CNTraveller.com

For a guide to the best hotels on the island, see our special feature on Maldives Hotels.

ANGSANA RESORT & SPA MALDIVES LHURU
(00 960 443 502; www.angsana.com). Contemporary four-star hotel with bright, airy, beachside villas. ŁŁ

COCOA ISLAND
(00 960 664 1818; cocoaisland.como.bz/flashintro.asp). Offering just the right combination of pampering luxury and understated elegance, Cocoa Island is nestled amongst the coral atoll of South Malé, only a 40-minute speedboat ride from the capital. Connected to the island by a walkway crossing through a shallow lagoon, rooms are built above water in the style of dhonis, traditional local boats. With dark wooden floorboards, piles of creamy linen, private decks complete with sun-loungers and an infinity view to the sea, the style is cool and uncluttered. Peace and tranquillity reign on Cocoa Island: yoga is offered every evening at the Zen-like pavilion, and the highly-lauded Shambala Retreat offers a wide range of massages and treatments. Snorkelling and diving are almost on your doorstep as the waters in this atoll are so undisturbed. The palm-fringed restaurant offers top-class cuisine, with the Australian chef bringing an eclectic range of Asian influences to bear. An idyllic retreat for stressed-out city souls. ŁŁŁŁŁ

DHONI MIGHILI
North Ari atoll (www.dhonimighili.com). For the ultimate indulgence, visit Dhoni Mighili, a tiny island which houses only six plush beach bungalows (with plunge pools) in total, ensuring you the utmost privacy. Guests are met off the plane by dhoni, a traditional Maldivian wooden sailboat kitted out with the latest luxuries (including a Smeg fridge laden with goodies), and can choose to spend their stay either on board or on land, with their every whim tended by their own thakuru or personal butler. Take the boat out for a private diving or fishing trip, or simply point the crew towards a deserted island, where you can have lunch in absolute isolation, and then return to base watching the sun set with a glass of champagne in hand. The island's hosts, sociable husband-and-wife team David and Jacqueline, are in the bar every evening if you feel like company, but really this resort is geared around getting away from it all. ŁŁŁŁŁ

FOUR SEASONS RESORT LANDAA GIRAAVARU
Baa Atoll, Maldives (www.fourseasons.com/Maldives). With saffron walls, bright-blue doors and polished-concrete bathrooms, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, the brand's second Maldivian property, charts exciting new design directions. The Sri Lankan architect Ismail Murad, a protégé of the legendary Geoffrey Bawa, displays his best work at Blu, the white-washed, sand-floor cafe where the Italian chef produces superb antipasta and razor-thin pizzas topped with the catch-of-the-day. Al Barakath, the Moroccan restaurant, lights up the lagoon each night and guests rave about the aromatic mezzes and cinnamon chicken couscous. The resort offers a choice of rustic-chic beach pavilions with private plunge pools, or more designer-sleek overwater bungalows. There are two infinity- edged swimming pools and children are encouraged to visit the Marine Research Centre, where there are clownfish-breeding and manta ray research programmes. The spa is a decidedly more grown-up affair with overwater treatment rooms and six villas set in the jungle, where traditional herbal treatments, overseen by the Four Seasons' first Ayurvedic doctor, are practiced, as well as tantric massages for two. ŁŁŁŁŁ

FOUR SEASONS RESORT MALDIVES AT KUDA HURAA
Kuda Huraa (00 960 444 888; fax: 443 388; www.fourseasons.com/maldives; email: reservations.maldives@fourseasons.com). Its Beach Villas are individual thatch-roofed cottages with small verandas several yards from the water. The Water Villas, on the other hand, set on stilts over the lagoon, are twice as large, cost twice as much and afford twice the privacy. But the swimming off their patios is either too shallow or too dangerous, and they are a long walk to the restaurant. Unless you plan to spend most of your time in your room, and unless money is really no object, the Beach Villas are better value. The Kuda Huraa is a fail-safe choice, sure to please anyone who is looking to spend a romantic week or two with a loved one, plough through a stack of books or recover from a heavy work schedule. It has a well-equipped dive centre and offers a good range of excursions. ŁŁŁŁŁ

HILTON RESORT AND SPA, RANGALI ISLAND
PO Box 2034 South Ari Atoll MV (00 960 450 629; www.maldives.hilton.com). This Resort and Spa spans two islands joined by a wooden bridge. The main island of Rangalifinolhu is home to 75 Deluxe Beach villas and 25 Beach Villas, surrounded by a white coral sand beach. The neighbouring Rangali island houses 40 Water Villas and eight Deluxe Water Villas, all built on stilts over the ocean. All villas are air-conditioned, have their own sun terraces, ocean-view baths and a range of luxury amenities including CD stereo, espresso machines and mini bar. The resort also has the Over Water Spa managed by Chiva-Som. There are numerous restaurants, and a range of activities, including diving, snorkelling, sailing, tennis and badminton. £££

