Naples
Florida


The Experience

The Ritz-Carlton Naples is the kind of hotel where no one looks twice when guests in T-shirts and flip-flops stroll over the Oriental rugs and under the crystal chandeliers to grab glasses of lemonade from the lobby. In fact, there’s a good chance that one of the staff will have already poured the drink and have it waiting. That’s exactly what sets the Ritz apart from the other glitzy hotels sharing its pristine (though small) beachfront perch on the Gulf of Mexico: first-rate service minus the fussiness.

The Rooms

Earth-tones with mahogany wood accents feel a little formal at a beach resort, but the views from balconies of the oceanfront rooms remind you this is a place to kick back. Even with the lure of breaking waves outside your door, it can be tough to leave the generous 400-square-feet rooms, especially after their $22-million renovation in 2006. Beds are made up with 400-thread-count Frette sheets and there are 32-inch flat-screen TVs on the wall, but the real star here is the balcony overlooking the water (just be sure to request it, as not all rooms have one). An upgrade to Club level gets you a snazzier bathroom with an additional eight-inch flat-panel TV, plus the usual array of food buffets throughout the day.

The Service

The famously attentive-but-not-intrusive staff is ready and willing to bend over backwards for you. (Lug a highchair poolside so you and your baby can dine alfresco? No problem!) Bartenders seem to effortlessly remember your favorite cocktail, and the front desk staff will even indulge you in a personal tour of the extensive art collection in the lobby if you ask.

The Highlights

As a large resort for both couples and families, expect the usual array of something for everyone, including a kids’ program and a heated family pool. However, even the usual here is fairly exceptional: Golfers, for example, have access to two 18-hole Greg Norman–designed courses at the nearby Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, a quick three-mile tram ride away. Come back for a Swedish massage or Egyptian skin exfoliation treatment at the spa, and sample some of the seven restaurants. Indulge in oysters Rockefeller and Chateaubriand in the dark-paneled environs of The Grill, or sit and sip fruity tropical drinks at Gumbo Limbo, adjacent to the boardwalk where the crowds come every evening to take in the sunsets over the ocean.

--Judy Sutton-Taylor

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