At the end of our Florida trip, we wanted somewhere to relax and unwind after the theme parks of Orlando before flying home, and Naples turned out to be the perfect destination.
We stayed for four nights at the Naples Grande Beach Resort, a luxury beachfront hotel on Florida’s Gulf Coast. With its white-sand beach, excellent pools, and great location, it’s a fantastic choice for families looking to combine relaxation with plenty to see and do nearby.
Here’s my honest review of the Naples Grande Beach Resort.
First Impressions
We drove down to Naples from Orlando, which took us just over 3 hours to get to the hotel. It’s also a reasonable drive back to Miami airport, where we caught our flight back to London – it took us just under two hours drive – but it is dependent on traffic.
Arriving at the Naples Grande Beach Resort, the first thing that struck us was the sheer scale of the property.
As soon as we pulled into the sweeping drive, we were warmly welcomed to the hotel, parked our car (self parking $20 per night / valet $30 per night) and luggage was whisked away.
Spread across 23 acres of tropical grounds, the resort feels both expansive and lush, with pathways winding through mangroves, grassy lawns, and palm-dotted beautiful gardens. From the moment we pulled up at its impressive entrance, we could tell this was a place designed for both relaxation and activity.
The main building is an 18-story tower, and stepping into the marble lobby feels grand and a little corporate, reflecting the fact that the resort welcomes both leisure travellers and conference groups. The lobby itself is sleek and modern, with cosy furniture, water features, and twin escalators leading to a mezzanine level.
Despite the businesslike atmosphere, the resort still has a strong family appeal. Over Labor Day weekend, there were plenty of activities arranged for children, from poolside games to evening s’mores around the firepits. On our first night, we loved toasting marshmallows under the stars – a simple touch that instantly made us feel on holiday.
Just off the main entrance is a small grab and go coffee shop, a shop, plenty of comfortable seating areas and a stylish restaurant and bar. As you would expect at a hotel of this standard, fruit infused water, complimentary bottled water and newspapers were available in the lobby.
The hotel’s location couldn’t have been better for us. Nestled between mangroves and the Gulf, it’s only a short walk or shuttle ride to Clam Pass Beach, while upscale shopping and dining at Waterside Shops is just a five-minute stroll away. With so much to do both on-site and nearby, it struck the perfect balance between a resort stay and exploring Naples itself.
Check-in
Check-in was smooth and friendly. Despite the resort being busy over the holiday weekend, there were plenty of staff on hand and we were checked in within minutes. Our luggage was quickly taken to our room, and staff explained the layout of the grounds, including the pools, beach shuttle, and dining options.
Rooms at Naples Grande Beach Resort
The resort has a total of 474 rooms, made up of 395 guest rooms, 29 suites, and 50 Garden Villas, which are located next to the main tower.
We stayed in a Signature Gulf View Room on the 18th floor, the very top of the tower, and the views were incredible. We loved everything about our room but the highlight for me was the doors that opened up onto our balcony complete with comfortable chairs.
Overlooking Naples and out over the Gulf of Mexico, this was always a favourite spot of mine to relax and catching the evening sunset. I would definitely suggest booking this type of room to make the most of the incredible views from this hotel.
The room had two queen beds, ideal for a family of four, and was modern, clean, and spacious at around 465 square feet, with plenty of space for luggage after two weeks travelling around Florida.
The bathroom was spacious, featuring a large walk-in shower, a separate bath, and double sinks.
As you would expect from a hotel of this standard, rooms come well-equipped with a mini fridge, ice bucket, iron and ironing board, Keurig coffee maker, and safe. Bottles of water are provided and restocked daily as part of the resort fee, as is the complimentary WiFi. Housekeeping kept everything spotless during our stay, and the beds were extremely comfortable – just what we needed after busy days out and about.
Pools at Naples Grande
The pools are a real highlight here and where we spent most of our time.
The Mangrove Pool is the main family pool and comes with a 100ft twisting waterslide that was a big hit with the girls. It also has a gentle beach-style entry, great for younger children.
Over Labor Day weekend, the resort was busy, but the hotel had organised extra family-friendly activities to keep everyone entertained. Complementary pool towels are available which could be changed if required throughout the day.
