In August I was invited to come visit the newly renovated Ritz Carlton Golf Resort in Naples. Funny enough, I ended up arriving at the Ritz Carlton Resort in Naples, only to find I was at the wrong resort.

After an awkward 10 minute drive, I arrived at the right hotel and was pleasantly greeted by friendly staff and ambiance. But aside from a quick stay, my real reason for visiting was the recently updated pool, complete with a lazy river and slides suitable for kids and adults.

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This was my very first experience at a Ritz Carlton property and I was absolutely impressed with the service and details of the hotel.

This hotel stay gets a 9.5/10 in my book.

Registration

Upon arriving at the hotel, you will wind up a windy road and approach an open and airy lobby. The area was definitely well spaced out to ensure social distancing.

The front desk agent was excellent at explaining every feature of the hotel, including the shuttle to the other Ritz Carlton hotel which was beachfront, which I found to be a great bonus. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to use it as my trip was busy working and enjoying the pool.

Once she explained the list of benefits, I proceeded to the room and was extremely impressed with the resort view suite.

Resort View Suite

The Resort View Suite is a multipurpose room and can be a great getaway for a solo traveler like me. The room is 750 square feet, equipped with an entrance, a powder room, a large living room with a bed, two large balconies, a huge dressing room, a comfortable King bed, a a separate shower and bathtub. This room was a pleasure to stay in.

Discover the room here.

But my favorite part of the room was the incredible view from the two balconies, overlooking the pool and the golf course.

My only “complaint” is that I wish there was a desk more suitable for me, rather than a dining table. But overall I was extremely comfortable in the room. And the hotel staff was kind enough to bring me strawberries and champagne to the room!

The hotel

The hotel itself was exceptional. Equipped with two golf courses, a full-service spa, and four tennis courts, you’re sure not to be bored.

But what really piqued my interest was the expansive swimming pool, which was recently installed and opened to hotel guests. Titled “The Reservoir”, the experience is perfect for any occasion. With a large patio, lazy river, multiple waterslides, and poolside service, you can easily hang out here all day.

Spent the day inside a cabana and had fantastic service including a variety of fruits, complimentary SunBum sunscreen and a comfy couch to watch college football all day .

And just because my pictures don’t do the hotel pool justice, here’s how vast the hotel pool really is.

And yes, I took a while to try the slides and they are even fun for adults too.

And finally, the swimming pool also includes a large paddling pool perfect for the little ones.

To eat

Ria

As part of the stay, the hotel was kind enough to pay for dinner at Ria, but as a Mexican food fanatic, I knew I had to try this restaurant. And although far from Mexico, the chef did a fantastic job. I ordered street tacos and had their homemade margaritas which were to die for. And with a view like this overlooking the golf course, you can’t do better.

Lemon

For an indoor dining experience, I wanted to try the Lemonia restaurant for breakfast and was extremely impressed. I kept it simple with a traditional American breakfast of pancakes, bacon, toast, and coffee. And with my free copy of The Wall Street Journal delivered to my door that morning, it was a delightful start to the day.

Final Thoughts

Naples is a great place to vacation, especially for active adults and families who want to be outdoors. Located just 2 hours west of Miami on the west coast of the Sunshine State, Naples also offers exceptional beaches, excellent restaurants and is only 8 miles from the Naples airport.

Editor’s Note: Hotel accommodation was offered at a discount in exchange for an honest review.