After the storm: Como Parrot Cay's remarkable return to form

It takes considerable bad luck to be hit by a hurricane in the Caribbean - so to be battered by two in a season is quite extraordinary. But such was the fate of Como Parrot Cay in Turks & Caicos a year ago this month, when Hurricanes Irma and Maria unleashed their fury on the region.

Even more unusual was the ferocity with which they struck. With wind speeds of up to 155mph, Maria was strong enough to rank as a Category 5 storm. So did Irma; in fact, its wind speeds of 185mph made it the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded.

Fortunately for Como Parrot Cay, bad luck doesn't always come in threes. By sheer good fortune, the private island retreat was closed and under renovation when Irma and Maria came to call.

What's more, both storms lost some of their force after hitting other islands to the south, so the resort took less of a hit than elsewhere in its archipelago. As a result, it sustained far less damage than it might otherwise have, and was quickly able to get back on its feet.

"Both storms hit us on their way from Puerto Rico to the Bahamas," says Kevin Abramowicz, Como's vice president of operations, as we walk around the property one morning. "Luckily, we had had time to prepare and were able to minimise damage. Neighbouring North Caicos island - where many of our staff live - was not so lucky, but once our power and water supplies were back up and running, we could help them recover."

Beyond a few wrecked roofs, the resort's buildings came through the storms essentially unscathed, but the landscaping was flattened and much of the sandy beach washed away. In the end, it took a further six months to complete the renovations.

Now, with trees replanted, the beach greatly replenished and guests again enjoying the resort’s fresh new look and up-to-date facilities, the team is looking forward to celebrating its 20th anniversary this December.

The redesign has ushered in a total overhaul of the 60-odd guestrooms (which range from sea-facing blocks of rooms to free-standing, feet-in-the-sand beachfront villas), leaving them lighter and more elegant than before.Gone are the terracotta roofs, pool-tiled bathrooms and varnished furniture in favour of bleached-wood floors, polished stone, white linen and spacious, walk-in showers.

For an even more exclusive getaway, seven of the 12 private estates are available for rental. Screened by natural vegetation, each comes with butler service and ever-increasing levels of wow-factor depending on price point, which ranges from $7,000 to $36,000 per night.

Wherever guests choose to stay, they’ll find their room’s restful, refined palette is reflected outside, where just four colours dominate: pale wood, pallid stone, verdant greenery and the blues of sea and sky.

Those blues appear all the brighter down at the waterfront Beach Club, whose water sports, kids' club, pool, bar and restaurant make this the resort's daytime hub. The sea here is remarkably shallow and the sandy bottom (with its channels and sand bars) creates an incredible spectacle of turbo-charged, neon shades. Each time I look up from my lounger, the scene looks somewhat different as the colours morph from turquoise to topaz with each passing cloud or shift in the tide.  

It all adds up to a relaxed ambiance for lazy, sun-filled days interrupted by lengthy lunches at Lotus, the Beach Club's newly expanded, Asian-influenced restaurant.

Pad Thai, fish tacos and interesting salads set a tone that's elevated by views of the pool, dunes and sea. The sunsets from here are sublime, and the evening menu of Thai curries and fresh fish grilled over coconut wood tastes all the better for being served beneath a bright, star-lit sky.

Como Parrot Cay's other restaurant, Terrace, is in the resort's main building: a colonial-style plantation house set high on a coral-stone bluff. The Mediterranean cuisine here is excellent (albeit outshone by Lotus), while breakfast comes with invigorating views across the resort to the sea.

The morning menu is an opulent mix of island fruits and healthy options such as quinoa porridge, açai smoothies and a "Green Goddess" of poached eggs and steamed vegetables, alongside bacon, home-made pastries and cinnamon French toast for the less calorie-conscious.

The healthier dishes come courtesy of the Como Shambhala wellness menu that leaves me with no excuses for not coming home in better shape than when I arrived. This easy access to healthy eating is all part of in-house spa brand Como Shambhala's commitment to  wellness, rejuvenation and meaningful connections with nature.

The spa itself is set apart from the resort and offers an "integrated and immersive restorative experience" via massages, acupuncture, anti-ageing, Ayurvedic and other holistic therapies. More than once I find myself hiding away at its secret pool and sundeck with views across mangroves and a tidal lagoon, where the only disturbance is the sound of leaves rustling gently in the breeze.

Adding to the wellness offering is a newly fitted-out gym and a series of trails that wind round the island for contemplative strolling or cycling. I follow them one day and am entertained by scores of lizards, fat as cigars, that reluctantly interrupt their basking to move out of my way.

The resort's mile-long, bone-white beach also lends itself to enjoyable strolling. Much of it remains undeveloped, as indeed does two thirds of the 1,000-acre island. The completely untouched surroundings afford a rarely found sense of space and seclusion that sets a stay at Como Parrot Cay apart.

Even offshore boat traffic is remarkable by its absence, leaving little to distract from the serious business of relaxation. The resort has reemerged from the devastation of last year to offer everything one might possibly need to indulgently disconnect.

Rooms at Como Parrot Cay start from $760 (around £595) per night, B&B. Abercrombie & Kent can package a seven-night stay (including breakfast) with flights and private transfers from £2,711pp

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