LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort

The property

LaPlaya Beach and Golf Resort sits on Gulf Shore Drive at the northern end of Naples, a beachfront position roughly fifteen minutes from Tiburon Golf Club. Noble House Hotels manages 189 rooms here, which puts you on a noticeably smaller footprint than the Ritz-Carlton or Naples Grande nearby. The reduced scale shows up in the service, which leans personal rather than institutional.

What to expect

Four lagoon-style pools anchor the grounds, designed to read as tropical garden rather than chain-resort pool deck. Beach butler service is included on the Gulf-side sand, and the full-service spa rounds out the non-golf amenity set. The property has its own Bob Cupp course, but treat it as a complement to the beach and spa, not the reason you came. Tiburon Golf Club is the more likely anchor for a serious golf itinerary, and the fifteen-minute drive sits within the range that early tee times can absorb. Lely Resort's Flamingo Island and Mustang courses are also within a reasonable radius. With 189 rooms the property suits couples and smaller groups better than large parties; dining options on-site are more limited than at the 700-room competitors, but the kitchen quality is strong and the northern Naples location opens up Vanderbilt Beach Road and the wider city restaurant scene.

Rates and booking

$150 to $300 in low season, $250 to $450 at peak. That places the property between the five-star Gulf resorts and the branded chain hotels on Tamiami Trail. For golfers who want beachfront accommodation at a more personal scale, LaPlaya is one of the more specific options on the Florida west coast.