At This Historic Florida Hotel, Old-School Glamour Meets New Design
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Hotel of the Week |
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September 30, 2026 |
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◆ 200 Broad Avenue South, Naples, Florida ◆ Built beside the site of its 1889 namesake, the spirited return of Naples's first hotel reimagines the city's oldest hospitality address for a new generation. |
Our ReviewReviewed by Paul Rubio |
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Why book? Built beside the site of its 1889 namesake, the spirited return of Naples's first hotel reimagines the city's oldest hospitality address for a new generation. Equal parts design-forward retreat and neighborhood gathering place, it places guests at the center of Naples's enduring leisure culture. Set the scene When Naples's first hotel opened in 1889, guests didn't arrive by car. They stepped off boats at the nearby Naples Pier, where porters hauled trunks across a wooden footbridge connecting the pier to the hotel grounds. The original building eventually disappeared, but its legacy endured. Today, Olde Naples Hotel rises beside its historic predecessor as a new-build interpretation rather than a reconstruction. Inside, the hotel's affection for old Florida reveals itself one detail at a time. Botanical motifs appear in wallpapers, textiles, and decorative objects before giving way to playful avian references, from bird-patterned rugs and pillows to cockatoo-inspired light fixtures above the bar. Vintage photographs and century-old artifacts nod to the property's original incarnation. The rooms Rooms are found on either the first or second floors of two structures, connected internally by wood-trimmed corridors crowned by palm-frond wallpaper. I stayed in Room 226 but also peeked into several others and quickly found myself partial to second-floor rooms in either building: The cottage-inspired rooflines create soaring vaulted ceilings, unexpected window nooks, and exposed wood beams that make each room feel a little different from the next. The highlight of it all is the octagonal room within suite 2067, featuring a full wraparound balcony. But regardless of custom shape, all rooms sparkle with custom details, from brass palm-tree door knockers and monogrammed headboards to mint-green checkered luggage racks and artwork by Naples artist Janine Wesselmann, giving the rooms a distinctly Southwest Florida identity. Marble bathrooms have spacious walk-in showers with benches, while select accommodations also include deep soaking tubs. Food and drink You'd be remiss not to spend ample time at Annie's, the hotel's all-day food and beverage concept that keeps the ground floor humming from morning coffee through late-night espresso martinis. Before long, it becomes clear that you've wandered into one of Naples's favorite places to gather. For decades, this address was one of the city's defining social hubs, and Annie's has reclaimed that role. The bakery-café gets the day started with coffee and house-made pastries while the bistro serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but the bar is the constant. At almost any hour, someone is settling in for a caffeine fix, a glass of wine, or one more dirty martini. Breakfast was my favorite meal, particularly the lemon ricotta pancakes fresh off the griddle. The neighborhood/area Naples's famously soft sand is only a block and a half away. While the hotel doesn't operate a private beach club, complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas are available for the nearby public beach, and a shuttle is on hand if you'd rather not carry the gear yourself. Personally, I preferred taking advantage of the proximity for sunset strolls along the Gulf. Complimentary bicycles made it easy to explore the manicured streets, historic cottages, tropical landscaping, and boutiques that define Old Naples. Third Street South begins just outside the hotel, making it easy to wander between galleries, cafés, and independent shops without much of a plan. Worth it? Yes—even if you're not much of a history buff, take a minute at check-in to look around. Your room key arrives with a sleeve of vintage postcards depicting scenes from the late 1800s era of the Olde Naples Hotel. Behind the reception desk, a wall of 109 wooden pigeonholes doubles as an art installation, with some compartments displaying replicas of the property's original room keys. Before you've even reached your room, you'll already have a sense of the story this hotel is telling. |
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