HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, RITZ-CARLTON, NAPLES, FLORIDA

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples is not only celebrating it's 25th Anniversary, but most recently, it was awarded the 2011 AAA Five-Diamond and 2011 Forbes Five-Star designations, both of which the resort has received for 22 consecutive years. The Ritz-Carlton, Naples is the only resort in Florida to have both of these prestigious industry designations, and it’s one of only two resorts in the nation to have received the Five-Diamond and Five-Star awards for as many consecutive years.  It was also voted the number one hotel in Florida by readers of Travel + Leisure in its annual survey "World's Best Hotels: T+L 500" in the January 2010 issue.

The editors of ItimacyTravel.com raise our glass to the Ritz-Carlton, Naples and its vice-president and managing director, Ed Staros, who we had the pleasure of meeting six years ago in 2005 at a most memorable and need we say, intimate celebration of our wedding anniversary.

We remember our magnificent stay as if it were yesterday.  We arrived early to play golf and the staff had our room ready when we arrived.  We had a wonderful room with a view of the Gulf.  In fact all 450 guest rooms, including 35 suites and 70 Ritz-Carlton Club Level rooms and suites, each have a view of the beach and Gulf of Mexico, and all but eleven with private balconies.  There are also two Presidential Suites.  Not only did The Ritz-Carlton honor the reservations we made, they exceeded our expectations.  We stayed at Club level, which was just wonderful -- well worth the extra charge.  Although it was our first stay at the hotel, the staff greeted us by name  and everyone went out of their way to do whatever they could to make our stay as pleasurable as possible.  Whenever you thank a staff member, they respond with "A pleasure" -- elegance to match the ambiance of the hotel.

We had a great experience at the pool.  Make sure to note that there are two heated outdoor pools including a family pool, a junior Olympic lap pool, a whirlpool and a children's pool.  One pool is reserved for adults, so if you're spending your time at the hotel for some relaxation, quiet and/or romance, as you should be if you're on this website, opt for the adult pool.  It is wonderful.  If you are drawn to the ocean and beach, you can see by the picture above that the hotel is situated on three miles of pristine, sandy beach, where you will find comfortable lounges to relax and soak in the sun. 

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples is also blessed with a world-class spa which features more than 30 treatment rooms that combine relaxation and body therapies with wellness and nutrition programs and a complimentary fitness center.  Despite its size, the feeling is intimate.

If you are into golf, you are in luck there as well.  Guest of the hotel have access to the Tiburon Golf club, two 18-hole Greg Norman-designed courses, offering championship golf and instruction at The Rick Smith Golf Academy, located nearby at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

The hotel offers eight dining choices.  Our dinner at "The Grill" and "Artisans" was first-rate.  "Artisans"  has since been transformed into a beautiful, intimate indoor setting, accommodating receptions up to 120 guests, and offering spectacular views of the Gulf of Mexico.  It is the perfect setting for a small ceremony, dinner and/or reception.

Although we have been to some of the best hotels in the world, our stay at the Ritz in Naples was distinctly memorable and we look forward to staying there again.  We discovered during our visit that the hotel was planning to undergo a complete renovation and upgrade, so we will look forward to seeing a great hotel become even better on our next visit.  Speaking of visits . . .

As a “thank you” to the many guests and local Neapolitans who have been a part of The Ritz-Carlton, Naples’ history, the resort will offer special silver-themed room rates, packages and events through April 2011, so you still have a couple of weeks to take advantage of this offer.  You can check availability and detailed information about the hotel on The Ritz-Carlton, Naples website.

Congratulations to the staff and management for upholding their motto: "Legacy of Excellence."