OKTO

Distinctive from the water, you know there is something very different when you step on board OKTO – her grey and black decks are actually made from eco-friendly plastic, so there’s no need to take off your shoes. Fans of high heels will be relieved they can wear their Louboutin’s on board, although you may be inclined to kick them off when you spot the 6m pool on the main deck: this fabulous infinity feature can be filled with salt or freshwater and cooled or heated as desired. This is just one of the very clever engineering solutions on board; forward in the master suite there is a fold-out balcony. These increasingly popular features do have one drawback – they’re not very spontaneous – usually you have to ask the crew to deploy the balcony and they have to bustle about making it safe, erecting stanchions etc. But not on OKTO, one push of a button deploys the balcony – perfect for a late-night or early-morning romantic moment. Exquisite engineering is matched by some show-stopping design: both inside and out the dominant theme is monochrome, with black lacquer and white fabric meeting the darkest stripe-grained woods and palest bleached panels. The cosy, circular sky lounge is the lightest, most natural space; a round rug sits beneath a circular ceiling decal, with a curved sofa and chairs surrounded by buttery-pale panelling. By contrast, the main saloon is fantastically dramatic: black lacquer surrounds windows, tall armchairs are almost sculptural. Gleaming beneath a crazy collection of circles the dining table is paired with bold black and white striped chairs; circular glass doors open out to the deck – with an outdoor saloon of sumptuous black and white sofas beyond. OKTO is topped off by a Jacuzzi close to her jet-black masthead, stylish with black and white checked cushions...