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- Château de La Messardière is the official White Lotus Season 4 location.
- This historic 19th-century hilltop palace overlooks the scenic French Riviera.
- Nightly rates start at $5,000 and range up to $30,000 for luxury villas.
- Guests enjoy six restaurants, a massive spa, and private beach access.
- The hit HBO series is scheduled to premiere later in 2026.
When HBO confirmed The White Lotus Season 4 would be filmed at a hilltop palace in Saint-Tropez, it sounded about right. And once you take a look at the hotel in question, Château de La Messardière, you’ll probably start picturing yourself there, even if only briefly.
For anyone who hasn’t spent much time thinking about the French Riviera, Saint-Tropez sits on France’s southern coastline, a few hours from Monaco and right on the Mediterranean. The entire area has long been a summer playground for celebrities, fashion enthusiasts, and individuals with boats larger than most Sydney apartments. Think beach clubs, yachts, narrow European streets and a town that gets very busy, very quickly, once summer rolls in.
La Messardière is situated well away from the noise. Perched above the town, the hotel spans 30 acres of gardens, pine trees, and winding paths. With rooms priced upwards of AUD$30,000 per night (minimum four-night stay), the hotel is far enough away that Saint-Tropez is as much a destination as your king-size bed.
The hotel is part of the Airelles Collection, which tends to focus on historic properties you’d expect a Disney princess to call home.
The château itself dates back to the 19th century, originally built as an extravagant wedding gift from a wealthy cognac merchant to his daughter (wouldn’t that be nice). By the early 1900s, it had become a hotel, and by the roaring ’20s, it was hosting Parisian high society during the Riviera’s golden age. After a quieter stretch of business and a near mid-century collapse, a major renovation in the late ’80s brought it back to life. Today, there are just 86 rooms and suites, which helps keep things calm even when the hotel is at capacity.
Look inside each room, and you’ll find classic Riviera styling, including patterned wallpaper, marble bathrooms, tiled floors, light timber finishes, and an abundance of natural light.
Room options range from light-filled Superior and Deluxe Rooms for couples, through to expansive Junior Suites, Prestige Suites, and multi-bedroom residences designed for families or groups who plan to stay a while. Some suites come with private terraces or plunge pools, while the largest residences offer multiple bedrooms, generous outdoor space and full privacy from the main château.
If you’re paying at the top end of the guest list, where rooms for four guests cost upwards of AUD$30,000 per night, you should expect uninterrupted room views across the Mediterranean.
But people don’t come here to spend their time inside. No, outside is where this hotel earns its reputation. The grounds are dotted with multiple pools, including a panoramic terrace pool and a proper lap pool, so you’re not fighting for space. There’s also private access to Pampelonne Beach, one of the most famous stretches of sand on the Riviera, complete with loungers and transfers.
Of course, what hotel would be complete without a dedicated spa? The Airelles Spa by Valmont spans 1,000 square metres and includes an indoor pool, hammam, sauna, gym and nine treatment rooms.
You’ll also find the Saint-Tropez Sporting Club on-site, which adds a more active edge to the stay. Guests have access to tennis courts, padel courts, a fitness centre and structured training sessions, all set within the same manicured grounds.
Then there’s everything to eat and drink, which is more extensive than you’d expect from a hotel this restrained. All up, there are six restaurants and three bars spread across the property, meaning you can stay put for days without ever feeling like you’re cycling through the same options. The Bar 1904, located inside the château, and poolside options, both on-site and at Pampelonne. It’s the kind of setup where a long lunch quietly turns into a late afternoon drink, and no one feels the need to check the time.
On the restaurant side, you’ve got familiar heavy hitters like La Table de La Messardière for relaxed buffet dining, Palladio for Italian classics, and Matsuhisa, which brings Nobu’s Japanese-Peruvian menu to the hilltop. Beyond that, there’s garden dining at Jardin Tropezina, pastry-forward indulgence from Cédric Grolet at Château de La Messardière, and a more casual, bakery-style offering at Les Délices du Pan Deï.
So how much will it cost? Rates start from approx. AUD$5,000 per night, with suites, villas, and peak-season bookings climbing up to AUD$30,000 per night.
This helps explain why it works so well as a White Lotus setting. It looks indulgent because it is indulgent. Reports suggest filming will also take place in Paris and elsewhere along the French Riviera, with rumours of a Cannes Film Festival tie-in, but La Messardière feels like the anchor. For most of us, this is a hotel we’ll sadly have to admire from the distance of our living room. For a lucky few, it’s a place to disappear into for a week. Or a place to reset in between those Saint Tropez parties. Either way, it’s exactly the kind of setting The White Lotus thrives on.
Season 4 is set to arrive later this year on HBO Max.
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