Naples Bay Resort & Marina

Eighty-five waterfront rooms and suites on Naples Bay, with a private marina at the property and a ten-minute walk to Fifth Avenue South. Naples Bay Resort is the Naples option that sits on the water — most of Naples' luxury hotels are beachfront on the Gulf side; this one is on the bay side, with marina access and the city's restaurant district within walking distance.

The pitch is the marina and the location: bay-side dock for boating, walking distance to downtown's restaurant strip, full-service hotel scale without the resort sprawl that defines some of Naples' beachfront properties.

The setting

Naples sits on Florida's southwest coast, two hours west of Miami across Alligator Alley, an hour south of Fort Myers. The Naples beaches are on the Gulf side; downtown Naples (Fifth Avenue South, Third Street South) is a few blocks inland; Naples Bay is on the inland side, where the rivers meet the Gulf of Mexico.

Naples Bay Resort sits at the south end of downtown, on the bay. Fifth Avenue South's restaurant strip is a ten-minute walk. The Naples Pier and the Gulf beaches are fifteen minutes by car or fifteen minutes by hotel shuttle. Marco Island is thirty minutes south.

The building

A new-build resort completed in the 2000s — a series of low-rise buildings around the marina and pool deck. Materials are stucco and clapboard, with painted-trim accents and the kind of refined-Americana coastal palette that Naples's downtown leans into. Public spaces include multiple pool decks, a marina, several restaurant venues, and a spa.

The aesthetic is restrained Florida coastal — not the white-stucco minimalism of Alys Beach, but not the Mediterranean kitsch of older Naples resorts either.

The rooms

Eighty-five rooms and suites across the resort's buildings. Categories range from compact king rooms to larger one- and two-bedroom suites with kitchens — many of the units operate condo-style. Most have bay or marina views; some have garden views. Bathrooms are well-considered. Balconies on the bay-view side are the desirable orientation.

Rates from $425 in shoulder; peak winter (December–April) climbs.

Food & drink

There are several on-site dining options including the bay-side waterfront restaurant. Open to non-guests with reservations. Beyond the property, Fifth Avenue South's restaurant scene is a ten-minute walk — Sea Salt, Campiello, Bar Tulia, Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro, plus a long list of casual options.

On the property

The marina is the differentiator — slips for guests with boats, fishing-charter access, and bay water-sports launches. There are multiple pools, a small spa with treatment rooms, a fitness center, and a kids' splash area. The hotel runs a beach shuttle to the Gulf-side public beaches.

• Multiple pools, marina with boat slips
• On-site spa with treatment rooms
• Several restaurant venues
• Beach shuttle to Gulf beaches
• Open year-round

Who it's for

• Travelers who want a downtown Naples address with marina amenities
• Boaters bringing or chartering vessels
• Couples and families who want a real resort but at a less-sprawling scale than the beachfront giants
• Long-stay winter travelers using a kitchen-equipped suite

Who it's not for

• Travelers who must be beachfront on the Gulf — the resort is on the bay, not the beach
• Anyone wanting a small intimate inn
• Budget travelers in peak winter

Nearby

Fifth Avenue South's restaurant and shopping district is a ten-minute walk. The Naples Pier and the Gulf beaches are fifteen minutes by car. The Naples Botanical Garden is fifteen minutes south. Marco Island and Tigertail Beach are thirty minutes south. The Everglades' Marsh Trail and Fakahatchee Strand are forty-five minutes east. The Naples Zoo is fifteen minutes north.