On the eve of an explosive White Lotus season 3 finale, I was blissfully meditating beachside in Hawaii. Not to brag, but I kinda felt like I was cosplaying as a White Lotus guest at Sensei Lanai, a super chic Four Seasons wellness-based resort tucked away on the small island of Lanai (a quick thirty-minute flight from Honolulu, more on this below).
The resort's philosophy, aptly named "the Sensei Way," focuses on three key pillars: move, nourish, and rest. Luckily for you (see the photos below), I wasn't met with a "digital detox pouch" for my phone when I arrived on the island but I did take 1:1 wellness courses, yoga classes, and a slew of daily spa treatments that certainly made me feel like an honorary White Lotus guest. But what are these wellness retreats actually like for a normal person? Let me break it all down before you go booking yourself a wellness retreat to heal your broken heart after that last episode (RIP [redacted]).
Quick Facts: Sensei Lanai
- Vibes: Minimalist and zen with tropical touches
- Best time to go: Spring (April to June) or early fall (September to November)
- Rates: Starting at $1,096 per night
- What's included: Fitness classes on property, private travel via Lanai Air to the property
- What's not included: All spa services, 1:1 coaching, and off-site activities like golf, adventure park, horseback riding, and more
Getting There
While White Lotus go-ers seem to always arrive via private boat (I have been to a lot of hotels in my life and have never once arrived by boat, so...), I arrived to Sensei Lanai via a teeny-tiny jet. I took a non-stop flight from JFK to Honolulu airport where I was ushered into a sleek Escalade that transported me to a private airstrip and terminal for Lanai Air. I showed the attendant my ID, and legit everything was taken care of for me. My bags were handled as I stepped into an air-conditioned cozy room to order snacks and drinks while I waited for my flight (I opted for a hibiscus tea and a bag of delicious Hawaiian chips, if you're curious).
Shortly after, I hopped on a tiny plane with only 10 seats for a 30-minute ride to Lanai. Lanai is a small island (only 3,000 residents call it home), so the six other people on my flight were all going to my hotel or the Four Seasons Lanai, the sister property on the beach that's more suited for families. It was a zero-stress travel situation, starting my trip off on the right foot for sure.
The Property
Everything about this place is set up to feel zen as hell. The aesthetic is minimal and beige, making you feel calm and at ease from the second you step foot on the property.
As you walk around from your room to the pool to the main building (where you'll find your spa concierge, Nobu by Sensei, check-in and out, a game room, and some of your 1:1 sessions, like mindfulness and sleep), you'll notice all of the stepping stones are irregular and misshapen. This is on purpose—a way to inject a little more mindfulness into your walk around the property, forcing you to pay close attention to where you're walking instead of scrolling through your phone. I noticed I was so much more present, catching all the small areas I could relax with a book or explore further that I totally wouldn't have if I was buried in my texts.
Everyone here is also super friendly, which made my Midwestern heart sing. As I walked out of my room in the mornings to grab breakfast, everyone would say "good morning" to each other. At the large (and very beautiful, I'll add) pool with a gazillion comfy lounge chairs, people asked me if I liked the mocktail I ordered, how long I was staying, where I came in from, etc. I could totally see how someone would end up on a stranger's yacht á la seasons two and three of The White Lotus.
But if you don't feel like small talking with strangers, don't worry–many people also kept to themselves too. You could easily avoid most human contact here if that was your vibe.
The Room
A really lovely hotel room on a trip like this is a double-edged sword. Like, no, I don't really wanna spend all my time in my room when I've got the highlands of Lanai right outside. But it's sooo nice! The accommodations are incredibly minimal and chic, really adding to the zen vibes. I was in a Keole room with a super comfy king bed that made me sleep like a frickin' baby, even amidst serious jet lag. The room received so much natural light that really turned it into an oasis in the mornings when the sun was rising. I had a lil patio that took me along a path straight to the pool too, where I spent a lot of time.
The Spa & Services
At Sensei, there's not a big building with a bunch of small rooms where you receive your spa services. Instead, you're assigned a spa hale: a private hut that features a steam shower, infrared sauna, onsen bath, Japanese soaking tub, a private mini pool, an outdoor shower, chic bathroom, and treatment beds. With each service, you get 30 minutes of private hale time to just enjoy yourself, or you can actually book hale time on its own if you just wanna vibe in there. That's my one regret from my trip: Not booking a full one-hour in the hale to really enjoy the space.
But! I did get to go twice for two different services. I legit test spa services and facials for a living (I've basically been to every facialist in New York City). But the best part about Sensei, and any wellness retreat for that matter, is the ability to really delve into new techniques native to that culture. Case in point: My very first aquatic bodywork session, during which a practitioner holds your body underwater from your private pool and guides you through stretches, massage, and shiatsu.
I've never tried anything like it. It wasn't relaxing, per se, but it was supremely eye-opening. You seriously have to calm your body down and relax, relinquishing control to your practitioner while they move your body for you. Me? Lose control? Ha! I never realized how difficult it would be to just melt. He asked me to relax my hips a few times, and I audibly spoke up once to say I genuinely don't know how. Do you know how to relax your hips??? I'm convinced my hips don't do that! I felt soothed after but in a totally different way than a traditional massage.
