Dive Brief:

• The Ritz-Carlton Naples has officially reopened after an extensive expansion, which saw the construction of a new 14-floor tower, more than 70 new suites and a 4,000-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge, the company announced Monday. 
• Collaborating architects Cooper Carry and Parker Torres Design redesigned the hotel’s 474 existing guest rooms and suites, and the property features a new lobby and dining concepts. The updated hotel also includes new outdoor amenities, including several pools. 
• After nearly two years of renovations, the Ritz-Carlton Naples has reopened at a time when the domestic luxury lifestyle hotel category is showing strong performance. Other hotel brands like Canopy by Hilton are also exploring the market, and investors and management companies alike are expanding in the space. 

Dive Insight:

With updated design and amenities that “create a timeless luxury experience for guests,” the Ritz-Carlton Naples re-enters a market experiencing significant growth. 

Since renovations began on the hotel in 2021, the luxury lifestyle hotel category has seen increased ADR and RevPAR as a result of heightened leisure travel demand and spending. 

To cater to the needs of luxury travelers, the Ritz-Carlton Naples’ new Vanderbilt Tower features a dedicated check-in, “more spacious and highly appointed” guest rooms and a Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge with private dining space and interactive experiences like cooking demos and pop-up visits from local farms.

The hotel also includes three new restaurants: The Lobby Bar, Mediterranean concept Sofra and coffee shop Moka. These additions will open throughout July, joining existing restaurants Dusk, Gumbo Limbo and The Grill. 

Outside, the Ritz-Carlton Naples now offers 10 fully enclosed, air-conditioned bungalows each with a private bath, television and entertainment system and service bar. Additionally, 10 cabanas were added to the pool area, each with ceiling fans and televisions. 

Another hotel company expanding in the luxury lifestyle space is Hilton, which opened its first lifestyle hotel in San Francisco in May under its Canopy brand. 

Investors are getting in on the action too. Kirkwood Collection recently acquired three luxury boutique hotel properties in Palm Springs. And management companies Pyramid Global Hospitality and Hersha Hospitality Management are also expanding their portfolios in the space, acquiring six new properties and launching a luxury lifestyle division, respectively.