Hotel Escalante- Thanks Patrick
 

Hello All!<BR>Just got back from Naples and wanted to give my 2 cents on this fine boutique hotel! What a find! We paid $170 a night in March and it was great! Champagne on arrival, a GREAT breakfast in the am by the pool, turndown service at night with chocolates! The beds were awesome! We didnt want to leave the room! We only went for one night,and my only complaint is that the standard room we got was pretty small.. if i was staying for more than one night i would have gotten the bigger room! But, what a TREAT! you wont go wrong here! and an awesome location! we walked to 5th for dinner.. I recommend the italian restaurant VErgina!! Wow!!!<BR>Happy travels!<BR>aimee

Good Afternoon, Thank you so much for your message about Hotel Escalante. I will be staying their the first week in April and it is wonderful to hear that you enjoyed it so much. I did get the larger room with the living area. You have been a great help! Thank you, Kris<BR>

Thanks for reporting back. I have recommended this hotel often, but as I only walk by it every day and have never been inside, it is nice to have some good positive feedback. <BR>Oddly enough, I have also commented that the rather new Vergina is not so good. But you are not the first to report that it has gotten much better since my original two experiences soon after opening. <BR><BR>And aimeenorice, that was a super price -- lower than I've ever seen advertised -- for March. Guess it was because of the small room. From May to November though I think you can often get one of the larger rooms for less than that!

not a problem! i'm happy to help fellow travellers/naples lovers!<BR>yes, i booked it at quikbook.com... i would recommend checking the rates on there daily!!! you could come across a realy bargain!<BR>

oops.. forgot to ask you patrick.. maybe you know.. is Annabelle's closed down now?? both times we walked by (once last sunday during the art show)it looks empty in there!<BR>also, dined at Bistro 821... but, felt VERY rushed and didnt like the service.<BR>wanted to try Yabba's...but, it was impossible to get in! <BR>i love naples.. been going since i was 12 with my parents (im now 30). they live in the winter on gulf shore blvd north and love it! but, i love the area around 5th! First Watch for breakfast in my fav!!! I need to come back home just to lose the 5 lbs I gain everytime i go to naples! :)<BR>aimee

Yes, Annabelle's closed and is for sale. That is the funny place that won an award from Esquire magazine for one of the top 100 or 10 or something restaurants in the US -- but won the award the week before it ever opened. Wonder if the fact that the owner was a bigwig in New York had anything to do with the award?<BR><BR>And Bistro 821 is one of those places that has sold and sort of gone downhill. Usually feel very crowded there as well.<BR><BR>Yesterday stopped by Tommy Bahamas at a little after 2:30 in the afternoon thinking we could get a quick lunch -- but there was still a one hour wait! So had a great lunch at Campiello where we were able to get in (actually outside which is sooooo nice in this weather).

Patrick:

My husband and I are coming to Naples this week to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We're staying at Hotel Escalante, mostly based on what we read on these posts and wanting a boutique hotel. Where do you recommend for dinner on our special night? The Ridgway Bar and Grill was suggested but my husband isn't a seafood eater. We want ambiance, but more fun than stuffy. Thanks.

OH, so difficult. For a single night, fun, not stuffy, but great. I'd suggest one of the following:
1)Campiello's on Third Street South -- Tuscan cooking with a contemporary flair. If the weather isn't too hot and humid eat outside. Order anything from the wood ovens.
2) Pazzo on Fifth Avenue South -- contemporary Italian (ask for Doug as a server and tell him Pat suggested it on Fodor's). Good and interesting food. The Gorgonzola encrusted filet is to die for! The tomato, gorgonzola, and onion salad is fantastic. Desserts are great, especially the melting chocolate cake.

By the way, Ridgeway Bar and Grill would not be in the running. You might want to do a lunch at Tommy Bahamas on Third though.

Best wishes for many more!!

We had a wonderful time in Naples. Thanks for all your input, Patrick and aimeemorice. Loved the Hotel Escalante-great service, great suite, great location. We were able to book a standard room for 3 of our 4 nights on jetblue.com but had to book the 4th night at the regular suite rate (due to it being a holiday weekend) and were told we'd have to change rooms. Before our arrival, Janine, the GM, called and upgraded us to a suite for our entire stay at no additional charge and left a lovely note and champagne in our room. Continental breakfasts each morning, USA Today and NY Times left outside our room, fresh lemonade and cookies available in the lobby, and a very accommodating staff made the stay just lovely. The hotel is very pretty and beautifully located for walks on the beach or along 5th Ave. South for shopping and good restaurants. We had wonderful meals at Pazzo and Campiello's; lunch at Tommy Bahamas was more like a theme restaurant and Yabba was just OK.

Glad to help. Gerig, you must be the couple that my friend Doug at Pazzo said came in and mentioned me. And the next night another couple came in that you sent?

Yes, Patrick, that was us. It was nice being able to ask for a certain server because then we got personalized service. We went with your recommendation and had the gargonzola filet and the melting chocolate dessert too. Yum! Dinner at Campiello's was also delicious. They had a good jazz group performing outside on Friday night but we ate inside because it was just too humid. Had dinner at Ridgway on Sat. night, mostly because they had entertainment after 9. The piano player/comedian was very funny, the food was fair.