Cocoon Maldives

Cocoon Maldives sits on Ookolhufinolhu — a long sandbank island in the Lhaviyani Atoll, held in a wide turquoise lagoon roughly 120 km north of Malé. It bills itself as the first design hotel in the country — the interiors are by LAGO, the Italian studio, and the register reads that way through and through: clean line, light timber, floating beds, rustic wildwood tables. 150 villas in total, three restaurants, two bars — all drawn by the same hand. The atoll holds some of the country's better diving and snorkelling — manta, dolphin, turtle, reef-shark — and the long sandbank takes weddings and sunset cuts beautifully.

Arrival. Roughly 30 minutes by seaplane from Velana International. We time the transfer to your flight, and confirm it in writing with the rest of the stay.

Worth knowing

• Italian register, end-to-end — interiors and furniture are by LAGO, the award-winning Italian studio. The first design hotel in the country.
• A long sandbank island — 7 ha, 600 m long, 100 m wide. The sandbank cut at the north end takes weddings and sunset photographs beautifully.
• Lhaviyani holds some of the country's better dive sites — the Shipyard wrecks, Kuredhoo Express for sharks; mantas, turtles, napoleon fish, and grey reef sharks within reach.
• All-inclusive, three restaurants, two bars — the easiest week to plan around.