Highlights: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

•The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples is a grand Mediterranean-style palace adjacent to the lush greens of the acclaimed Greg Norman-designed Tiburon Golf Club in the chic seaside town of Naples, Florida

•Graciousness and genuine warmth extends from bell staff to housekeeping; from pro shop to dining rooms

•Traditional furnishings and rich fabrics make sumptuous backdrops for the stunning golf course and resort views

•Outstanding dining at the resort’s signature dining room, Lemonía

•A meeting planner’s dream, with 15,000 square feet of meeting space and full conference facilities

•Conveniently located near shopping and other area attractions

Amenities: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

• 295 rooms, 10 story. Pets accepted, some restrictions; fee. Check-in 4 pm, check-out Noon. High-speed Internet access. Restaurant, two bars. Children's activity center. Fitness room. Outdoor pool, whirlpool. Golf, 36 holes. Tennis. Airport transportation available. Business center. Credit cards accepted.

General Impressions: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

At least 50 tall, stately palms line the grand driveway into The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples creating the illusion that the hotel is tucked into a remote oasis miles from the cares of the world. Further in, the roundabout features a sparkling fountain encircled with beds of tropical flowers, all contributing to the tranquil feeling I experienced during my entire visit. The Mediterranean-style resort, with its towers, European striped awnings, and red tile roofs glows a peachy golden in the afternoon sun. In the morning the stucco walls seem to turn a lemon-yellow. Perfectly manicured beds of flowers and many more palms dot the grounds.

Upon my arrival to the resort, smiling valets, a doorman, and a bellman greeted me and whisked me into the cool lobby, where lazy ceiling fans turned overhead and guests were sipping iced tea and tropical-looking martinis. One wall of the lobby is primarily glass, giving me my first view of the picturesque Greg Norman-designed Golf Club.

In no particular hurry to settle in, you can wander down the main hallways and into two lovely gift shops, where you can be tempted by Ritz-Carlton logo items, gourmet treats, resort clothing, gifts, and self-indulgent bath amenities. At the end of the hall is The Bar, where you can enjoy a leisurely drink or play a game of billiards.

Around the bend in the hall is Express(o), a petite pastry and coffee boutique, and the glamorous restaurant, Lemonía, where a woman was playing a soft Broadway tune on a grand piano. From the lobby, I stepped out onto a shaded verandah appointed with vintage green wicker rocking chairs. From here, I took in the stunning layouts that make Greg Norman a master of golf course design. A double staircase leads from the verandah down to an emerald lawn where white Adirondack chairs offer close-up views of the putting green. I followed the path between the golf club and the pool to the Poolside Grill, where the smoky fragrance of grilled fare mixed with the faint scent of sun lotions. A uniformed pool butler glided up with a tray of refreshing piña colada sorbets, compliments of the house.

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples is, first and foremost, a stylish mecca for golf enthusiasts. But it’s also for beach lovers, serious spa-lovers, and just plain lovers, as all the amenities of its sister resort just three miles away, the beachside Ritz-Carlton, Naples, are open to Golf Resort guests. Luxurious private transportation between the two resorts is complimentary and continuous throughout the day and evening.

(+) A golf enthusiasts dream, with the lush greens of the Greg Norman-designed Tiburon Golf Club just outside your door

Guest Services: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

Kids are royally pampered with The Ritz Kids program, which includes day camp programs, Kids Night Out, sports, and movies. The ultimate kids’ menu includes such treats as hot dogs, chicken tenders, fries, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the famous Ritz-Carlton cookie.

As for a wedding destination, brides and grooms need only show up. With advance phone conferencing, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples is expert at creating dream weddings, including romantic packages for the often-overlooked wedding night dinner-for-two and romantic touches for the bridal suite.

Guests may book a massage or personal training session in the Massage and Fitness Center, or arrange to have an in-room massage.

Golfers also are given the special treatment when they sign up for a personal Ritz-Carlton Caddy Concierge, who will accompany them on their round, offering course strategy, chasing lost balls, and providing refreshments and chilled towels.

(+) Kids, romantics, and golfers are pampered with special programs that The Ritz-Carlton is known for

Guest Rooms: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, has 295 non-smoking guest rooms, comprised of 51 Club rooms, 37 suites, and a Presidential Suite. There’s also a pet-friendly room, on an advanced reservation basis. Most of the rooms and suites have views of the Tiburon Golf Course, and many -- but not all --include balconies. It’s advisable to specify if you absolutely must have a balcony. In addition, families and groups may book adjoining rooms with advance reservations.

Every guest room has double marble vanities, a bathtub, and separate shower, and is appointed in luxurious Ritz-Carlton style, including European bath amenities, Frette linens, and goose down comforters. Guests may also designate non-allergenic foam pillows. I especially appreciated the individual heating and air conditioning controls, the lighted makeup mirror, padded hangers for my delicate garments, and the choice of a lightweight bathrobe instead of the traditional terrycloth robe. Other standard amenities include a hair dryer, CD player, and mini-bar.

