Five Reasons to Take the Whole Family to The Ritz-Carlton, Naples

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples is a luxury retreat on Florida’s Gulf coast for couples in need of a romantic getaway, a group of girlfriends who appreciate fine food and an outrageously awesome spa (51,000 square feet!), and lucky business travelers whose companies have scheduled annual meetings at a five-diamond, five-star hotel. However, after spending three glorious nights at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples last month, I learned how incredibly accommodating it is for families, as well. The venerable Ritz-Carlton brand is certainly not a budget hotel chain, but if you’ve saved your pennies and want to splurge on an a fabulous kid-friendly vacation in Florida, I’d highly recommend a stay at this property. Here’s a peek at what makes The Ritz-Carlton, Naples so great for the whole family.

Baby alligators at the Nature's Wonders sanctuary.

Nature’s Wonders: This is no bland hotel kids’ club. It’s a dynamic, environmentally focused program ideal for children age 5 to 10, in which naturalists, including energetic Ranger Randy, teach young guests about Florida’s flora and fauna. Accredited by the American Camp Association, Nature’s Wonders is the only resort-based program in the country to receive this designation.

Fish tank at Nature's Wonders.

The “base camp” sanctuary is filled with interactive learning stations, including aquariums and touch tanks filled with fish, turtles and even alligators (not in the touch tank). An on-site lab — complete with pint-sized lab coats — allows kids to learn hands-on with microscopes, jarred specimens and skulls. Off-site activities are also cool: “nature detective” walks, beach combing in front of the resort, boat rides, mangrove exploration, scavenger hunts and much more. The fee is a bit steep: $60 for a half-day program, but worth it if you your child is a budding marine biologist.

vue high-tech entertainment lounge -- not only for kids!

Just a few of the video screens at vue.

vue  “Virtual User Experience”: Some parents might put the big kibosh on video games while on vacation — especially at a beach destination, where there’s so much to do outside. But I’m all for compromise on family trips — after all, it’s the kids’ vacation, too. And I know mine would love hanging out in the vue, where kids and adults alike can play all the most popular interactive games via Xbox, Playstation and Wii consoles hooked up to 40-inch LCD televisions. I dig the hip, modern, lime-green decor — plus, the lounge adjacent to the gaming room, where Mom can kick back and watch a DVD, while the kids play in a Wii bowling tournament  next door. Kids ages 8 to 18 pay $10/day to play games at vue, while adults’ entry is complimentary.

Best sunset viewing: from oceanfront Gumbo Limbo restaurant.

Loved the presentation at Bites; that's a box of complimentary Parmesan breadsticks, blue cheese muffins and rye sourdough bread - yum!

Dining options: From the clever bento box lunches at the Poolside Cafe and to fresh sashimi at the Sushi Bar to crab cakes at sunset at the beachfront Gumbo Limbo and the brand-new, small-plate Bites in the Lobby Lounge, I enjoyed some of the best “hotel food” I’ve ever eaten at the different dining venues at The Ritz-Carlton. Truly, every single dish I tried was fresh, flavorful and beautifully presented.

My children would certainly eat many of the tapas-like offerings at Bites, including the curried meatballs in peanut sauce, crispy calamari and buffalo chicken pizza (items range from $3 to $14, and are surprisingly filling portions). The Poolside Cafe also offers kid-pleasing hot dogs, burgers and fries, and a Young Diner’s menu is available at any of the resort’s sit-down eateries, and includes items like grilled chicken breast, peanut butter and jelly, mac n’ cheese, served with a drink and desert for $12.95.

Freshly baked pastries for breakfast at the Club Lounge.

Club Level Rooms: I’ve become a huge fan of club-level accommodations at various resorts, where, for an additional fee, the club level gives you access to food and drink throughout the day and into the evening, plus other perks, like dedicated concierge service. I was fortunate to enjoy a Club Level room (#1242) at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples and made good use of the culinary offerings throughout the day — truly, a highlight of my stay (yes, I ate a lot in my three nights on property).

Comfortable library in the Club Lounge.

For breakfast: ham and gruyere croissants and homemade muesli in a martini glass, plus fine-china coffee service. Mid-day snacks featured gourmet wraps, savory paninis and grilled vegetables. Early evening hors d’oeuvres brought single-serving Caesar salads, Asian beef wontons and spicy tuna tartar, and at 8 p.m. each night the “Chocolates & Cordials” course included utterly delectable desserts. Drinks available all day long included lemonade, ice tea, sodas and sparkling water, and the alcohol — wine, beer, liquor — appeared mid-day (though mimosas in the morning were also on hand).

If you are looking to save money on dining out, booking a room on the club level and taking advantage of the day-long array of food absolutely makes sense, especially since the add-on is just $150/night and covers all who are staying in the room (kids included). If the food offerings sound sophisticated for young palates, bagels, cereal and fresh fruit juice were available at breakfast, and thinly sliced deli meats, bread and fruit were often on hand around lunchtime. I am certain the accommodating Club Lounge attendants would happily find you some peanut butter and jelly for the kiddos, too.

Three miles of white-sand beach in front of The Ritz-Carlton, Naples.

Beach and pools: The Ritz-Carlton, Naples fronts three miles of gorgeous beach — an outdoor playground for building sandcastles and jumping in mild waves. While chaise lounges are complimentary, renting an umbrella costs $25/day; half price in the mid-afternoon. The pools on property include a 25-meter lap pool, a family pool with varying depths and “shelves” for young swimmers, plus a kids’ pool with water spouts and little chairs just for toddlers. For a crazy, over-the-top experience, check out the pricey cabanas next to the lap pool, which rent for $499/day, and include food service for four, snacks, mini-bar drinks, iPod docking station, TV (!) and a dedicated butler. Rock-star service indeed!

Lushly landscaped pool area.

Indeed, the services and amenities at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples are top-notch, and you do pay a pretty penny to enjoy this type of upscale getaway here. One way to save some dollars between Thanksgiving and Christmas: consider the special 25th Anniversary Rates, starting at $225/night for a Coastal View room (some of which have two double beds for families). Even better, for each night between November 28 and December 22, 25 of the 450 guest rooms have been set aside at an even lower rate of $125/night; use code RCNRCNA on the website, or call 800-241-3333.

Big thanks to The Ritz-Carlton, Naples for hosting my stay!