Got $ 135K and three days to kill? In the Maldives, that will buy you the minimum stay at Coco Privé Kudu Hithi, a private island that is part of the country’s popular Coco resort collection.
The standard Coco Island destinations, Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu and Coco Bodu Hithi, are quite spectacular in themselves, with accommodations ranging from island villas with private pools and beach access to overwater residences with plunge pools. which are larger than your standard New York apartment. But for the ultimate in privacy, celebrity guests like couple Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, comedian Kevin Hart and English soccer star John Terry flock to the collection’s private island, just 35 minutes by boat from the hotel. the country’s international airport in Malé.
Arrival at Coco Privé
For $ 45,000 per night, Coco Privé offers accommodation for up to 10 people spread over a six-room living space that covers most of the 14,000-square-meter island. Do you feel like there is a lot of space for only 10 people? You’re right – the island actually sleeps 18, with a fee of $ 2,500 per night for each additional guest. The island is also home to 25 staff members and a host of amenities, though the entire landmass takes around 10 minutes to get around on foot.
Before any arrival on the island, guests (or often their personal assistants) contact Island Manager Andrew McLaren to ensure that all personal preferences are taken into account, from favorite foods and allergies to any preferences in gym equipment. McLaren comes from a long line of service for some of the world’s most demanding customers: Before taking the helm at Coco Privé, McLaren spent more than a decade as a household manager for a very wealthy Saudi family.
The Villas at Coco Privé
Coco Privé villas are designed by British architect Guz Wilkinson and Singapore-based interior designer Delphine Leon. In planning the development, the owner and visionary of Coco Collection focused on preserving the island’s natural beauty and incorporating lush native flora into the interior design of each villa. That translates to the prominent use of floor-to-ceiling windows and huge sliding glass doors, successful in painting each villa with a wallpaper of palm leaves, frangipani and the turquoise blue sea.
Island rooms, each named after local flora and fauna, range from stand-alone beachside hideaways to the 3,000-square-foot room at Palm Residence, the extravagant master suite that floats above an indoor / outdoor space.
Adjacent to the master, the Starfish and Heron villas open directly onto the island’s 40-meter-long infinity pool, sheltered from the winds (and exposure to paparazzi) from the sandy beach directly opposite. Each of these two villas features outdoor soaking tubs, motorized curtains, iPad controlled electronics, BOSE speakers, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Indian Ocean.
The two are separated by an elegant sunken outdoor living space and by Turtle Villa, the smallest room on the island. The Turtle Villa functions as a sleeping space with Murphy beds for two, or as a multipurpose space where guests can enjoy spa treatments and massages to the rhythm of the island’s waves.
At the rear of the island, the 1,900-square-foot mirror-facing Manta and Gecko villas face the property’s wind-sheltered east coast. Both feature a private and secluded infinity pool adorned with an iridescent tile mosaic and are surrounded by lush island greenery. Each also enjoys access to the private beach, used only by the guests of each villa, busy hermit crabs, sea turtles, and herons. Inside, these villas are a combination of hardwoods and windows, with oversized beds that back double vanities and full open-air bathrooms with outdoor soaking tubs.
But the Palm Residence is the island’s source of resistance: also facing the island’s central infinity pool, the residence’s bedroom sits above the island’s indoor dining room, glass-enclosed wine cellar, café, and cocktail bar. and the interior and exterior rooms. The second floor room literally rules over the island and enjoys uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean – that is, if you look beyond the suite’s private infinity pool and Jacuzzi.
Coco Privé Kitchen
Behind Palm Residence is the island’s kitchen and gym, each almost entirely constructed of glass. In the kitchen, Sri Lankan chef Neel de Privé uses his personal intuition to present a repertoire of fusion dishes catered precisely to the likes and dislikes of each guest. And island meals can be enjoyed in a variety of places, from a white tablecloth dinner on a seaside dining platform to breakfast on the beach under a billowy canvas. The kitchen is open 24 hours.
Breakfast at Kuda Hithi is presented à la carte and according to the whim of each guest’s wild imagination: eggs are nevertheless garnished with a selection of meats, cheeses and vegetables, accompanied by a variety of fresh fruits and pastries. The local Maldivian breakfast is not to be missed, consisting of “mas huni”, chili-wrapped chili, coconut, and curry spices along with fresh roti.
Order a cup of espresso, a freshly squeezed mimosa, or a Bloody Mary (made directly from juiced tomatoes) once and you’ll never have to say the words again – guest preference is observed and carried out for its duration in the island. A request as small as the chili in your scrambled eggs serves as a cue to Chef Neel helping to set up a menu for the rest of the day.
For lunch and dinner, Neel and his team laid out an assortment of endless sharing plates in permutations that won’t repeat once during a normal stay, unless requested of course. From Western classics like cheeseburger sliders, seared seafood and tuna risotto to Thai, Indian and Sri Lankan curries, the spread at Privé stands out as unexpected and perhaps even unparalleled in the region.
Island activities and amenities
These three meals a day bring many guests straight to the island’s gym, where state-of-the-art Technogym machines and equipment share a glass-enclosed space with a ping pong table and steam room. The gym is equipped with BOSE speakers, and a mini-fridge filled with Evian in the form of a glass bottle and facial spray ensures that no guest becomes dehydrated. To train with a more island vibe, venture to the Jungle Gym, a wooden facility in the real jungle of the island, for a dip in the monkey bars and some outdoor push-ups.
Or set your alarm for a sunrise yoga session led by Privé resident yogi Keralan on the island’s coastal shelf.
Coco Prive can help guests to enjoy all the activities the Maldives is known for. The activities available on the island range from sport fishing and snorkeling guided by marine biologists to movie nights on the beach. The island is laid out in the middle of a handful of dive sites (unlimited diving is included in the nightly rate), but even a wading in the waters with a snorkel and a mask reveals a collection of colorful fish, sea turtles, and harmless sharks. They live on the island’s full house reef.
Guests can go out on a traditional wooden dhoni boat for a sunset cruise and even cast a line to take home the catch of the day, which will turn into ceviche or curry, of course. Or take on your fellow castaways in a large format island chess game on the island beachside chessboard, where pawns, rooks and knights are replaced by dhoni boats, traditional huts and herons.
The island’s exceptional and personalized service is demonstrated until the last seconds of any guest’s stay. As the shuttle boat bound for the island’s airport pulls away, the stellar lineup of Coco Privé’s staff moves in unison from the island’s dock until the boat is almost about to drop over the horizon.
(As is common in the travel industry, the writer received some discounted services for review purposes. While he has not influenced this review, TripSavvy.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our Political Ethics)
