In truth, Hyatt have been fortunate to take over a new and almost unused resort built by Alila. It was planned, designed and constructed to be as ecologically sensitive as it is reasonable to be. In respect of this, the resort received the Green Globe ‘Building, Planning and Design Standard’ certification. The first and only in the country. The standards are based on the Agenda 21 principles for Sustainable Development endorsed at the UN Rio Earth Summit.

You can dispense with the idea that something worthy must be dull, or if it’s eco-friendly it’s probably uncomfortable. This place exudes Park Hyatt’s reputation for luxury and expensive taste. At the same time it has lost something of the cosy, down-to-earth minimalistic feel of the original resort.

Sited in the middle of Huvadhoo Atoll, the largest and deepest atoll in the country, Hadahaa is small, round and verdant, surrounded by one of the finest, softest beaches in the country and a stunning housereef. Then nothing. The nearest inhabited island is 10 kilometres away. Far away from artificial light sources, the stars are wonderful to behold in the night sky. And so close to the equator, you can see stars from both hemispheres. No plane or boat breaks the absolute quiet.

The most remarkable thing about the resort is just how grand the public spaces are. Without building above the line of the coconut palms, there is a mezzanine floor and a rooftop that give you views and sensations that you simply don’t get on other resorts.

As an introduction to these magnificent spaces, the reception welcomes you off the jetty to sit under an extraordinary roof. It is, in fact, a real upturned dhoni hull, built on-site by craftsmen from the boatbuilding capital of the country.

The private room spaces, on the other hand, are compact. Small but perfectly formed, in a luxurious contemporary style with rustic touches. And with sightlines right through the rooms to give you a continual connection between inside and outside. The 2 glass walls can be drawn away to enhance this natural living feel, under the fan.

There are 14 Aqua Villas and 36 Island Villas, 20 of which come with a private pool. As an example of the resort’s green modus operandi all building work on the jetty and the Aqua Villas was carried out during extreme low tide only, to minimise silt disturbance. This would, amongst other things, give the housereef the best chance of staying pristine.

Similarly, when the resort was designed, priority was given to the environment rather than the siting of the buildings. They had to shift the rooms rather than the trees. The Aqua Villa jetty was reset 3 times to avoid damaging resident corals.

The dive centre is a key attraction for some guests here. The huge atoll offers a range of diving topography that few others can match. And the marine life is as abundant and varied here as anywhere in the country, if not more so. Sightings have included blue marlin, giant groupers, moray eels, manta and eagle rays, and many species of shark such as leopard, blacktip reef and giant hammerheads.

The Mandarin spa will be a highlight for other guests. It encompasses an extensive area hidden away in the middle of the island, where you can spend as much time as you like around the pool. The therapists are all Balinese and the experience is heavenly.

The holiday experience here is essentially about couples and privacy. There are few shared experiences and it will take a little time for Park Hyatt to make the most of their truly extraordinary global location. It certainly has the personnel, experience and will to do just that.