Dabneywm

Hi
My husband and I are in our early 30s and are looking for a 4 night getaway in mid October. We want to relax as our baby will then be 1 and we will be leaving her with my mom. I think we have decided on the Ritz in Naples but have also really considered The Breakers in Palm Beach. We have never been to either place at all.

This is a bit of a splurge trip for us and we are looking for down time, relaxing by pool and beach, somewhat casual good food (doesn't have to be fine dining), a place to have afternoon or evening cocktails but not any kind of loud nightlife...

My question is, does it sound like the Ritz will be a good choice for us? My main concern is its location within Naples. We don't plan to want to have to leave the resort too often and wonder will we have to drive every time we leave? Is anything in walking distance? We are planning to rent a car if we choose Naples due to other posts I have read. But we like to be able to walk to places to eat, etc.
If we do have to drive, that is okay but how far will we have to go and is parking going to be a problem?

Thanks for any help!!

Ike

I have stayed at The Ritz but I have not been to The Breakers. The Ritz Naples is a little north of downtown Naples and kind of secluded. There's a great Ritz golf resort close by but it's not within walking distance. There's nothing within walking distance that I remember. We were in a rental car and went to town several times. I was impressed with the hotel but not the town that much. I enjoyed The Ritz Amelia Island a lot more than the RC Naples. There's a neat town near the RC Amelia Island called Fernandina Beach which has nice shopping restaurants. If I were to decide between RC Naples and TB I would go to The Breakers. You will find a lot of shopping and dining in the immediate area.

poss

I live in Bonita Springs, the town just north of Naples. There are many quite good restaurants within walking distance of the Naples Ritz. If you enjoy Japanese, e.g., there's a good restaurant virtually across the street from the hotel. There's also a not-bad Persian restaurant and French restaurant. And there's a very upscale shopping center about a mile away--with many good restaurants. The contiguous neighborhood (Pelican Bay) is beautiful, with lots of walking and biking trails.
If you enjoy long beach walks, the walk south from the hotel will take you past some pretty amazing beach houses (part of Pelican Bay); also some high rise condos-- but very handsome ones.
I've never been to the Breakers, but I remember enjoying our one trip to Palm Beach. East Coast will be even more crowded than the Gulf coast, by the way.
Another consideration: I don't know how impt waves are to you. The one thing that I regret abt living on the west coast of Florida (which otherwise I like better than the east coast) is that there're no waves. I love to body surf, so I really enjoy Atlantic Ocean beaches. The Gulf is very calm-- more like a lake than an ocean.
I'll try to remember to check back to see if i can answer any other questions. Good luck with your decision; I imagine you'll enjoy either choice very much.

Dabneywm

Thanks so much to both of you. I keep wavering back and forth. That is great info on the nearby restaurants and shopping. Just having that option would make me feel better in case we start to become overwhelmed at the prices of food at the resort. I was just looking into these costs at The Breakers and wonder if anyone knows if the prices at the Ritz are as high? Prices aren't listed on the Ritz menus. I assume they are?

Also, does anyone know anything about a shuttle from the Ritz to the downtown area. In looking at previous posts it seems that someone mentioned one.

Thanks again for your help!

NeoPatrick

poss, are you seriously suggesting that people would walk (with a baby, no less) all the way to the Pavillion shopping center from the Ritz to eat at the "Persian" and other restaurants? Da Rum Ma (is that it?) is, as you say walking distance, and also the little very casual Buzz's Lighthouse (for grouper ruebens on the outdoor deck), or also the Turtle Club.

I see a Ritz shuttle all the time in downtown Naples, but I'm not sure what the deal is -- if it is mainly for groups like conventions, or if they run a regular schedule. That's worth checking out.
One thought. I'm not sure how you're planning to get from the airport to the Ritz -- but a four day rental car will probably cost you considerably less than just the round trip shuttle would. Now if parking isn't too expensive at the Ritz, having a car might be the best solution. Since you're talking about the "off" season, you might call and even try to negotiate a free parking "package".

poochie

Dabneywm,
You might want to look into the Marco Island Hilton. Very nice hotel, right on the beach. A variety shops and restaurants within
walking distance of the hotel. There is construction going on next door, so make sure you request a "Non Construction View".

poss

As I read OP's post, there's no baby. I think I'll not check back-- just not worth it.

hills27

FYI, the Breakers doesn't have much of a beach, especially at high tide. And Palm Beach can get very rough. The Ritz in Naples has a great beach, and the water is typically very calm.

hills27

And parking in and around Naples shouldn't be a problem in October.