HUVAFEN FUSHI
(00 960 444 222; www.huvafenfushi.com). Opened in 2005 on the Maldives North Male atoll, and a 45-minute boat transfer from the airport, Huvafen Fushi is small, simple and dressed-down; although expensive. It has 43 rooms, everything is within strolling distance and barefoot is how you are expected to travel. Mindful of the potential for small-resort fatigue, the owners of Huvafen have packed in all the amenities, including a gym and spa. There are six categories of room, some over the ocean, some with their own beach fronts. But here the aesthetic is very urban: there are decorative pieces from modern-design luminaries like Philippe Starck and Bang & Olufsen wall-mounted CD players. If you are a young, urban couple looking for a week of hedonistic bliss, this is the ideal place. It has that Jade Jagger-lifestyle appeal, no dress code, no formality and virtually no one around to cramp your style. The Ocean Pavilions are the size of a loft, with two bedrooms, a dining room, a fibre-optic illuminated swimming pool, an outdoor Jacuzzi and steps down onto your own patch of reef. Huvafen has the biggest wine cellar of any resort in the Maldives (6,000 bottles) and prides itself on wine tastings held with dinner, hosted by the island sommelier. Its Eastern-influenced restaurant Raw serves a fusion of dishes that are healthy and delicious. The spa is set over and under the water and functional, offering a range of therapies, from lymphatic-drainage massage to hot-stone therapy and reiki.

KAM HOTEL
Malé (00 960 320 611; fax: 320 614). This hotel has small modern rooms and a tiny pool. It serves good food in an antiseptic, top-floor air-conditioned restaurant. £

NALADHU
Veligandhu Huraa, South Malé Atoll (00 960 664 1888; fax: 960 664 4188; www.naladhu.com). Barefoot luxury can be an overused phrase, but for the six star Maldivian resort Naladhu, it still applies in its truest sense. Just an hour's boat ride from the capital Malé, Naladhu is a chill-out haven with 19 exclusive colonial style ocean houses. The bungalows each have their own infinity pool, teak sundeck and outdoor bathroom and shower. The resort is the first foray outside Thailand for Anantara resorts, and the Thai influences can be seen in the fabulous spa, impeccable but friendly service and Thai restaurant Baan Huraa. If you prefer to eat alfresco you can have a private meal on the beach or on your veranda. The island is very small and so private, you can practically spend a week without seeing anyone but your personal butler who will ensure your every whim is catered for, from unpacking your cases to arranging trips to a nearby local island or a dolphin cruise. If sunbathing, snorkelling, reading or just spending hours watching the wonderfully colourful local fish, including (harmless) baby sharks which are clearly visible in the clear blue waters, is your idea of luxury, then this is a dream destination. ŁŁŁŁŁ

NASANDHURA PALACE HOTEL
Malé (00 960 323 380; fax: 320 822). Has larger, older rooms and a pleasant garden restaurant serving mediocre food. £

OCEAN REEF CLUB
Gan, Seenu Atoll (00 960 588 019; fax: 588 020). Aside from Malé, Gan provides your best chance to rub shoulders with ordinary Maldivians. The best reason to visit it, however, is the 90-minute Air Maldives flight over dozens of other atolls. Depart during daylight hours and request a window seat. The Ocean Reef Club is the only hotel on Gan. The pool is large, the gardens pleasant, but the food is disappointing. £

ONE&ONLY KANUHURA
Ihayivani Atoll (00 960 23 00 44; fax:960 23 00 33; email: info@oneandonlykanuhura.com.mv; www.oneandonlyresorts.com). When the Kuwaiti royal family sent a scout to check out the Maldives on its behalf, he chose One&Only Kanuhura, managed by Kerzner International (which also owns One&Only Le Touessrok on Mauritius and One &Only Royal Mirage in Dubai, anong others). The selection made sense: Kanuhura is the Maldives' glitziest five-star, with multiple restaurants and bars, extensive childcare facilities and an expanse of interconnected pools traversed by Japanese-style bridges. The dress code for the evening is 'smart-casual', which attracts a high count of suntanned female honeymooners in spaghetti-strap cocktail dresses. As a resort hotel, Kanuhura is smoothly efficient. Even when all the 100 villas (80 on land, 20 over water) are occupied, service remains thorough. Chilled Evian spray is proffered to sunbathers by white-uniformed attendants, and towels are changed with decadent regularity. The marine life in these relatively remote northern atolls is rich, with more than 40 local dive sites, including two wrecks. The One&Only Kanuhura was featured in our special feature on Maldives Hotels. ŁŁ

