The Ritz-Carlton, Naples Feels Like a Relaxed Country Club — and Every Room Has a Gulf Coast View
"This decades-old Gulf-front resort feels more like a lively, relaxed country club than a formal hotel: families swarm the renovated, spiraling family pool while attendants hand out fries and daiquiris, the game lawn hosts cornhole and kids’ workshops, and pop-up treats (made-to-order guacamole carts, carnival-style popcorn) keep the mood festive. A $100‑million post‑Hurricane Ian overhaul—by Cooper Carry and Parker Torres Design—added the 14‑story Vanderbilt Tower and refreshed the Italianate original into a cohesive, airy coastal aesthetic. There are 474 rooms (smallest about 434 sq ft) with balconies, marble baths and upscale touches like grasscloth headboards and Diptyque amenities; about 150 suites or queen rooms include bathtubs if you want one. The Vanderbilt Tower includes 70 club‑floor suites with access to a 4,000‑sq‑ft club offering dedicated service, four daily buffet presentations, complimentary Champagne tastings and a cookie bar. Dining options span eight outlets—from a formal steakhouse and sleek sushi bar to the toes‑in‑the‑sand Gumbo Limbo on stilts (famous for its daily 1,500 sweet‑and‑savory coconut shrimp) and the lighter Mediterranean newcomer Sofra, where shareable plates like hummus with onion crisps, heirloom tomato salad with barrel‑aged feta, grilled sea bream and vegetarian manti stand out. Water is central: multiple pools (family, adults‑only with in‑water loungers, and a lap pool), rentable air‑conditioned island‑named bungalows with butler service, a 51,000‑sq‑ft spa with 32 treatment rooms (Sea Holistic massage uses herbal poultices and a local salt scrub), a 24‑hour fitness center with trainers, and a shuttle to a neighboring property for golf and family water recreation. The property is ADA friendly (59 compliant rooms and accessible dining) and sits directly on the Gulf of Mexico, a short drive from Fifth Avenue South, Waterside Shops and the Naples Botanical Garden; it’s also part of AmEx Fine Hotels & Resorts and Virtuoso for added booking value." - Jacqui Gifford Jacqui Gifford As the editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisure, Jacqui Gifford is always on the next plane. She constantly scouts for new hotels, shops, and restaurants to give readers the latest news and trends, and frequently appears as an expert guest on television networks, including NBC, CBS, ABC, CNBC, and MSNBC. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
