But what about my colleagues' suggestions? They were equally castable. Global travel editor Annabel Grossman suggested that The White Lotus "ditch the sun-drenched locations" — Hawaii, Sicily and Thailand have featured so far — and "head to the mountains". She named Le K2 Palace in the French ski resort of Courchevel as "ideal for combining White Lotus grandeur with unparalleled scenery".
Senior travel writer Natalie Wilson predicted Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti in Tanzania, writing: "The Big Five could surely cause a stir with elephant stampedes and close calls with lions before guests take a visit to the — Lotus staple — luxury spa." Maroma, a Belmond hotel, in Mexico's Riviera Maya, was travel writer Amelia Neath's pick. She reasoned: "Flanked by a lush jungle, cenotes and ruins, [it] could make an interesting backdrop for next season's antics."
When travel correspondent Simon Calder gazed into his crystal ball, he saw the 15th-century Ship Hotel in New Romney, Kent. He wrote: "Murder? Mystery? Escaping the everyday? There is only one possible destination: Romney Marsh, where Kent and East Sussex meet the Channel in a blur of land, water and sky. This is the cul-de-sac for the whole nation. The landscape comprises blank meadows that struggle to clamber above sea level. Some empty roads connect the sparse signs of humanity: farms and the occasional straggle of cottages. All manner of perils prevail."
Emilee Tombs, assistant travel editor, foresaw the Royal Mansour, Marrakech, where "the devilish characters will no doubt make a beeline for the pool bar, where they can slip on a pair of custom-made leather sliders and recline with a glass of the finest Provencial rosé in hand, all while talking down to the wonderfully kind and attentive staff". Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet, Turkey, was prophesied by travel writer Alice Reynolds, who said: "The hotel is a calm oasis, complete with ancient hammam spa treatments and a manicured garden, which could lull the guests into an ominous false sense of security."
I realise that season four hasn't even begun shooting yet, but I'm going to strike while the soothsaying iron is hot and make my predictions for the season five hotel. If Château de la Messardière proves a hit, perhaps the producers will opt for another Airelles Collection property — they all have killer looks that are perfect for the murder mystery anthology, from the opulent Courchevel ski hotel Les Airelles to Chateau de Versailles, set in the actual grounds of the palace, and Palladio Venezia, an elegant property in The Floating City opening in April.
However, my money would be on La Bastide de Gordes, a 16th-century tiered mansion set in the Provencal hilltop village of Gordes: it has the statement outdoor pool (a crucial White Lotus component), terraces for victims to be pushed off, and nooks and crannies for bodies to be hidden in. Plus, it's beautiful enough to become a talking point (another Lotus must).Watch this space.
Read Ted's article on what it's like to stay at the new White Lotus hotel in Saint-Tropez.
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