In the know
- Our favourite rooms
- All the rooms here – Dhoni Suites, Dhoni Loft Suites, Loft Villas and Villas – are individual at-sea dwellings sited off a snake-like wooden pier, with private sundecks, vintage-style ceiling fans, walk-in showers and roll-top bathtubs. It'll be love at first sight whichever one you choose, but we fell particularly hard for the split-level Dhoni Loft Suites, and the ultra-private one-bedroom Villas, with dining bales and outdoor showers. Try to get Villa 1001 or 1003, as they face away from Cocoa Island and have the best straight-to-snorkelling sea access. The Dhoni Loft Suites all face directly onto the house reef – pick the higher numbers (from 830 down) at the end of the boardwalk for maximum privacy.
- Packing tips
- Footwear other than flip-flops won't leave your bag: you'll be barefoot most of the time and heels will just sink into the sand and between gaps in the decking. Snorkelling and diving kit is available to hire – just don't forget your certification.
- Also
- The Como Shambhala Retreat is beyond good, and offers tempting treatments in its spa suites or in the privacy of your room. The focus is on holistic and Ayurvedic therapy: book in for a 'wellness path' course of treatments.
Current offers
- Smith card offer
- A private meditation session or yoga class for two, and a bottle of champagne
Cocoa Island
Maldives, Indian Ocean[view map]
- Style
- Faraway island fantasy
- Setting
- The bluest lagoon
If Robinson Crusoe had hung out with Kevin McCloud and Giorgio Armani instead of Man Friday, his desert-island dwelling would probably have looked a lot like Cocoa Island: beautifully designed, this resort in the Maldives is the embodiment of understated elegance. Ressembling a collection of Keralan boathouses, the individual over-water villas have soothing white-on-white interiors and teak flooring to create an ambience of laid-back romance. The scuba diving here is terrific, and after an afternoon of reef watching you can soothe away any aches and pains in the world-class Como Shambhala spa…
Need to know
- Rooms
- 33 dhoni-style suites and villas.
- Rates
- In low season, $680–$2,760; in high season, $880–$3,450, including breakfast but excluding 10 per cent service and government tax at $8 a person a night.
- Check-out
- Noon; check-outs up to 6pm are charged at 50 per cent; later, check-outs incur the full room cost. Earliest check-in, 2pm. A guest lounge is available for those leaving late or arriving early.
- Facilities
- Gardens, beach, pool, spa, steam room and hydrotherapy pool, gym, yoga pavillion, watersports centre, dive centre, library, boutique, free WiFi. In rooms: minibar, LCD TV, DVD/CD player, iPod dock, coffee maker.
- Poolside
- You're not exactly short of places to swim here, but if you don't do saltwater, there's a beautiful beachside infinity pool to splash around in.
- Eco-friendly
- Cocoa Island has an comprehensive eco-policy and takes great care of its pristine natural environment and house reef, as well as working closely with local community projects and charities.
- Also
- Smoking is not permitted indoors anywhere.
Food & drink
- Hotel restaurant
- Set in an open-sided wooden pavilion, Ufaa offers a daily-changing menu of fresh-from-the-sea, plucked-from-the-branch goodness, Malabar Coast and Thai-style dishes, as well as a raw-food spa menu and naughtier staples including pizzas and paninis.
- Dress code
- Barefoot and sunkissed.
- Top table
- Get a poolside table or go one step further (literally) and dine on the beach. And dining on your room's private balcony is pretty hard to beat, too.
- Last orders
- For lunch, 2.30pm; for dinner, 10.30pm. At Faru bar, 11pm.
- Room service
- The amazing breakfast menu (fry-ups, cereals, buttermilk pancakes, organic egg-white omelettes…) is available 7am–11am; and from noon till 11pm there are light snacks and full-blown meals on offer (we'll have the tandoor-roasted lobster, please).
- Hotel bar
- Poolside bar Faru spins a mixed-up selection of chilled-out tracks and jazzy sounds. Enjoy while you sup on lethally tasty fruit punches or ginger mojitos.
Other facilities
- Children
- This hotel is better suited to couples - leave the children at home!
- Weddings
- This hotel is suitable for weddings. More info…
Smith card offer
A private meditation session or yoga class for two, and a bottle of champagne
If you're a member of Mr & Mrs Smith, you can get special privileges at every Smith hotel you book through us. Just show your Smith card at check-in to claim the offer featured on every hotel page (like the one above).
Click here to become a Mr & Mrs Smith member
Smith concierge
If you’d prefer to talk to someone, or you’re having trouble booking online, ring our travel team on 0845 034 0700 (+44 20 8987 4312 from outside the UK). We guarantee you’ll get the best available rates, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
Cocoa Island
Makunufushi
South Malé Atoll
Maldives
Indian Ocean