Club Med Finolhu Villas,The Maldives - strictly for couples

Occupying the island of Gasfinolhu, a 40-minute boat ride from Male international airport, Club Med's latest offering reflects the upscale strategy the resort operator has pursued since 2004. Unlike other Club Meds, which welcome families, this one is for couples only - no kids allowed.

Choose from 52 "overwater" (top) and "beach" villas (below) that line the sunrise and sunset sides of the island. The decor is contemporary, with splashes of dazzling tropical colours. Each villa has a dinky private pool (above) and a semi-outdoor "relaxation room" furnished with a day bed, a shower and a bathtub (large enough for two, of course). The villas can't compete with the natural beauty of their surroundings, however - the Maldivian sand is as pale and soft as sugar, and the water is as clear as gin (precisely the same colour as a bottle of Bombay Sapphire).

Actually, no. The hotel is built from sustainable materials and it's 100 per cent powered by the solar panels that line the roofs of the jetties. Back-up generators will kick in if the sun doesn't shine for three days in a row but here, on the equator, that seems unlikely.

Yes you can! A five-minute speedboat ride away is Club Med's Kani resort, which is bigger, busier and noisier (with hordes of children). Guests at Finolhu can use the facilities here. What the two resorts have in common is excellent service. They're staffed by GOs - Gentils Organisateurs - who are smart, friendly and capable, treat you like a friend and will even join you for dinner, if you invite them to.