Suite sizes range from 470 square feet (the Resort View with a choice of one king or two double beds) and 750 square feet (the Executive Suite, which includes a living room and master suite with one king-size bed) to the grand 950 square-foot Tiburon Suite that has all the above plus a guest bath. The private Club Level on the second floor offers full butler services and five artistic food and beverage presentations each day. Guests are advised to check ahead for Club Level reservations as this level may be closed in the slower summer season. Glamorous new décor is in the works for the 2007 season.

(+) Guest rooms adorned in typical luxurious Ritz-Carlton fashion, many with golf course views

Facilities & Activities: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

With its heated pool, lighted tennis courts, golf courses, and the resort’s signature Ritz Kids activity programs, one doesn’t really have to leave the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples. But it would be silly to spend time in Paradise without testing the waters for some of the Gulf of Mexico’s best game fish, exploring the vast Everglades, or lazing on the sugary white beach that makes the top of just about every beach survey of North America.

Within a few miles, guests will find a lush botanical garden-turned-zoo and all kinds of waterside adventures from parasailing to dolphin-watching tours. Other delights include sunset dinner cruises and catamaran sails. For Old Florida local color and wildlife sighting, one can go airboating, swamp-buggying, kayaking, or canoeing. For unparalleled bird-watching, the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is about 20 miles away but worth the drive. Best of all, the resort’s staff can arrange everything.

Guests at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort receive a real two-for-one experience, as one check-in also earns full privileges at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples, just three miles west on the Gulf of Mexico. The beach, with its cobalt-blue umbrellas, casual beachside dining, and attentive beach butler service, is a destination in itself, but there’s much more. This property has a beautiful spa, which takes pampering to the extreme. Surrounded by a rose garden and staffed with genuinely friendly therapists, it’s not the least bit stuffy, either.

The shopping in Naples is star-quality, rivaling even the most chic districts of Worth Avenue (Palm Beach) and Rodeo Drive (Beverly Hills). The boutiques, art galleries, and sidewalk cafes of Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South in Old Naples (about 10 miles away) beckon by day, then the twinkling lights, street musicians, jazz clubs, and theaters lure strollers for a bit of upscale tropical-style nightlife. Closer to the resort are two glamorous shopping experiences: The Village on Venetian Bay (colorful Mediterranean-style shops and restaurants overlooking the water), and Waterside Shops, anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue and some of the world’s most coveted designer names in jewelry, shoes, fashion, and accessories.

One of Naples’ most beautiful landmarks is the Philharmonic Center for the Arts, featuring a world-class museum and acclaimed resident symphony orchestra as well as ballet, Broadway shows, and a diversified theater and music season. Advance reservations for the shows, especially from January through April, are strongly recommended.

(+) Recreational activities abound, from golfing and tennis to parasailing and canoeing; the resort’s sister hotel offers such amenities as spa and beach access

Dining & Lounge: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

Ritz-Carlton’s signature dining room, Lemonía (loosely translated in Italian as “lemon grove”), feels like a country house in Tuscany. It is consistently known for its fresh ingredients and artistic presentations of Tuscan cuisine. Dining rooms are named for medieval Tuscan villages, and Mediterranean trompe l’oeil grace the walls. In addition to glamorous evening dining, there’s a daily breakfast buffet and a lovely lunch menu. Guests may choose between inside and alfresco dining on the terrace. A mark of a successful hotel restaurant, it’s popular with locals for weddings, executive dinners, and celebratory occasions.

The Sunday Brunch is nothing short of spectacular. This gourmet experience completely takes over the entire main dining room as well as a private meeting room, a private dining room, and the bar. And there’s still not enough space, so every Sunday the pastries and coffees are moved out of Express(o) and into the main lobby, allowing the little gourmet shop to be transformed into a showcase for a stunning array of seafood and a sushi station. One entire room is dedicated to pastries. Even if you don’t indulge in its decadence, it’s worth a visit, just to look. The Sunday brunch is so expansive it requires a pre-dining tour so guests are sure not to miss anything.

In addition to the Poolside Grill and Express(o) for baked goods and lattes, beverages are served in the Lobby Lounge and in the adjacent lounge, Bella Vista. There’s nightly entertainment in Bella Vista, providing late-arriving guests a musical welcome. A stroll away, at the Tiburon Golf Club, is Sydney’s Pub, a gathering place for lunch and 19th-hole relaxation. And when you’re just too happy to sleep, there are 24-hour room service and on-demand movies.

(+) Top-notch dining options, from gourmet to casual, including a can’t-miss Sunday Brunch

Business Services: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples

Each room and suite is equipped with high-speed wireless Internet service and a safe that comfortably holds most laptops and an outlet to allow guests to charge it up while out and about. I really appreciated the Technology Butlers who would appear at a moment’s notice to solve those little glitches that invariably come up while traveling. For meeting and convention travelers, there’s also a Conference Concierge.

The statistics of the resort speak for themselves: 15,000-plus square feet of meeting space, including a 7,810 square-foot Grand Ballroom, 11 individual meeting rooms, an executive board room, and two private dining room, plus outdoor function areas overlooking the golf club.

(+) Top-notch services available to suit both business travelers working in their rooms and groups in need of conference facilities