THE WHITE LOTUS EFFECT
These TV shows made me want to book a holiday immediately

The Leopard, Sicily, ItalyNicely filling the Bridgerton-shaped hole in my life, Netflix’s The Leopard – an adaptation of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s novel, and resulting 1960s movie – brings the full force of balls-and-bustles 1860s Sicily to the screen. It’s about the fall of the Sicilian aristocracy during the Italian unification, following the exploits of nobleman The Prince of Salina (aka the Leopard) and his elite clan. Cue will-they-won’t-they romance and betrayal, all the while capturing Sicily’s Baroque architecture, grand palazzos and the balmy coastline rather beautifully.

If you’re going for La Dolce Vita, I’d make for hilltop town Taormina, on Sicily’s eastern coast, where the ruins of an ancient Greek theatre rub up against a tangle of slender streets – perfect for aperitivo – jaw-dropping views of Mount Etna, and the shimmering azure Bay of Naxos. Stay at Grand Hotel Timeo, A Belmond Hotel, Taormina. It’s a cascading-down-the-cliffs charmer that has the same vibe as The Leopard’s stately piles. Don’t miss the winter garden-style terrace bar and the amazing outdoor pool. 

Image: Brenda van Leeuwen

The White Lotus, ThailandThe popularity of Mike White’s satirical drama The White Lotus, which sees each series skewer the rich in a glossy, ultra-luxe hotel chain, continues at full throttle for its third season. It’s not only the clever plot lines – often uncomfortable, sometimes comical – and magnetic performances from the likes of Aimee Lou Wood as British hippy-hedonist Chelsea, which make it hard to look away. It’s also the sheer beauty of its tropical Thai setting. Swaying palms. Soft sands. Tick. The shock-of-teal Andaman Ocean. All present and correct.

Forget Koh Samui (where most of the filming took place) – Phuket is where you want to be. It’s home to Sino-Portuguese buildings in its old town, and, in the quieter north of the island, you'll find dreamy Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas (eagle eyed fans will recognise its overwater spa from S3’s opening shots). A far cry from the party-vibe western coast, expect opulent Thai villas, frangipani-filled gardens, parasol-lined swimming pools, lengthy golden sands, a restaurant tucked over a lotus flower lagoon and a very White Lotus nightly drums-and-fire torch lighting ceremony. 

Image: Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas

The Traitors, Highlands, ScotlandThe grandeur of Ardross Castle. The backstabbing Traitor-or-Faithful contestants undertaking increasingly bonkers challenges to top up the prize pot. Claudia Winkleman’s castlecore meets out-for-a-yomp-in-the-countryside outfits. While it’s hard to pick my favourite part of the latest season of cult TV favourite The Traitors UK (some 7.4 million viewers tuned for the S3 finale) what I do know is that its lingering shots of brooding Scottish peaks and lochs left me yearning for a Highlands escape.

Although the show is filmed at a private castle north of Inverness, there are plenty of other medieval fortresses to visit in the Highlands. Such as Nairn’s Cawdor Castle – all turrets, towers and manicured gardens – and the ruins of Urquhart Castle, on the shore of Loch Ness. Bed down at Foyers Lodge, a smartly done up adults-only bolthole on Loch Ness’ tranquil south side, half an hour from Inverness. As well as being ideally placed to enjoy woodland rambles, fishing trips, and to visit the 165-foot Falls of Foyers, its stylish bedrooms feature rainforest showers, colour-drenched walls and velvet curtains. The restaurant is a must-visit too, pairing moody Loch Ness views with leek and tattie soup, oven-baked Highland brie, and marmalade and Drambuie tart. 

Image: Emily Sandifer

Big Little Lies, California, USABackdropped by some of America’s most striking coastline, with an all-star cast – including Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep – the on-screen adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel is slow-burn, high-drama entertainment at its best. (Good news: season 3 is in the works.) Expect school-gate dynamics and the myriad twists and turns of female friendship, not to mention deception and murder.

In Monterey County, the seaside hotspot on California’s central coast where it’s filmed, life’s all about embracing the great outdoors, making it a strong choice for an adventurous getaway. Road trip along Highway 1 for Big Sur and the Santa Lucia mountains’ craggy charms, taking in BLL’s opening credits star Bixby Bridge. Then join surfers at Del Monte beach, all pristine gilt-coloured sand and Pacific Ocean fizz, or make for Garrapata State Park – in spring, its trails turn technicolour with wildflowers. Top of my list to stay is laid-back Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Le Petit Pali at 8th Avenue, a fifteen minute stroll from powdery white Carmel beach. Its upscale bedrooms, decorated with seafoam-coloured clapboard, have a fling-on-a-sundress aesthetic and fireplaces to cosy up by after sundown.

Image: Spencer Davis

Ianthe Butt is an award winning travel writer and editor.