Celebrating its 50th birthday last year, LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Florida, emerged from a $30 million renovation with a new look and vibe.

Commanding a prime stretch of beach on the Gulf of Mexico, now completely free of red tide, the boutique resort has 189 guestrooms, 12,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, a 4,500-square-foot spa and a nearby 18-hole links golf course.

During a recent visit, I experienced how the extensive renovation created LaPlaya’s atmosphere of relaxed luxury, treating business and leisure travelers with contemporary flair, first-class amenities and services.

Entering LaPlaya’s airy lobby for check-in, my first impression was one of un-stuffy elegance that felt Floridian but not barefoot beach. The tip-to-toe redesign lightened and brightened the resort’s former aesthetic of dark woods and deep greens with modern styling and neutral hues. My beachfront guestroom in the renovated Gulf Tower carried through the fresh new styling, albeit with the traditional spin of a super-comfy four-poster bed.

I loved hearing the sound of the surf while sipping coffee on my spacious balcony, and it was a treat to view the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico through the artfully installed glass wall by the bathroom’s soaking tub.

The resort’s cascading swimming pools are sequestered in greenery and have luxe, furnished cabanas. I’m a spa maven, and can report my facial at the tranquil SpaTerre was excellent, restoring elasticity and plumpness to my face and erasing wrinkles, at least temporarily. I also took full advantage of the many outdoor dining spaces at the resort, eating every meal al fresco while enjoying ocean views and vivid sunsets. Keep your eyes open at dusk, and you might catch views of cavorting dolphins. For me, the ultimate was dinner on the sand catered by the resort’s signature restaurant BALEEN. My favorite dish was the succulent seafood tower appetizer.

LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort 

9891 Gulf Shore Drive
Naples, FL 34108
tel 239 597 3123