Parrot Cay

Play the superstar at this picture-perfect island resort with its celebrity clientele and excellent service

First things first: this place is expensive. In fact, it’s really expensive. But if you’re going to blow your budget out of the aquamarine water, this has to be the way to go. Powdery white sand, a champagne welcome and one of the world’s best spas - it looks like hotelier Christina Ong has created another cracker with Parrot Cay. No surprise then that the guests are a veritable Who’s Who of A-listers, Kate Moss, Donna Karan and Julia Roberts amongst them. So what do they flock here for? Answer: the peace, privacy and pamper factor. There’s very little to do except kick back and rejuvenate, which is why it’s also a honeymoon hotspot.

Minimalist in design, with Balinese teak furniture, immaculate white linens, terracotta floors and loads of windows, the interiors scream understated class. The service is said to be excellent, the organic food sublime. You can be totally private and your only real concerns will be SPF15 or SPF20? Lobster for dinner or 5-spiced sea bass? If you're going to splurge on a trip of a lifetime, then this is a serious candidate for your cash.

Highs

• A gloriously beautiful natural setting, and the resort has been carefully designed to blend in
• The COMO cocktail of East meets West: Balinese furniture and Asian-inspired spa treatments mixed with all the mod cons and Dr Perricone treatments
• Fabulous for families, with unobtrusive yet amazingly attentive nannies
• Beautiful pared-down accommodation, ranging from spacious rooms to elaborate butlered villas and estates
• The resort is spread out over 1,000 acres, so it feels very private and secluded, even at full occupancy
• Wonderfully secluded: the resort is set on a private island and is only accessible by boat

Lows

• The little extras add up and the price of a bottle of beer or water is well above average, so if over-the-odds prices stress you out, stay away
• The emphasis is on healthy food and some of the choices are quite eclectic
• Bugs can be a problem, as with anywhere in the Caribbean
• Some say the snorkelling is disappointing, but the diving is said to be fab so consider doing your PADI here