RITZ-CARLTON The Ritz-Carlton, Naples
Our 2026 review of The Ritz-Carlton, Naples gives the resort an overall score of 2.1/10, ranking it #368 of 417 luxury hotels we track. While the post-renovation rooms (4.5/10) and beachfront setting deliver flashes of the brand's legacy, service consistency (1.9/10) and ambiance (1.2/10) fall well short of the $809–$5,779 nightly rate. Here's whether the Ritz-Carlton Naples is worth it, how it compares to its Tiburón sister property, and when to book.
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples occupies a curious position in the luxury Florida landscape: a grande dame that has been reborn, repeatedly, through cycles of renovation, hurricane recovery, and corporate evolution under Marriott's stewardship. Set on a handsome stretch of Vanderbilt Beach north of Old Naples — a twenty-minute drive from Fifth Avenue's boutiques and galleries — this is a 450-plus-room resort that wants to be all things to affluent travelers: beach retreat, family compound, wedding venue, conference hotel, and spa destination. That ambition is both its greatest strength and its most persistent vulnerability.
The property's identity has shifted meaningfully since its comprehensive post-Hurricane Ian restoration. The rooms, public spaces, and restaurants are genuinely handsome now — lighter, more contemporary, with a Floridian coastal polish that feels current rather than dated. The lobby is impressive, the grounds meticulously kept, and the beach itself, with its powder-soft sand and legendary sunsets, remains one of the finest hotel beaches on the Gulf Coast. Yet the defining essence here is not the kind of hushed, cosseting exclusivity you'd find at, say, the Ritz-Carlton Bacara or a Rosewood beachfront property. This is luxury at scale.
The competitive picture is shifting. For years the Ritz had this caliber of the Naples market largely to itself, which perhaps explains some complacency that has crept in. With the Four Seasons Naples now on the horizon, the property will face its first genuine peer pressure in decades — and the question of whether service and consistency can rise to meet it becomes urgent.
Families and multigenerational groups who want a self-contained Gulf Coast resort with a genuinely good beach, multiple pools, and plentiful activities; Club Level guests willing to pay the premium for the best service experience the property offers; travelers attending weddings or conferences on-site; and repeat Ritz-Carlton loyalists who have learned the property's rhythms and know which rooms, restaurants, and staff members to seek out. Shoulder-season visitors get the best value and the least crowding.
You want a quiet, adults-oriented romantic retreat — the scale and family-friendly energy here will frustrate you, and the Four Seasons Naples (once open) or smaller boutique properties in Old Naples will serve you better. If seamless, anticipatory service at every touchpoint is non-negotiable, a Four Seasons or Rosewood property will deliver more consistently. Travelers who want to walk to shopping and dining should consider properties closer to Fifth Avenue. And anyone booking during peak periods with expectations of serenity should recalibrate — or reconsider.
The restaurant lineup is one of the property's strongest suits. The Grill remains a genuinely excellent steakhouse with old-school tableside service (the deboned Dover sole is a highlight), though service can falter at peak times. Nolita, the Italian room, turns out capable pasta and a lovely breakfast buffet with notably good pastries. Sofra, the Mediterranean concept, is arguably the culinary standout — creative, flavorful, and genuinely distinctive. Gumbo Limbo, the beachfront restaurant, is less about the food (solid but overpriced) than the sunset setting, which is unbeatable. Dusk handles sushi and craft cocktails competently. The lobby coffee shop's pastries are excellent. Pricing across the board is aggressive; breakfast for two can easily clear $80, and room service carries the typical luxury-hotel markup.