Sunshine supernova

Until recently, the style conscious jetted to Barbados for the festive season and the Sandy Lane hotel was a see-and-be-seen haven for the Burberry-bikini brigade. But now, perhaps because of the influx of soap stars and the likes of Chris Evans and Billie Piper, Barbados is definitely B-list. The smart money is now on, and in, the Maldives, the new Mecca for the discerning.

Far from prostrating themselves in front of the paparazzi, the Lear Jet set are retreating to the necklace of tiny atolls strung through the Indian ocean south-west of Sri Lanka. It was the most stylish place to see in the new year - Stefano Gabbana, half of the fashion empire, propped up the bar at the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa resort, while Bryan Adams picked out Auld Lang Syne on the piano. Gwyneth Paltrow and her boyfriend, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, will be flying there after attending Stella McCartney's wedding.

When I flew into the capital, Male, last week, and was waiting at the Four Seasons meeting point, I couldn't resist peeking at a clipboard on the desk. There was a list of arrivals from the day before with comments such as "very demanding" next to an American woman's name. The best comments, though, were the instructions for dealing with Stefano Gabbana, described as "a very famous fashion designer". The notes read: "Total privacy. Will only swim in private lagoon. Do not address as Dolce. Gabbana only. No bills to be presented. Only white flowers in room. Must create the 'wow' factor."

They are very big on the wow factor in the Maldives, which hardly seems necessary when the natural archipelago of coral reefs, pashmina-soft sand and Tiffany-blue sea is jaw droppingly beautiful. Nevertheless, on Christmas Day, at the hip new Angsana Resort and Spa - the funky younger sister of the Banyan Tree - they lowered a fully decorated tree complete with waterproof presents on to the ocean floor for Yuletide scuba divers. As I was checking out the Banyan Tree, a Saudi princess was leaving. Her entourage had taken more than 13 beach villas for two weeks. At well over £1,244 a night each, that's a tab that can only be picked up by royalty, whether real or fashion (supermodels Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks have both stayed there recently).

No wonder Christina Ong, the billionaire owner of London's Metropolitan hotel, is opening her latest venture, a new resort called Cocoa Island, on 26 January. Accommodation is based on a string of Maldivian boats or "dhoni" suites tethered to the beach. Bruce Willis, Barbra Streisand, Donna Karan and Matt Damon have already booked. Mrs Ong's other baby is a new 129ft yacht, the Island Explorer, just launched at Kuda Huraa (she owns that island, too). Billed as a "mini floating dive resort" with 11 state rooms and a staff of 19, it was taken over by "a top Hollywood couple" for New Year's Eve. A single suite can cost £4,000 a night.

The magic was put into the Maldives eight years ago by Old Etonian and ¸ber-rich Indian Sonu Shivdasani, who bought an island for his Swedish wife, Eva, a former model. They soon opened the Soneva Fushi Resort - frequented by Paul McCartney and Ruby Wax, and winner of Harpers & Queen's Best Beach Hideaway award - and their latest hotel, Soneva Gili, has just been named Hotel of the Year by Tatler for its achingly perfect luxury.

What makes the Maldives a must for celebrities seeking privacy is the fact that all the hotels are on their own islands, so hoi polloi are kept away by walkie talkie wielding jetty staff. Island hopping is by James Bond-style speedboat or seaplane. Silent snorkelling is de rigueur (jet skis are banned) but Botoxed beauties beware: the wrinkle treatment and snorkelling don't mix. The suction from the mask leaves conspicuous ridges on your forehead for days.

There is no point bringing your Jimmy Choos, either: restaurant floors are sand, and over-dressing is frowned upon (well, by those who haven't had Botox, anyway).

Spiritual (the Maldives are predominantly Muslim) yet utterly sybaritic, the Asian influenced spas are big business. At the Four Seasons, the spa is on its own private island, with glass-bottomed sections for tropical fish gazing. After a sunrise session of aqua yoga with Indian yoga master Rishu at the infinity pool - the largest in the Maldives - I managed to refrain from yelling at a certain berobed fashion designer as he padded by: "Ahoy there, Dolce! How's Gabbana?"