Naples Grande Beach Resort

The Naples Grande Beach Resort is an enormous beachfront resort that attracts conference groups as well as vacationing couples and families. It's spread out over 23 acres full of three different types of mangroves and all sorts of native plant, bird, and animal life. The main part of the hotel is housed in an 18-story tower with a marble lobby that feels a bit corporate, owing to modern, streamlined furniture and a twin set of escalators that lead up to a semi-open mezzanine level. The grounds are huge, characterized by a mix of grassy lawns dotted with local shrubbery and palm trees, large bodies of water, and a mix of paved path and wood-slatted walkways that meander through the mangroves. As it's a huge place, shuttles are available for guests who don't want to spend all day walking around.

The Naples Grande Beach Resort is located at the end of a road right by the beach and within a short drive of local cafes, shops, and restaurants. Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a 10-minute drive away, and it's just a few minutes further to the Bear's Paw Country Club and the Estuary at Grey Oaks. The Kensington Golf & Country Club is also a 10-minute drive from the resort. It's about half an hour by car to the Barefoot Beach State Preserve, while Sanibel Island takes just over an hour to access by car. The Southwest Florida International Airport is a 40-minute drive away, while it's just under two hours to reach Fort Lauderdale and its airport. The Miami Airport is two hours and 15 minutes away.

Rooms and most suites at Naples Grande are housed in an 18-story main building. All rooms and suites have chic, modern decor, with a mix of tile and carpeted floors plus gray accent walls, blue bolster cushions and bed runners, and light-wood dressers and desks. Balconies come standard, as do flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, Keurig coffeemakers, safes, and iPod docks. Bathrooms are not particularly striking, with bog-standard granite countertops and regular (non-rainfall) showerheads in the walk-in showers, but they do come with separate tubs and Pure-brand toiletries. Suites have whirlpool tubs in the bathrooms.

Rooms come in a variety of types, differentiated largely by their views. All measure around 465 square feet and have either two queen-size beds or a king. Gulf View Suites are located on the third through 11th floor of the tower and measure around 1,130 square feet (345 square meters). All have separate living rooms, dining areas for four, huge balconies, and king-size beds, plus the option to connect to guest rooms. Signature Gulf Suites are similar in terms of amenities and layout, but they add considerably larger balconies and a bit more floor space. The 2,000-square-foot Grande Suite on the top floor features a dining room with seating for eight, a whirlpool hot tub in the bathroom, a huge living area, and a kitchenette with a fridge, a microwave, and a Keurig coffeemaker. Guests needing more space can connect it to a Signature Gulf View Room with two queen-size beds. The hotel also offers 50 one-bedroom Garden Villa Suites on the property grounds, with views out over the lawns. These measure around 700 square feet and come with all the same amenities as suites in the tower, plus two balconies or patios.

The hotel sits along a three-mile stretch of white-sand beach, which guests can either access via a footpath (it's around a 15-minute walk) or golf cart ride. Loaner bicycles are also available. Along with a beach bar, there are lots of lounge chairs, cabanas, and daybeds, but while loungers are covered by the resort fee, umbrellas are not. There are also buckets for sand-castle building, paddleboards, kayaks, and some other water sports equipment. There are free tours through the mangrove Monday through Saturday mornings in the springtime through the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Self-parking is available on the property for an additional fee in an outdoor lot or in a secure underground parking lot. 

The resort has three swimming pools, including a main Mangrove Pool with beach entry and its own 100-foot-long waterslide. There's also an adult-only Palm Terrace Pool with a whirlpool and private cabanas for rent, each of which has two lounge chairs, a dining table, and a fridge. There's also a lap pool, Hibiscus Hideaway, in the Garden Villa area. While the Mangrove Pool is one of the key draws for families, there is also an excellent arcade with all sorts of video games plus pinball and a foosball table.

Wellness amenities include a lovely spa with 12 treatment rooms, a meditation lounge, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, and rain showers. There's also a Spa Villa with its own whirlpool plunge pool that can be booked for couples' treatments and by groups of friends or wedding parties. Fitness facilities include an 8,000-square-foot fitness center with all sorts of cardio and weight-training equipment, open 24/7. There's also a boardwalk made of recycled milk jugs that leads to the beach that guests can use for short jogs.There are also 15 tennis courts with instruction available, and the resort has its own par-72 championship golf course, which has consistently been rated among the state's best by golf media. Note that it's about a 10-minute drive to the course, and the hotel does not provide transportation.

The resort has a huge array of facilities and amenities aimed at both business travelers and tourists. The meeting facilities are extensive, with over 83,000 square feet of event space, ranging from the snug Seagrape meeting room that seats up to 15 auditorium style clear up to the gigantic Royal Palm Ballroom, with 17-foot ceilings and seating for up to 1,660 guests. A number of outdoor spaces are also available for receptions, including spaces right by the Mangrove and Palm Terrace Pools. There's also a business corner with a couple of iMac desktops, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.

The resort offers an excellent selection of dining options, along with 24-hour room service for those who don't want to leave their rooms. The Catch of the Pelican restaurant features steaks and Floridian seafood, and the kitchen uses lots of produce grown on the property. A happy hour snack and drink menu is also available. The beachfront Rhode's End features Greek-inspired food (think hummus, squid, and calamari), while Aura serves American-style a la carte and buffet breakfasts in the morning and sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and meat-based mains at lunchtime. There's also a pool bar -- Gulf Coast Oasis -- with light food and drinks that can be served right to guests' lounge chairs and cabanas. Spressi Coffee Bar serves, as the name suggests, coffee drinks, along with pastries and snacks. The Lobby Lounge specializes in alcohol and appetizers, with live entertainment during high season. There's also plenty of outdoor seating at the Sunset Veranda, which serves coffee and cocktails plus regular live music and a fire pit during cooler evenings.