COMO Cocoa Island

"Christina Ong’s hotels—the Turks and Caicos’s Parrot Cay, Bangkok’s Metropolitan—are all about detail, and Cocoa Island is no exception, from the reconditioned Vietnamese fans in the bar and restaurant to the signature bathroom products made by Baldwins, the renowned British herbalist. The 33 freestanding accommodations resemble a phalanx of dhonis (traditional Maldivian fishing boats), but the interiors are best described as New England beach hut meets National Geographic, with tongue-and-groove white walls and ethnic floor cushions. Blindingly white bathrooms have been accessorized with Indian sandstone backsplashes. The pool isn’t especially large, but when a hotel is located in the giant, turtle-filled, dolphin-friendly infinity pool that is the Indian Ocean, what does it matter? Often hotel spas can feel like an afterthought, but Cocoa’s Shambhala Retreat, like the one at Parrot Cay, is a dominant force, with regular yoga workshops, meditation, and a panoply of treatments. The food—a fusion of Indian and Pacific Rim—manages to be both healthy and indulgent. Note: A full renovation was completed in January 2020."