Cheval Blanc Randheli

Cheval Blanc Randheli is the Maldives filtered through a Parisian couture house. Jean-Michel Gathy's architecture favours crisp lines, soaring bamboo-lattice roofs and a signature palette of white, driftwood and canary yellow that photographs like a fashion campaign; commissioned works by contemporary artists punctuate the island. Arrival is by dedicated seaplane, cabin trimmed like a private jet.

Villas are among the atoll's most generous—island or overwater, each with a 12.5-metre lap pool, double-height living pavilions and butler ('majordome') service that runs with fashion-house precision. Where many Maldivian resorts relax into sameness, Randheli sweats details: exact espresso, pressed linens on the loungers, wine lists deep in grand cru burgundies.

Gastronomy is a genuine draw, from refined French tasting menus to Japanese robata and long Mediterranean lunches barefoot on the sand. The spa occupies its own island, reached by boat, where Guerlain-directed treatments unfold in overwater pavilions. Quietly adult in tone though families are welcomed, it suits travellers who want their barefoot paradise cut with metropolitan finesse.