Twin Peaks” episode from the “Hotels on Screen” series here.

For more information on how to stay at the real-life properties featured in “Hotels on Screen,” visit this link.

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Martina Birk

Update: 2024-08-06

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