Priest faints during wedding at The White Lotus hotel

2023-07-24

Heatwave hell at The White Lotus hotel: Air-conditioning breaks and priest faints during wedding as super rich guests suffer 46C heat at £2,100-a-night Sicilian resort from HBO series

The air conditioning at the £2,100-a-night San Domenico Palace, Italy, failed
One guest said a priest fainted at his American friend’s wedding ceremony

The Sicilian hotel featured in The White Lotus has been struck by the European heatwave as the air-conditioning broke and a priest fainted during a wedding as super rich guests suffered 46C heat.

As the blistering heat sweeps across Europe, causing terrifying wildfires in Greece and the Swiss Apls and extreme alerts in 23 cities across Italy, not even the coastal town of Taormina has been able to evade the nightmare temperatures.

While many would recognise the lavish San Domenico Palace from HBO series The White Lotus, rich guests staying at the £2,100-a night Four Seasons resort in real life have been subjected to a chaotic experience.

Tyler Peters, an entrepreneur from California who is staying at the hotel for a week for an American friend’s wedding, told The Times: ‘The priest fainted at the end of the wedding ceremony and a family member had to deliver the blessings.’

The 36-year-old, who is saying at the hotel with his partner Olivia Austin, 34, added: ‘We were in a church with zero air-conditioning. An uncle who was also a doctor missed the initial cocktails at the afterparty, he stayed with the priest because he was worried he’d have a heart attack.’

While many would recognise the lavish San Domenico Palace (pictured) from HBO series The White Lotus, rich guests staying at the £2,100-a night Four Seasons resort in real life have been subjected to a chaotic experience

Fortunately, unlike the hit series which starred Jennifer Coolidge, Aubrey Plaza, Theo James and F Murray Abraham, the real life hotel has not suffered any casualties thanks to the efforts of the staff.

Staff members at the hotel, which is housed in a former convent first constructed in the 14th century, have described how these sensational temperatures have caused chefs to faint and be sent home.

The San Domenico, which features an outdoor pool overlooking Mount Etna, was not majorly impacted by a fire at the local Catania airport, caused by a faulty air-conditioning unit. General manager Lorenzo Maravigilia explained that guests have either redirected their trips or arrived by boats, helicopters and sometimes private jets.

Giving an insight into just how it feels to be in Europe right now, Mr Peters says that moving from being served cocktails outside to the air-conditioning inside is ‘like moving from an oven to a refrigerator’.

Also staying at the hotel is Melbourne socialite Sarah Lew and her new husband, the successful restaurateur Chris Lucas.

Also staying at the hotel is Melbourne socialite Sarah Lew (left) and her new husband, the successful restaurateur Chris Lucas (right)

The Australian couple tied the knot in Venice last month and have been honeymooning in Taormina. Mr Lucas described the heat as ‘relentless’ and admitted they even considered leaving but had paid ‘thousands of euros’ for their room.

Mr Lucas and Ms Lew, who was previously married to Steven Lew – son of billionaire retail magnate Solomon Lew – have been coping by simply sitting by the pool and having breakfast until midday.

Ms Lew described that the only thing she has been able to really do is people watch and she has enjoyed getting to know ‘everyone’s storyline’. Her new husband added: ‘All you need now is for somebody to be murdered.’

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