The White Lotus, Without the Drama
We watched The White Lotus last year, like many people, half-laughing, half-cringing. Stunning places, uncomfortable silences, people slowly unraveling in paradise.
One small scene stuck with us: the hotel asking guests to hand over their phones at check-in.
It was a great idea… delivered with all the tension of a thriller. Phones locked away like secrets. Everyone suspicious. Cue drama.
We liked the idea. So we borrowed it. But we did it the La Folie way—quietly, gently, and with a smile.
A Soft Invitation
We’d been toying with the idea of a digital detox for a while. Not a big rule, not a moral campaign. Just a little suggestion: What if, for a few days, you didn’t have to wonder whether you should check your phone?
Not “should I?” Not “just one message.” What if the decision was made the moment you arrived, because you chose to let go?
So we added a small option to our website: a Digital Detox, inspired by that now-famous series. No announcements, no fine print. Just a choice, there if you want it.
And Someone Did
This season, our first guest said yes.
They smiled, handed over their phone, and we tucked it away. We switched off the Wi-Fi in their room. No speeches. No rituals. Just peace.
In return, they got a complimentary spa treatment, herbal teas, yoga, slow meals, and the rare luxury of uninterrupted time.
There was no tension. Only relief.
The Joy of Not Being Reachable
Something shifted. Their mornings got longer. Evenings softer. Conversations stretched out. Silence felt natural.
Of course, if anything urgent had come up, we would have made sure they got the message. But nothing did. And so, for a few days, they simply lived—without notifications, without scrolling.
The river helped. The island helped. Everything around them made it easy to slow down.
We Like to Start Small
Years ago, we quietly launched our first yoga retreats. One here, one there. Now they’re part of our rhythm.
This feels the same.
Maybe this guest was the first to choose our White Lotus–style detox. Maybe others will follow. We won’t be shouting about it. But we’ll keep offering it.
Because sometimes, letting go of something small opens up something unexpectedly lovely.
If It’s Your Turn
We don’t expect everyone to hand over their phones. But if you’re feeling the itch, the burnout, the low buzz of always being available, we’re here.
Not to help you escape.
Just to help you pause, breathe, and re-enter your day differently.
We’ll be around, as always.
The Wi-Fi switch is right there. Or not. Up to you.
