Inside Siri Sala: One of the Resorts in The White Lotus

(SPOT.ph) We're nearing the end of The White Lotus's third season, and while everyone has their minds on who bites the dust come finale time (could it be a Ratliff?), we still couldn't get over one particular detail in the penultimate episode. It shows up in the story arc that involves the character of Rick (Walton Goggins) who—spoiler alert!—has finally made his way into the home of The White Lotus Thailand's owners, Sritala (Patravadi Mejudhon) and Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn). As a stunned Rick deals with some serious should-I-kill-him-should-I-not dilemma, Mike White makes it all happen in a gorgeous backdrop: a luxurious home along the Chao Phraya River. 

The White Lotus' Hollinger drama unfolds in the couple's Bangkok residence, a traditional-meets-modern villa called Siri Sala. And wouldn't you know it, this privately owned property in real life has a special connection with Filipino fans of the HBO series: Siri Sala is owned by a Filipina and her Thai husband. 

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Check out Siri Sala, a Bangkok riverside villa featured in The White Lotus:

Siri Sala is owned by Irma and Kirati Thepsoparn. Irma met her Thai husband during her time in university and, after getting married, the two decided to settle in the bustling city center of Bangkok. A few years later, during a boat ride, they spotted a dilapidated traditional Thai stilt home with a "for sale" sign. Even with the obvious wear and tear, its original Thai architecture remained. For the couple, it was love at first sight.

"I’ve always loved old things, and when I found this property by the river, I knew I wanted to preserve its history,” Irma tells SPOT.ph of the traditional wooden family home that's had different owners over the decades. When Irma first saw it, it was clear it has seen better days. While being nestled just above one of the city's most important waterways is one of its most striking features, it's also its biggest problem. The river has been rising, which results in constant flooding in the surrounding area. And if Manila's floods have taught us anything, flooding is not good for very old houses. 

When the Thepsoparns bought the property, they knew they needed to renovate it, but they didn't expect the work to be so extensive. Siri Sala today is largely a new structure. The original home was too far gone, they had to tear down most of it and bring in modern measures to ensure its sustainability. Not wanting to lose what she considered the "essence of the property," Irma and Kirati made it a point to incorporate parts of the old houses into the new structures. 

Siri Sala's reincarnation as a luxe private villa

At the time, many traditional houses in Thailand were being replaced by modern, high-rise buildings, and while islands like Phuket and Samui still had a lot of traditional Thai villages, Bangkok almost had none left.

"It's not like I had a dream of having a resort my whole life. It's more like I saw these beautiful old houses getting torn down, and I felt Bangkok needed at least one [to remain standing]," says Irma.

Irma and Kirati saw the glaring gap in the market, and they decided to fill it. If they save the property and restore it, visitors no longer need to head out to the islands for a taste of traditional Thai architecture. After deciding the property should be open to the public, the Thepsoparns rolled up their sleeves and went to work.

Siri Sala opened in 2022, on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic. The private riverside villa is decked out in modern necessities and creature comforts. The 1,600-square-meter property features three separate Thai houses joined together by a common courtyard. Renting the six-bedroom luxe villa includes access to the 20-meter saltwater pool and the gardens.

The interiors of Siri Sala are a mix of tropical and modern. Each piece of furniture brings an air of refinement to the boutique property, incorporating wood, vibrant colors and natural elements one would associate with a property in Thailand.

Irma points out that The White Lotus team ended up using some pieces of furniture from the property— instead of using their elaborate prepared sets— for key scenes shot in Siri Sala. "Keep an eye out for the Kenneth Cobonpue sofa set they used in the patio scenes. That's ours!" Irma proudly says.

As seen in the episode, the main houses are laid out with an open design, allowing the breeze to travel through many common areas, ensuring a cool temperature even without air conditioning. This layout also creates a lot of open spaces where guests can gather and enjoy the surrounding areas together. But make no mistake: each room in the property offers respite and privacy for those seeking alone time.

If you look closely, you'll spot remnants of the original structure repurposed into doors, door knobs, chairs, window fixtures, and other elements in the renovated homes. Small touches, yes, but they're Irma and Kirati's way of paying homage to the traditional Thai houses that were here before.

And that's not all they did to preserve and keep the spirit of traditional Thai architecture alive. There's also an on-site heritage house, or Ruen Deum, right behind the main villa. 

While small, especially compared to the grand primary structures, the Ruen Deum is made mostly from wooden panels and materials carefully disassembled from the original houses of Siri Sala's past. It's essentially a time machine that takes you back to the Thai stilt houses of a time long gone. With the help of craftsmen from the area, it's now a near perfect recreation of the original structure.

For The White Lotus fans, this is the spot in Siri Sala you'd want to spend time in the most; after all, this is where the scene between Jim Hollinger (Glenn) and Rick (Goggins) takes place. It's the "den" where the two men have their confrontation. 

For the most part, almost everything you see as the whole Hollinger drama unravels is authentically Siri Sala. Sure, there are a few touches of Hollywood magic here and there, but there's no denying the property is a gem in itself.

What's next for Siri Sala?

This is hardly the first time Siri Sala had its time in the spotlight. Before this, Siri Sala also played host to a top-rated K-drama, King of the Land, starring Im Yoon-ah and Lee Jun-Ho. But The White Lotus, of course, is in a league of its own. 

It's a known fact that resorts that play host to The White Lotus experience The White Lotus effect. In a report by the BBC, it is said that the two previous filming locations for the show suddenly experienced an uptick in reservations. For the Four Seasons San Domenico Palace in Taormina, Sicily, where season two was filmed, this meant being booked out for six months after resuming operations post-filming, while the  Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Hawaii, from season 1, said it saw a 425% increase year on year in website visits and 386% increase in availability checks.

It's safe to say that things are looking great for Irma and Kirati. But while waiting for The White Lotus effect to kick in, the Thepsoparns are maximizing their property by renting it out not only as a vacation villa but also for media and private events—they actually hosted a viewing party of Episode 7 with members of the Thai media.

Here's hoping they become IRL versions of resort moguls Sritala and Jim Hollinger—sans all the high-stakes, life-threatening drama, of course. 

How much is a stay at Siri Sala:

Stays at Siri Sala require renting the entire six-bedroom villa, and prices start from 144,000 baht, excluding taxes (roughly P241,000). While the price may seem steep, Siri Sala stays are full-service stays that accommodate up to 12 persons at a time, around two people for every room. But aside from accommodating a relatively large group, every stay includes:

• Daily breakfast
• Half Board Dining (lunch or dinner) for every full day of stay
• Airport transfers
• Dedicated car or van service with driver for 10 hours for every full day of stay
• Daily housekeeping
• Daily laundry (non-dry cleaning)
• One Thai cultural activity per stay. Activities include flower folding or morning alms and massage, a boat tour with a guide, or a cooking class (for stays of three nights or more)

All in all, it's not bad. What did you expect from a villa fit for the White Lotus crowd?

Siri Sala is at 28/8 Soi Charan Sanitwong 34 Arun Amarin Bangkok Noi Bangkok, Thailand. The property is roughly 45 minutes away from Suvarnabhumi International Airport. For more information, visit Siri Sala's website

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