Located on the Westernmost border of the Maldives in the pristine Haa Dhaalu Atoll, an area so remote that the nearest land mass is the Somalian coast, Soneva Secret has been 30 years in the making, and heralds a new chapter in personalised hospitality. Soneva Secret is the vision of sustainable luxury hotel pioneers Sonu Shivdasani and his wife Eva, the pair of founders behind Soneva Resorts, and is the crowning jewel in their already iconic portfolio of Maldivian properties including Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani. Their retreats continue to attract conscious travellers with their castaway style villas, relaxed vibes and sustainable approach to “barefoot luxury”.

While Soneva Secret’s more secluded, unspoilt location guarantees crowd-free, abundant sightings of the marine big five – including dolphins, turtles, manta rays and the occasional sperm whale if you’re lucky – it is much more exclusive and smaller than its predecessors. The resort has only 14 beach and overwater villas (three are only accessible by electric boat), including what will soon become the Maldives’ first floating villa.

The luxe Robinson Crusoe style open-plan overwater villas seamlessly blend the indoors and outdoors, and are made from FSC certified wood and finished with mosaic-style roofs composed of leftover scraps. The warm, earthy interiors are expansive – they start at 4,800 sq ft – and feature elegant and sustainable design details while the amenities scream stealth wealth. Guests can enjoy an additional en suite bedroom, fully equipped pantry and kitchen, private freshwater pool, multiple outdoor dining areas, upstairs spa treatment room and a customisable in-villa gym boasting state-of-the-art equipment.

Also at your beck and call is a team of 14 dedicated chefs (that’s a ratio of one per villa) who specialise in a range of cuisines including Nordic, Japanese, Chinese, Sri Lankan, Vietnamese, Indian, Thai and South American. They will whip up your dream meal that can be enjoyed anywhere in the resort, be it on the villa sundeck or floating pontoon. Every small detail is covered, down to the tablescapes and playlists, so guests feel fully immersed in their own culinary adventure.

Soneva fans will be happy to know that Soneva Secret still boasts those coveted luxuries that have made the brand iconic in the first place: a cutting-edge wellness programme that will soon include stem cell treatments; curved slides and retractable roofs in every villa; and the complimentary, around-the-clock cheese, charcuterie, chocolate and ice cream rooms (sugar-free and plant-based ice cream is available, so you can justify more than one scoop).

With so much to do, see and experience, I can only hope that the resort stays a best kept secret for a little while longer.