My husband and I are planning to be in Naples the 2nd week of March. Any suggestions for a hotel on or else very nearby to the beach?

Lots of luck at this late date, I doubt if there is much of anything especially on the beach. Do you want to be right in Naples, or north a few miles, like Vanderbilt or Bonita, where your chances are greater? I posted recently the advice to try the new Escalante Resort in the "heart" of Olde Naples at 5th Ave. S. and 3rd. St. S., two blocks to the beach and within the area of all the chic shops and trendy restaurants. It's a brand newly redone complex of rooms and suites in a tropical garden setting. They have a toll free number, and a web site that you should be able to find by a general search of the web.

The Ritz Carlton is a beautiful hotel in Naples located directly on the beach.

Note, the Ritz Carlton is not exactly in Naples, but at Vanderbilt Beach about ten miles north of "downtown" Naples. It is, as Paul says, a beautiful hotel. I just called and was surprised that they still have some limited availability for the week of March 11, from $499 (the least expensive) to $699.
Normally I thought March and April were sold out well before Christmas. My the US economy must be even worse than I thought!

If the Ritz interests you, check out the Registry as well. The hotel is separated from the beach by a mangrove jungle. It has a boardwalk to the beach that you can go by foot or shuttle. We like the villas. Each cluster has its own pool and feels less hotel-ish. It's also south of town, therefore, it's a trek to restaurants, etc.

I think the Escalante sounds interesting. It would be an attractive choice since it's in the heart of the 3rd St. shopping district. That area offers many dining choices as well and will keep you off the roads, which are very congested this time of year.

The Staybridge Suites Naples, Florida is a nice hotel to consider. It is located only about one mile away from the Gulf of Mexico and I personally think it offers a great value. The hotel has a breakfast every morning as well as a light evening meal on select days. In addition, all of the rooms are two room suites or you can just get a studio if you want. Also, the rooms have a full size kithen, which makes it easy to make meals or store food for example.

I hope this is of some help!

Check out www.flausa.com. You should be able to get some info, although it is kinda late to be making reservations. We have had pretty good luck at the La Playa Resort, which is just north of Naples.