In The White Lotus, paradise is always a little too perfect—until it isn't. HBO's glittering satire of privilege and dysfunction has swept from Maui to Sicily, and now, in its third season, it casts its shadow over Bangkok’s lush tropics and gilded decadence. Now, in its third season, the Emmy-winning series unfurls across Thailand—its beauty lush, its secrets darker still. Though filming took place at the idyllic Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, an iconic Bangkok hotel played an equally fascinating, if more discreet, role in shaping the narrative: The Siam.

While the series doesn’t feature The Siam on screen as the titular White Lotus resort, aficionados of design and discerning travel will recognise its DNA in a standout new character: Sritala, a chic, enigmatic hotelier whose smoky jazz vocals seem to echo from another era. This isn’t fiction spun from thin air. Sritala draws heavily from real-life hotelier Kamala Sukosol—matriarch of The Siam, a Thai cultural icon, and yes, an acclaimed jazz singer.

Tucked along a serene curve of the Chao Phraya River, The Siam embodies the kind of soulful luxury that transcends its setting. It’s not simply a hotel—it’s a richly layered world of quiet glamour, where history, music, and artistry coalesce. And while its walls may not appear in the series, its spirit lingers like a perfume—subtle, intoxicating, and utterly unforgettable.

A Hotel That Sings

The Siam is not your typical five-star sanctuary. With just 38 suites and private pool villas, it trades opulence for intimacy, extravagance for soul. Designed by architect Bill Bensley and steeped in the personal collection of Kamala’s son, Krissada Sukosol Clapp—an artist and actor—the hotel reads like a love letter to Thai heritage and global nostalgia. Think Parisian-style conservatories, turn-of-the-century curios, and vintage travel trunks beside traditional Thai silks.

It’s no stretch to imagine a character like Sritala emerging from this setting. A woman steeped in refinement, mystery, and quiet power, her presence in The White Lotus feels directly drawn from the hotel’s unique atmosphere—and Kamala herself. Kamala’s presence at The Siam is more than symbolic. She is known to perform impromptu jazz sessions for guests, her voice both sultry and commanding, weaving a rare intimacy into the hotel’s already personal atmosphere.

In fact, The Siam’s story is inseparable from Kamala’s own—a former Sony Music executive turned hotelier and philanthropist, whose lifelong passion for music permeates every corner of the property. It’s this distinctive blend of legacy and personality that elevates The Siam from hotel to living, breathing character.

• 
• 
• 

The Siam as Myth and Muse

In a show obsessed with façades—both architectural and emotional—The Siam emerges as more than a muse. It’s a counterpoint. Unlike the polished, performative luxury of the fictional White Lotus resort, The Siam doesn’t need to pretend. It’s unbothered by trends, unhurried by the moment. Guests are encouraged to linger, to reflect, to discover.

You could begin your day with a private Muay Thai session in the hotel’s riverside boxing ring. Linger over a lemongrass-scented spa treatment in the deco-inspired Opium Spa. Wander through the hotel’s curated antiques or board a vintage boat for an unhurried cruise to the Grand Palace. And by nightfall? You just might find yourself sipping something strong beneath the stars, as a jazz melody drifts softly through the air.

It’s not hard to see why The White Lotus creators were drawn here—not for drama, but for tone. For character. For truth. The Siam doesn’t scream for attention. It seduces quietly.

• 
• 
• 

Bangkok’s Cameos

While Koh Samui serves as the primary filming location, The White Lotus Season 3 dips into the headier pleasures of Bangkok as well, adding atmospheric depth with a series of seductive urban cameos. The Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental, for instance, makes an appearance, its moody 1950s-style jazz club ambience reflecting the show's noir sensibility. Sing Sing Theatre, with its dramatic crimson lanterns and cinematic sense of mischief, hosts another pivotal scene.

One of the more discreet but telling inclusions is the Siri Sala Private Thai Villa—a heritage hideaway upriver from The Siam. Like The Siam, Siri Sala is more than just a space; it's an emotional landscape, a vessel of Thai cultural memory and elite escape. Together, these Bangkok scenes ground the season in a deeper narrative of Thai identity, sensuality, and contradiction.

Checking In

For fans of The White Lotus, visiting The Siam is more than travel—it’s immersive fan fiction come to life. And for luxury travellers, it’s a revelation: a retreat that understands that real elegance doesn’t need spectacle. It just needs soul.

Where Story Meets Stay

Stay: The Siam, Bangkok
Don’t Miss: A live jazz set (if you're lucky), a canal-side tuk-tuk ride, and the hotel's secret library.

Watch: The White Lotus Season 3 on HBO — and keep an eye out for Sritala.