My husband Robert’s birthday was last month, and I wanted to take him on a short vacation to celebrate this special occasion.

Travel Wish List: This was December so we wanted to stay at a beautiful hotel in a warm destination that was relatively easy to travel to from the New York Capital District region. We also wished to visit a location that was not overly commercial but still had a nice mix of accessible attractions and restaurants.

Luckily, we found this and more when we were invited to stay at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in affluent Naples, Florida.  This property is owned by the Opal Collection, the luxury hotel company which also runs Bolton Landing’s Sagamore Hotel as well as the Lake Placid Lodge.

Each of the Opal Collection’s properties have their own unique qualities, and the Edgewater was no different. Said to be Naples’ only all suite beach front hotel and facing a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico, the Edgewater has its more intimate special charm.

Getting There: From Albany International Airport, Robert and I took a one stop Delta Airlines flight to Fort Meyers, and we then drove our rental car for about 45 minutes to Naples. Another possible route would have been to take a direct flight to Fort Lauderdale via JetBlue and then travel the one and a half hours to this destination.

The Edgewater’s great location was pretty easy to find. Although, the hotel  is quietly situated near a beautiful neighborhood of luxury homes, it’s only about 10 minutes away from many of the main attractions in this area. Parking is easy there, but if you don’t wish to drive, the property provides an electric trolley service to take you to the main part of town.

Once Robert and I arrived and entered the Edgewater’s lobby, we were greeted by staff members who were very friendly and helpful in guiding us to one of the resort’s 125 suites.

We loved our spacious fourth floor suite which included a nice-sized balcony, a roomy living room area, a well equipped kitchen, a large bedroom, and a dressing area.

Even better though, our place which was very clean and so comfortably furnished that we easily felt as if we were staying in our own home-away-from-home condo.

Once we settled in, we relaxed on the beach. As part of the Edgewater’s renovation plans, the beach front furniture including the, umbrellas, cabanas and chairs were newly purchased. Paddle boards, bicycles and kayaks were also available for use.

Attendants served us a delicious lunch from the Coast’s menu that included Maine lobster rolls and grouper sandwiches.

But we had to keep it light: we had arrived on Robert’s birthday and the Edgewater was arranging a special private sunset dinner on the beach.

We had been told that this hotel likes to specialize in personal touches for their guests, but I was still surprised how over-the-top our experience really was.  The Edgewater had beautifully decorated our table as well as the sand around it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our personal waiter, Andre, served us delicious dishes prepared by Executive Chef Bill Zimmer.

 

 

We were told that Chef Zimmer takes pride in serving only the freshest ingredients. The kitchen is very conscious of food allergies such as those related to celiac. In fact, if a guest informs the resort a little in advance of visiting as to a particular food allergy, they will work to accommodate that person.

To end a terrific day, we left the beach to gaze up at the stars while lounging in front of the hotel’s fire pit.  Located in front of the pools, it was there that we were offered signature s’more cocktails.

 

It was a great beginning. The next day would bring more relaxation at the beach and an exploration of Naples, Florida.