The Sun Siyam Hotel

Noonu Atoll, Maldives

Any hotel that requires you to access it by seaplane has an undeniable cachet of cool. Add to that you’re on a private, self-contained atoll and you’ve got dinner party fodder for years to come. There are few resorts either as beautifully finished, well staffed or with as much sense of relaxation as the five-star Maldives resort The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. This is in part because the rooms are all perfectly private – carefully designed so that your space is out of sight of anyone else’s. The resort is also spread out just enough so that you rarely feel your experience is ever infringed upon by another guest. It makes for a sense of idyllic isolation.

Our pick of the accommodation options are the beachside villas. The more expensive water villas are the marquee option – all set on stilts, with glass floors to watch the sharks (these ones don’t bite) and fish. But they’re far smaller, with interiors more akin to a hotel than a Maldivian resort. The villas have soaring conical roofs, up to 130 square metres in size, with outdoor bathroom facilities, Jacuzzi baths and both rain and power showers. All lead to your private track of beach, with a canopied sunlounger area at the end of a manicured garden.

Ten restaurants are available, all offering different grades of cuisine type and styles of dining. Take lunch in the standout Thai, Bamboo, with soups and salads as authentic as if they’d come from Bangkok, a 4.5-hour flight away. Flavours, set on the water’s edge, is the best location for a romantic dinner. French cuisine paired with fine wines and panoramic views.

Many watersports are free to guests, including kayaking, paddle boarding and canoeing. Though one experience not to be missed is ‘flyboarding’ – a James Bond-style water jetpack that sends you 15m into the air. Day trips can also be arranged to nearby islands where many of the hotel’s staff live for a taste of snail-paced Indian Ocean life and authentic customs.

You’ll be surprised by the overall price. Once you’ve got to grips with the flight spend to Malé and then the seaplane, the per-night cost is excellent value. MS. Seven nights’ half-board from £1,589pp, including all flights, thesunsiyam.com