White Lotus Guests Keep Getting Murdered. How Can the Fictional Hotel Fix This PR Fiasco?

Since the first pop of gunfire in the very first scene of The White Lotus season three, we’ve known that guests and employees would spend at least some of this year’s finale running for their lives. After all, ending each season with a death (or several, in this case) is admittedly Mike White’s White Lotus season finale MO—and this season, the show’s creator raised the body count from one character to five.

But as White begins plotting season four, the White Lotus itself seems to be grappling with a serious problem: guests in this fictional world must be having second thoughts about booking a vacation at this cursed luxury resort chain. Given the high body count, how could anyone possibly still expect a restorative respite at the White Lotus? And how does the fake hotel chain’s apparently genius PR apparatus manage to keep the place booked and blessed?

“Accidental deaths or murders are not ideal PR for any resort, since guests are headed there to relax and get away from it all, not worry about their untimely demise,” says Kelcey Kintner, senior VP of Red Banyan—a crisis PR firm well-versed in these types of situations. A mass shooting like what we just saw, she says, would be a hotel chain’s worst nightmare.

But rare as they are, these types of tragedies really do happen at hotels. After the last season of The White Lotus wrapped, there was a mass murder at an actual luxury hotel in Thailand. Three women and three men of Vietnamese descent—some American citizens—were poisoned by cyanide at the Grand Hyatt Erawan in downtown Bangkok over a meal of stir-fried vegetables, fried rice, and tom yum soup. In a plot that echoes what could’ve been the Raitliff’s fate, the main suspect was a member of the group.

Jessica Bradford, founder and president of 2BPR—a public relations firm that represents the Anantara Resorts (where some scenes from this season’s White Lotus were shot)—has seen it all during her 25-year career. “All sorts of crazy things happen at hotels. I’ve dealt with murders on property, I’ve dealt with virus outbreaks, I’ve dealt with 9/11, and I’ve been through a lot of events that have been widely publicized,” she says one week before season three’s final episode airs. “It’s really important to start before anything begins and have a crisis management plan in place long before any crazy guests arrive.” That plan should involve designating who would take charge of handling guests, who would handle media, and conducting drills to ensure a smooth process in the event of an emergency. “You don’t know what’s going to happen, just as we don’t know what’s going to happen in the season finale. But at least you have a framework prepared,” she says.

Often, a crisis PR specialist like Kintner is called in to help guide the process. “When you’re in the internal weeds, it’s very hard to step back and look at the big picture, especially when you’re panicking in the chaos,” Kintner says. “That can lead to poor initial decisions that can be very hard to undo later on.”

In the immediate aftermath of a tragedy such as the ones that keep plaguing the White Lotus, the communications team needs to understand the full scope of the incident—whether it was an isolated event or a broader, existing threat, or if any underlying security concerns need to be addressed immediately, says Rachel Stromberg, marketing manager at the InterContinental Boston hotel.

Once the crisis has been assessed, the property is secured and any necessary initial safety protocols are implemented to ensure the safety of guests and staff. Then a crisis PR response plan is deployed, putting the internal hotel PR/social media rep, resort legal team, and resort leadership on the same page. Kintner says all communications should be consistent in case of leaks to the press or social media. “Crisis response is very fluid, and you need to be ready to pivot at any time,” says Kintner.

Speculation can spread quickly, so it’s critical to keep updating guests, staff, and local vendors and partners with “transparency, empathy, and speed,” says Kintner, while respecting any ongoing investigations, says Stromberg. “For our guests, a personal touch goes a long way. I’d make sure to proactively reach out, offering reassurance and addressing any concerns head-on.”

After all, if even only one White Lotus guest had a phone, burying the story wouldn’t be an option. But saying too much about the incident at the onset isn’t a great idea either. “False narratives and rumors can gain momentum and quickly become perceived truths,” Kintner says. “It’s key to only communicate with the audiences that need to know, and not amplify a negative story by inadvertently shouting it from the rooftops.”

Small gestures—like an upgrade, a special amenity, or a personalized note—can help ease guest anxieties and reinforce the message that their well-being is a top concern, says Stromberg. Besides, when the dust settles, a killer massage (pardon the pun) from someone like Dom Hetrakul’s Pornchai might help redirect the guests’ attention. “The goal is to maintain trust, keep operations running smoothly, and refocus attention on the exceptional experiences at the (fictional) hotel to ensure no one feels unsafe or uncomfortable,” Stromberg says. “Offering thoughtful and informed recommendations based on a guest’s individual needs will go a long way and make guests feel important and valued.”

Ideally, all of this will eventually restore the resort’s promise of peace and safety, says Stromberg. Sometimes, a crisis can eventually be used as an opportunity to showcase how well a resort handled the situation—as long as the attempt to capitalize on the situation doesn’t happen too soon. “Companies often want to quickly transition to positive PR. But a resort can’t communicate about a frightening life-threatening situation and then quickly pivot to promoting its amazing spa services. It won’t work,” Kintner says.

Fortunately for the White Lotus, stories cycle through our feeds so quickly that even tragedies don’t stay in the spotlight for too long. Ultimately, only the passing of time and clear communication could help an operation like the White Lotus recover, says Bradford, who isn’t surprised that dutiful security staffer Gaitok (played on the series by Tayme Thapthimthong) got the promotion and the girl. “I think that Gaitok did an excellent job. I love him. He has integrity, and he’s brave, and I would feel very secure having Gaitok at any resort that I was staying at,” Bradford says.

In a post-show interview that aired after the credits rolled, Mike White reassured us the hits will keep on coming. “For the fourth season, I want to get a little bit out of the ‘crashing waves against rocks’ vernacular,” he said. “But there’s always room for more murders at The White Lotus hotels.”

And just like the rest of us, the public relations folks we spoke with are still invested. Though if Stromberg worked at the White Lotus, she’d much prefer eavesdropping on Jason Isaacs’s Tim or Michelle Monaghan’s Jaclyn to dealing with bloodshed: “Honestly, either one would’ve been better than any crisis-generated attention!” For what it’s worth, Bradford also thinks season four presents a great opportunity for White to add a vital cast member—a White Lotus public relations and communications rep. As she notes, in what may be an understatement, “They have their work cut out for them!”