ONE&ONLY REETHI RAH
(00 960 664 88 00; www.oneandonlyresorts.com). Opened in 2005 on the Maldives North Male atoll, and a 45-minute boat transfer from the airport, Reethi Rah is part of the One&Only group (which includes Le Saint Géran and Le Touessrok on Mauritius). It's big - the largest island in the Maldives, with six kilometres of coastline, and set up to cater for family groups as well as the honeymooners who flock to the Maldives from all over the world. Reethi Rah has 130 villas, spread out over 12 private beaches, on an island bigger than the capital, Malé. Sixty per cent of the island on which Reethi Rah is built is man-made, complete with 15,000 imported coconut trees. The villas are barnlike in scale with vaulted, triple-height ceilings and a minimum living area of 135 square metres. The Water Villas have the biggest 'wow' factor - built out over the ocean on metal stilts, they manage to achieve 99 per cent privacy, so you could even sunbathe naked on your outdoor Roman bed. The ESPA spa is a Zen-like space in landscaped gardens set back from the sea with green lawns, tinkling bells and quiet, thatched pavilions.ŁŁŁ

SONEVA FUSHI RESORT
Kunfunadhoo Island, Baa Atoll (00 96 0 230 304; fax: 230 374). A 'Robinson Crusoe-style' hideaway, by hotelier duo Sonu and Eva Shivdasani, with 25 rooms and 37 villas and suites tucked discreetly into lush, jungle vegetation. The villas are furnished with huge beds, mosquito netting, elegant daybeds, seating areas indoors and out and rustic-chic bathrooms set in individual outdoor huts. There are also two tree houses for children. The resort is designed to have minimal impact on the environment: no trace of rainforest teak, coral or turtle shell decorates the villas. Bottled water is expensive to discourage adding to plastic waste: the desalinated seawater from the tap is safe to drink. Watersports include sensational diving and snorkelling, windsurfing, water skiing, fishing and there are also excursions to nearby islands. The Six Senses spa offers a vast array of relaxing and rejuvenating treatments. Soneva Fushi was voted best overseas leisure hotel in the Readers' Travel Awards 2000. ££££

SONEVA GILI RESORT AND SPA
Lankanfushi Lagoon (00 960 440 304; fax: 440 305; www.six-senses.com; email: sonresa@sonevagili.com.mv). Second Maldives property created by hotelier duo Sonu and Eva Shivdasani with 44 stilted villa suites and residences built over water at Landanfushi lagoon. Each extends from jetties jutting out over the lagoon and has its own rooftop terrace, open-air bathroom and floating sun deck. There are also eight intensely romantic 'Crusoe residences' marooned off the north shore of the island. The spa/gym and bar are also over water. There is also a dive centre and a restaurant serving Asian-European fusion cuisine. To satisfy guests looking for an even more luxurious experience, the hotel has opened 'The Private Reserve', a 1,400-square-metre suite staffed with personal butlers. As featured in The Hot List 2002. £££

TAJ EXOTICA RESORT AND SPA
PO Box 2117 South Male Atoll (00 960 664 22 00; fax: 00 960 664 22 11; www.tajhotels.com; email: roomrsvn@tajexotica.com.mv). This newly renovated resort, re-launched in 2006, ticks all the right boxes for a luxurious grown-up getaway: no children, no gimmicks, stylish rooms, an excellent selection of dining 'experiences' and just the right level of friendly-not-suffocating staff. The small island is 15-minutes by boat from Male, with 62 villas, 2 restaurants, a superb cocktail bar, plenty of water-bound activities and an award-winning spa. Even the cheapest rooms rest on stilts and have marble bathrooms. For the pontoon experience with privacy, book one of 10 deluxe lagoon villas with plunge pool (the beach villas are also beautiful, but exposed to curious passers-by). For the ultimate hit of heaven, book the 2-room Rehendhi Suite, with its vast outside deck, private infinity pool and mini sand 'beach'. Every villa has a plasma TV, 300-thread-count bed linen, air-con, big bathrooms and cleverly quiet overhead fans. Service is smooth and classy, with a cool 'anything you desire' approach. The Jiva Spa is sensational, and worth reading up on before booking: they have an on-site Ayurvedic doctor, offering intense treatments for a lifestyle re-haul, plus dreamy, ritualistic goodies for frazzled souls. ŁŁŁ

W RETREAT & SPA-MALDIVES
Fesdu Island, North Ari Atoll (www.whotels.com/maldives). W Hotels has turned its expertise to exotic hideaways with its first hotel in the Maldives. Located on the private island of Fesdu in the North Ari Atoll, the hotel features 78 exclusive villas divided into 4 categories: Ocean Oasis, Beach Oasis, Seascape Escape, and a two-bedroom Ocean Haven retreat with an infinity-edge plunge pool and panoramic views of the Indian Ocean.All rooms have private pools and sundecks, outdoor tropical showers, spacious indoor living areas and 42 inch plasma televisions. Restaurants include Fish, the bistro-style Kitchen, beach barbecue Fire, the poolside Wet and 15 Below, the region's only subterranean bar with the largest selection of vodka in the Maldives. The aWay spa offers massages, body wraps and facials. There is also a dive centre, 24-hour concierge, a gym and complimentary yoga. ŁŁŁŁ