A First Visit to Florida’s Newest Four Seasons Resort — Naples Beach Club is The Talk of The Town

Life hack — escape to Florida the first week of January.

When everyone else begrudgingly returns to school and work, fly to The Sunshine State instead. I recently cosplayed as a Snow Bird and visited Naples for the first time, and let me tell you: I get it now.

Pulling up to Naples Beach Club, a shiny and brand new Four Seasons Resort, I could sense the vibe shift. The seasonal affective disorder (SAD) lifted upon touching down after the easy breezy two-hour flight from Dallas and stepping into the sunny, 76-degree weather.

Since check-in wasn’t for another two hours, I headed to HB’s, the resort’s beachfront seafood restaurant. It was hopping, even at 2 pm. I asked the hostess for a table for one.

“I have one outside, but it’s in the sun,” she replied. Like a lizard under a heat lamp, I said, “Perfect.”

HB’s sits directly on the beach and is a reimagining of the beloved restaurant of the same name. (More on that to come in a bit.)

At the last minute, I switched from ordering the Lobster Cobb salad with coconut lime dressing to Chicken Skewers with Guajillo Pineapple Sauce and French fries. I sat there, slowly baking in the sun (in the good way), and texted my friend who lives in Palm Beach (a place I love and visit often).

I wrote, “Just arrived in Naples at the Four Seasons, and the vibes are GOOD.”

“Naples is more old school Florida than PB right now, less New York,” she replied.

This, I should note, is a very good thing.

The Talk of The Town

Here’s the skinny. Naples Beach Club is a completely new Four Seasons Resort, built on the grounds of a beloved property that dates back to 1946. Four Seasons’ first Gulf Coast property, Naples Beach Club honored the storied former property by reviving its two cherished Naples restaurants, HB’s and Sunset Bar (where absolutely everyone gathers for cocktails at golden hour). Their homage hit home, as both remained booked and busy throughout my stay.

Naples Beach Club officially opened on November 16, and it continues to be the talk of the town. The resort undoubtedly elevates Naples itself. With the arrival of Naples Beach Club, Naples is poised to rival Miami and Palm Beach as Florida’s new luxury playground. PaperCity showcases the most luxurious properties where the jet set stay and play, so off to Naples I went!

Florida’s New Luxury Playground

Internationally-lauded architectural firm Hart Howerton designed the property, which maintains 220 rooms. That number includes 57 suites, but every room offers a spacious private balcony with a view of the Gulf. Sitting on the blue and white striped settee on my balcony, with the sound of the water rising and falling from a distance, soothed and restored me. I took my breakfast (lemon ricotta pancakes!) there. You should, too.

The interior design of Naples Beach Club immediately captivated me, a design snob. Champalimaud Design — a firm with a seriously impressive roster of clients— conceived of the interiors, which are “rooted in tradition, but with a nod to casual coastal living.” Grounding a design concept that dives into the notion of classic Florida without being cheesy is no easy feat. Champalimaud Design made it look easy.

High-net-worth travelers with a discerning eye will appreciate the relaxed residential style inspired by the topography and nostalgic spirit of Naples, which they injected with a posh joie de vivre. Naples Beach Club immediately feels like your ideal home-away-from-home.

If the jet set comes to Naples to stay and play, where are they going to eat and entertain? They’re staying right on property, of course. The vibrant culinary pièce de résistance of Naples Beach Club is The Merchant Room. Two-time James Beard Award-winning Chef Gavin Kaysen acts as Chef Partner for The Merchant Room, his first restaurant outside of the Midwest. I met Chef, who dazzled our group with his authenticity and sense of humor. It’s hard to pick a favorite dish from The Merchant Room (and I ordered everything), but I’m still thinking about the Fritto Misto, the Butternut Squash Agnolotti with brown butter, sage, and pumpkin seeds, and the Tamarind Glazed Pork Chop with Brussels sprouts and a peanut salsa matcha. I’m ready to plan a trip to Minnesota just to visit Chef Kaysen’s other spots. (When it’s warmer…)

Naples Beach Club promises even more to come in 2026, including:

• A Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole golf course that will weave through the coastal terrain
• A (fully-supervised!) FINs Club for Kids with curated programming
• A “community-focused” Market Square with indoor and outdoor dining, as well as retail and family-friendly programming (Spoiler Alert: there will be a movie theater and a bowling alley!)

A Destination Spa & A Picnic Boat

I would be remiss if I didn’t devote *a little attention* to the marvelous Sanctuary Spa at Naples Beach Club. The 30,000-square-foot wellness center occupies two floors and stands apart as a true “destination spa.” Celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak designed the state-of-the-art fitness facility, and I heard three separate guests remark, “It’s like an Equinox!” There are 16 treatment rooms, a sunlit salon, and even a rooftop lap pool. Consider it a comically massive understatement to say that I enjoyed the Golden Ratio massage. The 100-minute treatment (which my therapist said they got to design for the opening) restores balance through “intelligent contrast therapy.” Light and deep pressure. Warming and cooling elements. Invigorating and relaxing, how could a Gemini like me not choose it? After the guided breath work, scalp treatment, and exfoliating back scrub, I left feeling like a new person.

Lastly, you simply must arrange to take Naples Beach Club’s 34-foot Hinkley boat out on the water for a picnic. It’s offered exclusively to hotel guests, and the Four Seasons team really knows how to make a gal feel like a Kennedy for the afternoon.

As the American flag waved on the back of the classic picnic boat, I let the sun warm my bones as I sipped champagne. It felt downright patriotic. Now *this* is how to start January off on the right foot.

Like I said, a life hack.