The satirical world of HBO's The White Lotus is trading Thai beaches for the French Riviera, with reports confirming the show's fourth season will film at an exclusive property in St Tropez. The chosen location is the Airelles Saint-Tropez, Château de la Messardière, marking a significant shift from the Four Seasons hotels used in previous seasons.
From Courchevel to the Côte d'Azur: The Airelles Difference
The French hotel group Airelles represents a different echelon of luxury. With only six properties globally, it caters to a quiet luxury crowd, a stark contrast to the more ostentatious international footprint of the Four Seasons. This distinction was made clear to a journalist visiting the brand's Courchevel outpost, who was greeted with an unprecedented welcome gift including a feather-down ski coat, hat, and tables laden with champagne and local delicacies.
This hyper-personalised service is Airelles's signature. While Four Seasons offers impeccable, uniform luxury worldwide, Airelles provides a bespoke experience that has attracted clientele like Beyoncé, the Beckhams, and the Prince and Princess of Wales. The group's move into the spotlight with The White Lotus promises to showcase this rarefied world to a global audience.
Inside the Château de la Messardière: A White Lotus Setting
The specific setting for the new series is the Airelles Saint-Tropez, Château de la Messardière. This isn't a modern build; it's a historic private palace dating from 1904, converted into an Airelles property in 2021. Perched on a hilltop, it offers views stretching towards Saint-Tropez, Provence, and the Riviera.
The hotel's 86 rooms are nestled within a forest near the ocean, ensuring discretion. Amenities include:
- Three swimming pools
- A private beach club
- A luxury spa
- Multiple restaurants serving French, Italian, Mediterranean, and Asian cuisine
The hotel has enlisted culinary stars like Chef Nobu Matsuhisa and baker Cedric Grolet to design its menus. Its location in St Tropez ties it to a bohemian history, once home to Brigitte Bardot, though the town is now a hub for luxury retail and superyachts paying over £2,000 per night to moor.
What This Means for The White Lotus and Its Viewers
For creator Mike White, this new setting opens a door to satirise an even more exclusive tier of wealth. Airelles guests are not merely wealthy tourists; they represent the global elite—owners of major corporations and ultra-high-net-worth families accustomed to the "finest French hospitality."
This shift suggests season four will deliver even more precision-tooled characters from the top 0.01%. The show's signature blend of beauty, tension, and social critique will unfold against a backdrop of historic French grandeur and impeccable, understated service. Fans can expect a fascinating new dynamic when the series returns.
Rooms at the Airelles Saint-Tropez, Château de la Messardière start from approximately £1,400 per night.
