The finale episode of The Night Manager on AMC aired this week, wrapping up a series that has been described as a sleek thriller; Tom Hiddleston's audition to replace Daniel Craig as 007; and a fine example of #BrandedContent for international travel. Set in posh hotels in Egypt, Switzerland, Spain, and Turkey, The Night Manager does make you want to browse online travel sites with a bit more energy. And part of the show's appeal is that the shady arms dealers at the heart of it bounce from one sunny lair to the next. If you want to indulge your inner Putin, here are some supervillain-worthy venues that you can book for your next trip. (Or just bookmark for future wanderlust-urbation.)
The Mallorcan Luxury Resort in The Night Manager: In a show filled with gorgeous resorts, perhaps the destination that gets the best treatment is the Spanish island of Mallorca, which has reportedly seen bookings increase by 15 percent since the show aired in Britain in February. Scenes were shot around the island, including on a fortress-like estate that is Spain's most expensive private property. The Hospes Maricel & Spa Hotel on the island's western harbor served as the backdrop for several poolside makeup sessions between Hiddleston's character, Pine, and Jed (Elizabeth Debicki), the girlfriend of billionaire archvillain Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie). Rooms at the spa feature Egyptian-cotton sheets, a complimentary cosmetics kit and cocktail upon check-in, and something called a pillow menu, which I have several questions about. Rates vary, but are roughly around $375 a night.
The Ex Machina House: To create a modernist habitat for billionaire Nathan's remote hideaway (and fembot-production compound), the makers of Ex Machina tapped the Juvet Landscape Hotel in Valldal, Norway. Some of the interior sequences featured the eco-friendly resort, including the dining room, as well as that gorgeous, dewy deck where Nathan (Oscar Isaac) greets Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) after his sweaty, barefoot sparring workout. Know that the hotel is remote, and therefore somewhat expensive to reach. Prices range from $185 to $275 per night.
The Tropical Locale Where James Bond Almost Got Killed: Better known as "James Bond Island," the Thai atoll known locally as Khao Phing Kan has appeared in two of the series' lesser-known installments: 1974's The Man with the Golden Gun, starring Roger Moore, and 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies, with Pierce Brosnan. The island, set in Phang Nga Bay, a national park near Phuket, is no longer accessible to tourists, but you can cruise the area by speedboat, junk, or long-tail boat. The cost runs from $30 to $50.
The Alpine Locale Where James Bond Almost Got Killed: Piz Gloria in the Swiss Alps served as Blofeld's mountaintop headquarters in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. It was here that the head of Spectre hoped to cultivate the downfall of civilization by infecting gorgeous women with a biological agent. A bunch of intense ski chases ensued, and the plot was ultimately foiled, as you might expect. Today, you can stay in a guesthouse on the slopes of the Schilthorn or in the valley below at Interlaken, and take a gondola to the summit of the mountain to dine at the retro rotating restaurant where world domination was once hatched.