Granted, I still opted to receive a custom massage too. I was tight as hell after an 11-hour flight, and my masseuse got in there and rubbed out legit every knot and kink in my neck and back. Beforehand, she asked me a comprehensive list of questions to figure out what exactly I was looking for, what kind of pressure I liked, and where my areas of concern were. I can only imagine Belinda is this thorough. I also got to choose the scent of the massage oil to further customize the treatment. I went with a sandalwood-based scent that was so calming. I finished my treatment and immediately veged out in the onsen bath before a quick infrared sauna sesh followed by an outdoor shower.
The Wellness Activities
Sensei really believes in micro-personalized wellness, so my journey was mine from the start. Before I left, I worked with a Sensei Guide on what my goals for the trip were to decipher what activities would be the best for me. First, I was paired with a mindset guide for a one-on-one coaching session (there's also nutrition, sleep, meditation, and fitness, btw). It's not therapy, necessarily, but an hour to figure out what some of my mental roadblocks were and what I could do in my daily life to make things easier. One of the biggest takeaways from Lydia? Single-tasking. Let's just say, I'm a work in progress there, but I've cut down to two screens max at any given time, so that's a win.
Randomly, one of my favorite activities of my entire trip was a one-hour archery course. It was fully private (although you could potentially have someone else with you, but generally, these groups are extremely small), giving me ample time with my instructor to seriously learn the form, figure out how to improve, and get good at my ~craft~. I was so locked in the entire hour that I wasn't thinking at all about emails or the usual things that bog my brain down. I left the session with a sore bicep and a Google search for the nearest archery range in Brooklyn.
There are also a ton of hikes and walks between the property and deeper into the highlands. I chose to hike the Koloiki Ridge trailhead, roughly five miles from start to finish. I was with a mix of other Sensei guests (hi to the brother and sister duo from Austin who were definitely not giving creepy White Lotus siblings) as we lightly chatted through the hike, but most of it was spent meditating and basking in the quiet. Our guide told us all about biophilia, the connection and love we feel toward nature, as we explored our surroundings. A real forest bathing moment, for sure. But as we reached the top, we got a stunning view of the tippy-top of Molokai and Maui and the crashing waves against Lanai.
And if you're not so adventurous, you can totally get your fitness in on the property. Saxon types will love the chic gym filled with Pelotons, rowers, a weight rack, many machines, and more. I popped over there for a workout one morning and wished my gym at home was this chic. But if you're more of a Laurie/Jaclyn/Kate, like myself, sign up for classes. I took a stretching/mobility class my final morning to prepare for the brutal flight home, and I felt seriously good afterward. The yoga pavilion and deck are also gorgeous and got me to get up super early for a class, which should tell you how beautiful it is (and the class rivaled all of my go-to yoga studios too).
The Food
Wait, I saved some of the best for last. The main restaurant at Sensei is Nobu by Sensei. Yup, that Nobu. The menu is slightly modified, featuring a more well-rounded and healthy array of dishes, plus some of the most popular from Nobu (including the yellowtail jalapeno that I'm obsessed with). I had dinner here two nights and both times I left satiated, but never overstuffed. Plus, the cocktail list is so good and expansive. I chose mocktails for most of my stay since alcohol really affects my sleep (omg, I'm old), but they had such complex flavor pairings that I didn't really miss the booze.
There's also the Garden Bar to grab breakfast and lunch if you're not feeling Nobu, which features tacos, delicious salads, avocado toast, sandwiches, burgers—you name it. I am still dreaming about the tropical salad with mandarin oranges and mango that I ordered by the pool on my last day. So freakin' fresh.
Final verdict:
As the guests arrive in season three, hotel manager Fabian tells them, "At the end of the week, you will be an entirely different person." And although I didn't quite have the White Lotus Thailand experience (and, uh, thank god for that), I definitely left Sensei feeling like a completely renewed version of myself, inside and out. Of course don't expect your life to be all sunshine and rainbows the second you step foot in your apartment again. No matter how many ranch walks and meditation courses and Lomilomi massages I book, I, unfortunately, can only do so much healing in so little time. But I left with an idea of what I could implement at home to get some of that relaxed, slow-living feeling back in New York City. And that was damn good enough for me to feel like it was worth it.
I do have some ideas for a whole new cast of characters for White Lotus season four based on my experience. We absolutely need to see a journalist covering the property, a couple on a babymoon, and a polycule of lesbian retirees (Lily Tomlin, you were made for this). Call me if you need some advice on the journalist character arc, Mike White.
Pack these for our wellness retreat (trust, they're Chelsea-approved):
Gooseberry Intimates One Piece Gold
Celandine The Malika Gauze Maxi Dress by Celandine
Vacation Orange Gelée SPF 30 Gel
!["tell me lies" season 2 premiere red carpet](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/grace-van-patten-and-jackson-white-at-the-season-2-premiere-news-photo-1755623233.pjpeg?crop=0.668xw:1.00xh;0.167xw,0&resize=360:* ""Tell Me Lies" Season 2 Premiere - Red Carpet")
