If HBO’s The White Lotus gave you an incurable craving for glamorous getaways, gorgeous scenery, and just the right amount of social satire, you’re not alone. I wasn’t particularly enamored with the hit series’ just-ended third season, but I nevertheless remain a fan of the franchise as a whole; something about watching rich, complicated people spiral in exotic locales just makes for deliciously addictive TV. But having said that — what do we do while waiting for the next season’s chaos to unfold?
Here are three movies that I feel do a good job of scratching that same White Lotus itch, serving up stunning destinations, offbeat characters, and a healthy dose of existential vacation vibes. Pack your imaginary suitcase, because we’re going on a cinematic getaway.
Vibe: Luxe murder mystery with a side of satire
Destination: A private Greek island
If The White Lotus and Clue had a stylish, slightly unhinged lovechild, it would be Glass Onion. Director Rian Johnson’s sequel to the OG Knives Out swaps cozy mansions for a futuristic billionaire’s island paradise, where a group of rich and ridiculous people gathers for a “murder mystery weekend” that quickly turns all too real.
This Netflix blockbuster offers dazzling visuals, razor-sharp wit, and a beachy setting so dreamy it kind of makes you want to Google “how to befriend eccentric tech moguls with yachts.” Like The White Lotus, it’s a glossy, sun-drenched skewering of privilege — only this time with more puzzles and a scene-chewing Benoit Blanc in a linen suit.
Vibe: Whimsical nostalgia meets continental chaos
Destination: A fictional European alpine resort
Wes Anderson’s iconic hotel movie is pure visual poetry. Set in a fictional European republic, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a pastel-colored romp through a luxury mountaintop hotel in its heyday. Think concierge drama, stolen paintings, jailbreaks, and ski-chases, all wrapped in a parfait of symmetry and style.
This Wes Anderson classic is a love letter to old-world charm, lavish interiors, and the kind of hospitality that borders on the obsessive. Like The White Lotus, it reveals the strangeness beneath polished exteriors, and you’ll want to check in immediately. Even if your stay comes with a dash of melancholy.
Vibe: Slow, sun-drenched introspection
Destination: Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles
Not all travel stories are about movement. Sometimes, they’re about being stuck in one place. Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere follows a jaded Hollywood actor (Stephen Dorff) drifting through life in the luxury haze of the Chateau Marmont, until the arrival of his young daughter forces him to reconsider what truly matters.
Like The White Lotus, Somewhere captures that eerie emotional stillness that can descend in the most beautiful places. It’s quiet, moody, and bathed in that late-afternoon California light that makes even ennui look cinematic. Bonus: There’s a Ferrari, room service pancakes, and Elle Fanning being utterly ethereal.
