Cover Ignite your rom-com main character energy at Anantara Layan Phuket Resort and more resorts where films like ‘Mother of the Bride’ were shot
Ignite your rom-com main character energy at Anantara Layan Phuket Resort and more resorts where films like ‘Mother of the Bride’ were shot
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Ignite your rom-com main character energy at these exquisite resorts where films like ‘Mother of the Bride’ and ‘Resort to Love’ were shot
Have you entered what some might call your Eat, Pray, Love era? In reference to the 2010 romantic comedy of the same name starring Julia Roberts, it revolves around the character of recently divorced Liz Gilbert, who embarks on a globe-trotting adventure across Italy, India and Indonesia to enjoy life and rediscover herself.
Even though the film and the actual memoirs author Elizabeth Gilbert bases on coming out more than a decade ago, the notion of women embarking on solo trips in exotic locations is certainly not a fading trend. With the release of new rom-com hits on Netflix like Mother of the Bride, A Tourist’s Guide to Love and more, we wouldn’t be surprised if tourists go flocking to the balmy destinations featured in these flicks, from island paradises like Langkawi to luxe beach resorts in Mauritius and Queensland.
Here are six resorts for your rom-com bucket list adventure in 2024.
Read more: ‘Queen of Tears’: Discover the filming locations of the explosive K-drama
‘Mother of the Bride’: Anantara Layan Phuket Resort and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas
Above Anantara Layan Phuket Resort
Anantara Layan Phuket Resort
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Netflix’s Mother of the Bride premiered this month, starring Brooke Shields, Miranda Cosgrove and Benjamin Bratt. In the story, Lana’s daughter Emma returns from overseas with news of her impending destination wedding in Thailand, setting off a turn of comedic chaos.
Above Lotus pond at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas
Lotus pond at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas
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The American romantic comedy was shot at Anantara Layan Phuket Resort and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, both known for their lush hillside accommodation and pristine beaches, which were captured beautifully in the film.
‘Resort to Love’: Constance Prince Maurice Mauritius
The 2021 romantic comedy Resort To Love stars Christina Milian, who plays Erica, a singer who reluctantly agrees to take on a singing gig at a luxurious island resort only to find out that she’ll have to sing at her ex-fiancé’s wedding. The show was filmed at the Constance Prince Maurice on the northeast coast of Mauritius, where the story is set.
The five-star Mauritius resort boasts lush tropical gardens and peaceful blue lagoons overlooked by the luxurious beachfront suites. It is also home to Mauritius’ only floating seafood restaurant, located within the resort’s natural fish reserve.
‘Crazy Rich Asians’: Four Seasons Resort Langkawi
It’s no surprise that the Asian-led rom-com that took the world by storm in 2018, Crazy Rich Asians, was set in Singapore, though a big bulk of the filming for the show took place at iconic tourist locations in Malaysia that include Penang’s Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and the St. Regis Kuala Lumpur.
The award-winning Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, nestled in the Unesco World Geopark along the Andaman Sea, was the glittering backdrop of the scene of Araminta’s lavish bachelorette party. The resort, with its breathtaking views and world-class amenities, perfectly captured the opulence of the movie. The resort’s Geo Spa, a serene oasis, is also the location where the main character Rachel and the other guests indulge in a relaxing massage.
‘A Tourist’s Guide to Love’: Hanoi Tirant Hotel
Anyone who has been to Vietnam can spot the most popular landmarks and destinations in the 2023 Rachael Leigh Cook rom-com A Tourist’s Guide to Love. In the show, Cook plays a heartbroken travel executive who goes undercover in Vietnam to learn about the tourism industry and meets local tour guide Sinh.
In addition to filming at stunning Unesco heritage sites like My Son Sanctuary and other unique spots like the Thang Long National Water Puppet Theatre in the capital of Hanoi, a portion of the film was shot at the Tirant Hotel on Gia Ngu Street in the Old Quarter. The rooms here offer beautiful views of the Old Quarter’s skyline as well as luxurious, nostalgic spaces that blend history with modernity.
‘Ticket to Paradise’: Qualia, Hamilton Island
In the 2022 romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise, Julia Roberts and George Clooney play a divorced couple who travel to Bali to sabotage the wedding of their college graduate daughter to a young Balinese farmer. Though filming was set to take place in Indonesia, Covid-19 restrictions saw the cast and crew heading to Hamilton Island in Whitsundays, Australia, among other locations there.
The resort that posed as Batu Karang Resort in the film is actually qualia, a five-star resort situated on the northern-most tip of Hamilton Island, with legendary Australian attractions like Whitehaven Beach and the Great Barrier Reef nearby. Exclusively for guests aged 16 years old or over, qualia offers ultra-spacious pavilions overlooking the Whitsundays with spectacular ocean views.
Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
