Nearly seven years after the city approved the plan—and four years after the original 1946 Naples Beach Hotel came down—the new Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort, officially opens to the public on November 17. A $1 billion-plus project with a 220-room resort and 153 private residences, the first Four Seasons in Southwest Florida carries forward the legacy of the Watkins family, who stewarded the hotel over three generations.
Although parts of the 125-acre campus—the Market Square amenities hub, residences, tennis center and the redesigned Tom Fazio 18-hole golf course—are still to come, the opening brings back long-awaited community icons, including HB’s and Sunset Bar. Days ahead of opening, Gulfshore Life received exclusive access to the completed spaces, from the pecky cypress–clad lobby to that unmistakable sweep of Gulf-facing shoreline.
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Photography by Purcell Agency
naples beach club four seasons opens exclusive palm panels
The resort establishes its pride of place from the moment you step inside. Nods to the Old Naples setting punctuate the lobby without slipping into caricature or cliche. Look up and you’ll see decorative relief panels depicting regional fan palms inset beneath a $300,000 pecky cypress, a native material commonly seen in historic Old Florida homes. A chandelier composed of curled, gold-leaf fronds continues the palm motif in three dimensions.
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Photography by Purcell Agency
naples beach club four seasons opens exclusive lobby
Photography by Purcell Agency
naples beach club four seasons opens exclusive lobby bar
Just beyond the lobby, the flagship restaurant, The Merchant Room, brings culinary weight to Naples' fine dining scene. Led by two-time James Beard Award-winning chef Gavin Kaysen from Minneapolis, the menu promises a French spin on Gulf flavors. Behind the bar, a mural from lauded New York artist Dean Barger, known for his work at New York City’s Veronika and Nantucket’s Greydon House Hotel, echoes nearby Everglades environs, while rattan furnishings and parquet flooring add warmth and organic texture.
Photography by Purcell Agency
naples beach club four seasons opens exclusive lobby bookshelf
Sustainably minded architecture from Hart Howerton and ODP blends with interiors from New York-based Champalimaud Design for spaces that strike a familiar chord without feeling retro. Off the lobby, an inviting lounge swathed in seaglass green exemplifies the firm’s approach. Bespoke millwork, botanical upholstery and subtle coastal detailing create an environment rooted in Naples’ distinct, intentional form of luxury.
Courtesy Naples Beach Club
naples beach club four seasons opens exclusive hbs restaurant
In a redevelopment that spans 125 acres, the team preserved the elements that mattered to the community: the 18-hole Tom Fazio golf course (being redesigned and slated to reopen next summer), the Mary C. Watkins Tennis Center and more than 104 acres held in permanent conservation easement. But perhaps no return is more symbolic than HB’s, named for Watkins family patriarch, Henry B. Watkins, Sr. Rebuilt in its original footprint, the beloved beachfront restaurant now pairs its familiar Gulf views with modern comforts, including a new private dining room that opens to a seaside terrace. Inside the restaurant, wide bay windows make for ideal sunset viewing, framed by a striped awning with colors evoking the original hotel’s palette.
Photography by Purcell Agency
naples beach club four seasons opens exclusive sunset bar
One of the few places for true beachfront dining in Naples, HB’s extends onto a deck steps from the sand. Here, the resort invested in a series of oversized, engineered umbrellas—each worth about $100,000—to create a remarkably cool, UV-buffered dining experience that lets the Gulf take center stage.
Courtesy Naples Beach Club
naples beach club four seasons opens exclusive sunset bar
The Naples Beach Club also revives Sunset Bar, the long-loved gathering spots for live music and golden hour drinks, now reimagined with neon accents, Latin-leaning small plates, tropical cocktails. The space keeps its easy, open-air spirit, while infusing a lighter, more playful energy. It reflects the broader ethos across the property: heritage elements honored, but tuned for how people gather today, from this breezy bar to the new 30,000-square-foot spa, slated to open in 2026.
Photography by Purcell Agency
naples beach club four seasons opens exclusive room view
White-paneled millwork, leather trims and custom molding set a calm, residential tone in the guest rooms, none of which fall below 532 square feet. Each room includes a generously sized terrace and a full bath-and-shower setup, along with bespoke minibars in alternating shades of periwinkle blue or flamingo pink. The 57 suites expand the footprint further, starting at 908 square feet and culminating in the forthcoming 7,000-square-foot Sabal Suite, complete with two king beds, two baths, a wellness room and a sweeping terrace with its own pool and hot tub.
Photography by Purcell Agency
naples beach club four seasons opens exclusive aerial beach view
Positioned on an expansive 1,000 feet of beach, the resort offers unparalleled access to the Gulf. In addition to the main pool, there’s a beachfront kids' pool with air-conditioned cabanas and 16 double-seat loungers positioned to face the water. Guests can also book private cruises aboard the resort’s Hinckley Picnic Boat.
The resort opens to guests on November 17, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony following on November 18. The opening marks the return of a Naples landmark and the continuation of a legacy full of community gatherings, beachfront tables and stunning Gulf sunsets.