For something calmer, I loved the adults-only Palm Terrace Pool, which had a much more relaxing atmosphere with cabanas, calmer poolside service, and a hot tub. The cabanas here are well-equipped, each with two loungers, a dining table, and a fridge – ideal if you want to spend the day in style, but they were expensive to hire.
We also discovered a third option – the Hibiscus Hideaway Lap Pool, tucked away next to the villas. It’s more hidden and perfect if you want a quieter swim. It’s so well hidden we only found out about it when watching the hotel promo reel on the TV.
The Beach
Of course, the real star of the show is the beach at Clam Pass. The resort sits along a wide stretch of white sand, accessed via a three-quarter-mile wooden boardwalk that winds through mangroves filled with native plants, birds, and wildlife. Guests can walk (around 15 minutes) or hop on the complimentary golf buggy shuttle that runs throughout the day.
The beach itself is stunning – powdery sand and warm, calm waters that felt more like a bath than the ocean. The resort has a private section for guests with loungers included, although umbrellas were an additional $19 charge, which felt like something that should really be included in the resort fee.
Beyond relaxing, families will find buckets for sandcastle building and the option to hire paddleboards, kayaks, and other water sports equipment. We spent hours here swimming, relaxing, and simply enjoying the incredible Gulf Coast setting.
Activities and Facilities
One of the nice perks of staying here is the complimentary bicycle hire, which we used to explore the local area one morning.
The resort also has a wide range of wellness and leisure facilities. There’s a full-service spa with 12 treatment rooms, a meditation lounge, saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools, and even a couples’ Spa Villa with a private plunge pool. The fitness centre is impressive too – 8,000 square feet of cardio and strength equipment, open 24/7.
For tennis fans, there are 15 courts on-site, though these are not included in the resort fee. At $80 an hour for a family plus racket rental, we found it quite expensive and skipped it, which was a little disappointing. There were also signs for a golf course which must have been offsite at a separate location.
On our first evening, we loved toasting s’mores over the firepits under the stars, a perfect way to settle into holiday mode. The hotel’s Spressi Coffee Bar sells s’mores kits for $15, along with coffee drinks, pastries, and light snacks.
That said, Naples itself more than made up for any extras we didn’t try. This was our first visit, and it quickly became one of our favourite areas of Florida. Away from the theme parks, the shopping and dining options here are excellent – and far less crowded than Orlando.
Location
The hotel is in a fantastic spot, nestled between the mangroves and the Gulf. Right next door is Waterside Shops, an upmarket shopping and dining centre, which is only a five-minute walk away. If you have a car, like we did, the hotel offers both valet and self-parking.
Within a 15-minute drive, you’ll find even more shopping at places like Coastland Center Mall, as well as big-name retail parks with some of our US favourites that aren’t available in the UK. Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is also just a 10-minute drive away.
Dining
During our stay, we mainly ate lunch at the resort. Over Labor Day weekend there was a pizza oven set up by the pool, serving freshly made pizza which was excellent. The poolside menu also offered family-friendly options such as burgers, fries, and chicken tenders, which went down well with the girls.
There are several restaurants at the hotel, but with so many dining options in Naples itself, we chose to head out each evening. From casual eateries to fine dining, the city has a fantastic food scene, and it’s well worth exploring.
Final Thoughts
The Naples Grande Beach Resort was the perfect way to end our Florida trip. The combination of beautiful rooms, excellent pools, and one of the best beaches we’ve visited in the US makes it a standout choice for families.
Naples itself is a destination we now can’t wait to return to – a more relaxed and refined side of Florida, with outstanding shopping and dining, and all within a couple of hours’ drive from Orlando.
If you’re looking for a Gulf Coast resort that blends family fun with plenty of opportunities to relax, Naples Grande is a great option.
Ready to Book?
Prices at the Naples Grande Beach Resort when booking direct at naplesgrande.com start from around £230 / $290 per night for a Signature Room.
You can also find this hotel with Virgin Holidays and British Airways. As with most resorts in Florida, there is also a daily resort fee of $40 plus tax, which includes benefits such as WiFi, bicycle hire, beach chairs, bottled water in the room, and access to the fitness centre