When The Ritz-Carlton, Naples renovated its beachfront property along Florida’s Gulf Coast, it added the new 14-floor Vanderbilt Tower. The space has 70 club-level rooms, including two-story suites, plus a celebratory lobby bar with a menu starring more than 50 champagnes and sparkling wines, as well as a trio of new restaurants.
But the expansion, which was completed earlier this year, notably raises the bar for exclusive hotel club experiences. The spacious, high-design Ritz-Carlton, Naples Club Lounge is spread out over 4,000 square feet, the biggest yet for the luxury brand. The high-design space features a full-service bar with gold-handle beer taps, a whimsical kid’s club that looks like a live-action storybook, plus plans for interactive experiences like cooking demonstrations and pop-ups featuring local farmers.
The Club Lounge offers five meal presentations, with fare that includes elaborate breakfast spreads, and then, later in the day, sushi rolls, crudite, sandwiches, soups, charcuterie, and more. There’s also canisters full of snacks and coolers loaded with soft drinks and juices.
Overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, the club lounge is designed with a palette of blues and is a reflection of Naples’ landscape and history. The abstract ebb and flow of the tides can be seen in the carpet patterns, for example, and art is inspired by vintage postcards from the iconic vacation destination.
“This design was inspired by the local flora and fauna as well as the history of this iconic travel destination,” says Kristen Emory, Senior Interior Designer with Parker-Torres Design, the firm that designed the space.
A suspended light fixture in the main lounge, she says, was created by Yellow Goat Design and, through an abstract lens, is reminiscent of the loggerhead turtles that are found on the beaches of Naples.
Emory says designers used a combination of soft colors and woven textures to reflect the natural elements of the local environment.
“We really love the arrival moment, walking past the concierge and through the illuminated arch,” she says. “The layering of elements, materials and color bring richness and depth to the space, while the softness of the lighting provides a sense of calm and relaxation.”
Floor-to-ceiling windows let the famous Florida sunshine pour in, and the Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge has a media room where guests can watch a game or hop onto a Zoom call.
A crown jewel of the space is the glamorous 10-seat U-shaped bar that anchors the lounge and that grabs the eye with a draping gold chandelier above that it wears like a necklace. The custom fixture was created by Studio AT, which is behind some of the boldest and most dramatic lighting installations in luxury casinos and resorts
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