Upamanyu Biswas
In Netflix’s ‘The Four Seasons,‘ a group of longtime friends navigate the complexities of marriage, romance, and monogamy as they spend their time together on quarterly vacations. To that end, the show spans a multitude of stunning backdrops that feature across the different seasons – spring, summer, autumn, and winter. During the summer, the group enjoys the sunny beaches of a tourist spot, Eco Resort. The trip stands out because of its tropical vibes, especially as Nick and his new girlfriend, Ginny, plan the holiday itinerary for the group. However, it also poses a few challenges for Danny and Claude, who are unable to handle the suffocating heat in their yurt tents. Therefore, the resort plays a vital role in the narrative, highlighting the summer season’s charm through lavish, sandy beaches.
Eco Resort is Vaguely Rooted in a Real-Life Tourist Destination
While the summer scenes of ‘The Four Seasons’ take place at the Eco Resort, it is a semi-fictional region crafted by the show’s creators, Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield. In reality, the scenes featuring the resort were shot in Puerto Rico, specifically on Luquillo Beach in the town of Luquillo. It stood in for the vast majority of the Eco Resort, offering a genuine look at a tropical paradise and stunning coastline views of people sunning in the outdoors while engaging in a plethora of activities. It is home to diverse marine life, indigenous birds, and lush trees that add verdant hues to the environment. Like the Eco Resort, Luquillo Beach is a bustling tourist attraction, especially with the El Yunque National Forest nearby. Due to its easy accessibility, visitors can take part in hiking, camping, or any type of leisure activity they wish to enjoy during their stay.
Co-creator Tina Fey, who also plays Katherine, stated that she had never been to Puerto Rico before, which made the trip an incredibly entertaining one despite the sweltering heat. The show also incorporates the El Conquistador resort, a real-life hotel situated at 1000 Avenida El Conquistador, Fajardo, Puerto Rico, as part of the summertime episodes. While it may not be a part of the Eco Resort, it adds to the vibrant beauty of the tropical vacation spot where the characters spend their time. In the show, El Conquistador is a stand-in for the El Coronado, a hotel and spa where Danny and Claude run into Anne. It enhances the show’s overall worldbuilding and contrasts the basic living amenities provided at the Eco Resort. Frustrated by their yurt tents, Danny and Claude travel to the El Coronado to escape the beach’s heat.
Narratively, the Eco Resort becomes an integral locale as it introduces some tension between Nick and the other members of the group. After breaking up with Anne, he starts dating a much younger girlfriend named Ginny, who is the brainchild behind the trip’s planning. However, the other group members find it awkward to interact with her, mainly because of the generational difference and their inability to engage in any of the resort’s activities without feeling unathletic. It creates a rift between Nick and the others, leading to some complex issues that are slowly unraveled as the story progresses. Therefore, the resort ends up playing a prominent role in the story, showcasing the generational difference between Ginny and Nick’s friend group.
Read More: The Four Seasons: Is Lucy Flucker Knox a Real Hotel?
