Benvenuti a Sicily! The real White Lotus experience awaits those brave enough to encounter the whirlwind splendour thereof! Made famous by the HBO comedy-drama, the real White Lotus Hotel is much more magical than the show gives it credit. Who can blame them? Capturing the spectacularity of this hotel is hard enough.
However, I am confident that I can feed you nuggets of the magic that is San Domenico Palace throughout this enchanting article. So, let’s dive into the television to see why you could become the main character when visiting the enchanting Four Seasons Hotel, San Domenico Palace. And, action!
About the San Domenico Palace
“I would die for beauty, wouldn’t you?” This famous line from Quentin in The White Lotus is exactly my sentiment. With so much going on in the world, beauty comes in many forms, but in little quantities. In short, we should grab onto the things we deem as the most beautiful. And I don’t know about you, but my answer to Quentin’s question is, “Yes, I would!”
The Four Seasons San Domenico Plaza is located in Taormina, a city on the east coast of Sicily. This picture-perfect hotel offers up to 111 suites for guests to relax in. The hotel also has a few courtyards, historical gardens, a spa, fine dining restaurants, and an outdoor infinity pool that’s heavily featured in The White Lotus TV show. The director, Mike White, knew that the hotel was the perfect setting for season 2, stating that the location “…just sold this kind of old-world European summer vacation.”
The hotel overlooks the Ionian Sea as well as the Mount Etna volcano. San Domenico Palace was built in the 14th century and was home to a wealthy local. The hotel then spent the next 400 years as a convent until it got bought and turned into a lux hotel in 1896! There’s a lot of history within the walls of this Four Seasons hotel. Today, the San Domenico Palace stuns its guests with the surrounding beautiful views, rich history, and pristine guest service.
Book San Domenico Palace – Booking.com
Hotel Features
The San Domenico Palace boasts amazing amenities, like the five-star gym, the Botanica Spa, the 21-metre-long infinity pool, and upscale restaurants including three on-site eateries! The hotel also has a grand ballroom which used to be the church of Santa Agata. Furthermore, there are over 1670 square meters of indoor and outdoor event space, and some beautiful gardens in Courtyards to top it all off! Principe Terami is the signature restaurant in San Domenico Palace and is headed by the award-winning Italian chef Massimo Montaro. This restaurant emphasises fine Sicilian cuisine in an upscale environment with views of the terrific Taormina Bay.
The spectacular monastery garden gives that otherworldly feeling to guests as they descend towards Taormina Bay’s beach club. After a long day on the beach, you can return to your luxurious suite which features a private terrace and perhaps even a plunge pool. Prices for this hotel are given upon application, however, you can expect prices to start at £440. For suites, this price could go as high as £5490 per night!
Taormina hotel deals – Booking.com
Surrounding Things to Do
Like the characters in The White Lotus, you could also shop in Noto or take a Godfather vs. Mafia tour! Perhaps you’d fancy going to the City of Palermo instead. For those who want to see something truly spectacular, why not try to visit Mount Etna, Europe’s highest volcano? You could either hike up this mountain or, you could simply take a cable car! These cable cars can take you up to an elevation of 2500 meters where you can see the moonlike lava fields and take in the breathtaking views of the Ionian Sea in the distance.
Do you want to do something even more amazing? You could go on an excursion to the famous Grotta Atsura, also called the Blue Grotto, near the beautiful island of Isla Bella. The reason why this is a must-do while visiting the real White Lotus is that the sight of the Blue Grotto is truly magical. It’s named after the blue light filtering through the cave’s waters due to an opening below sea level. The effect is a glowing turquoise light that bounces off the dark cave walls. Even at night, you could see this phenomenon.
Hotel deals in Sicily – Booking.com
A Sicilian Dolce Vita
Soak up the warmth under the Sicilian sun as you bask in luxury in the real White Lotus hotel. Unlike the characters in this anthology series, I am sure you will have an all-around good time! And just like the characters in The White Lotus, I am sure you will be drenched in opulence throughout your stay. So put on your best Monica Vitti outfit, rent yourself a Vespa, and end the day with a big plate of pasta with “giant clams”. This is truly the way to spend a day in Sicily. If you enjoy this article be sure to check out this one about the 7 fantastic food tours in Florence that everyone should try!
