Shortly after last month’s launch of the Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort, The Merchant Room restaurant formally opened this week in the new hotel on the redeveloped site of the former Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club at 801 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., Naples. In addition, the resort’s longtime local beachfront venues of HB’s — named for Naples Beach Club visionary Henry Broadwell Watkins — and the Sunset Beach Bar have been updated and recreated by The Athens Group on the same footprint, with some timeless tribute touches eerily reminiscent of the historic originals. Walking the grounds evokes memorial-like emotions while the grandiose resort looms as a prime example of the collision between Old Naples’ past and future.
Nearly everyone, it seems, has something to say about the new Beach Club or treasures personal memories about the more than 70-year-old iconic destination that operated there until 2021. A recent social media post on the Tim Aten Knows Facebook page reporting on the launch of the reimagined resort received hundreds of comments and shares, as well as many questions from readers. Teresa Delaney, director of public relations for the resort’s commercial features, helps answer some of the questions.
A coastal-themed Christmas tree greets guests in the lobby of Naples Beach Club, where the new Merchant Room restaurant joins longtime beachfront favorites HB’s and Sunset Bar.
Getting there
Q: Does anyone know when Gulf Shore Boulevard will open in front of the hotel? — David Nourse, Naples
Q: How do you get there? Coming from the south along Gulf Shore Boulevard, the detour runs Central Avenue to 41 to Banyan Boulevard to Lowdermilk Beach. This bypasses the hotel. — Craig Bamberg, Naples
A: The temporary closure of a large section of Gulf Shore Boulevard has nothing to do with Naples Beach Club, but the city of Naples infrastructure project greatly affects access to the resort for now.
Earlier this year, the city began the Naples Beach Restoration & Water Quality Improvements Project, also known as the Naples Beach Stormwater Outfall Project, to significantly improve water quality and stormwater treatment. The project affects the right-of-way stretch of Gulf Shore Boulevard on either side of the Naples Beach Club.
“The only way to access the resort is to arrive via Gulf Shore Boulevard from the north because the road is closed south of the property,” Delaney said, noting that motorists on U.S. 41 can turn west onto Banyan Boulevard and make a left at the traffic signal at Gulf Shore Boulevard North. “You will see ‘road closed’ signs, but you can continue down Gulf Shore. Proceed for about a half mile and turn right into the resort’s main entrance.”
The city project is expected to be completed at the end of 2026, but the road may be reopened before then.
HB’s, named for Naples Beach Club visionary Henry Broadwell Watkins, serves raw bar selections, Gulf seafood and handhelds in a bright, redesigned dining room overlooking the beach.
Parking fees
Q: Just parking is $60. So much for the regular people even being able to see the establishment. — Debbie Sotiropoulos, Naples
A: Naples Beach Club does not have a public parking lot, so all vehicles are parked by a valet service. The $60 valet parking charge can be quartered with any validated purchase made at the resort.
“For parking, it is a $15 valet parking charge, with validation,” Delaney said. “You can have your parking validated when you’re using any of our dining outlets — so, if you’re dining or you’re coming in for cocktails.”
Recreated on the original footprint, the entrance to HB’s at Naples Beach Club preserves a familiar look for longtime Naples residents returning to the redeveloped resort.
Public access
Q: Is the Sunset Grill open to the public or is it for guests only? — Kathryn Wowk, North Naples
Q: Can I still come in jean shorts and T-shirt to have a drink on a stool while watching the sunset like I did at the OG? — Jill Barger Anderson, Naples
A: Anyone in beachwear can come in off the beach to grab food and drinks at the new Sunset Bar or HB’s, Delaney said, but both of the resort’s swimming pool areas are available only for hotel guests.
“You can come right off the beach. Even our bartenders are in T-shirts and shorts, so it’s pretty casual,” she said. “We also have Adirondack chairs in the sand right at the back of the bar, so you can also take a cocktail and go sit back on the beach, if you’d like. We’ve had people on the weekends pulling up in a boat and dining at HB’s, so everybody is welcome.”
HB’s menu features a raw bar and entrees that include grilled grouper, baked snapper, shrimp curry and chicken skewers; and handhelds such as lobster rolls and Jimmy P’s smash burgers.
The beachfront HB’s, a longtime restaurant at Naples Beach Club, was recreated at the new resort with the same striped awnings of the original venue.
No longer a grill, the Sunset Bar now serves Mexican food with an all-day menu that includes tacos, nachos, ceviche, corn ribs and chorizo burgers.
The Merchant Room, off the lobby of the Four Seasons, is an upscale New American brasserie open for breakfast and lunch with a dinner menu featuring signature in-house, dry-aged steaks and house-made pasta dishes. The menu was created by the award-winning Chef Gavin Kaysen.
HB’s beachfront patio at Naples Beach Club offers open-air dining with Gulf views, giving hotel guests and locals a place to linger over dinner and sunset cocktails.
Sunset Bar is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. HB’s serves lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m., afternoon drinks 3-5 p.m. and dinner 5-9 p.m. The Merchant Room is open for breakfast 7-11 a.m., lunch noon-4:30 p.m., dinner 5-9 p.m. and after-dinner drinks after 9 p.m.
The Naples Trading Company will launch this month in the resort’s Market Square with hours from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. for its coffee bar, sandwiches, gelato, prepared foods, gourmet groceries and wine shop, Delaney said. “Above that is the spa, which also will be open to the public in early Q1, as well.”
Coastal-inspired small plates, including baked oysters and other sharable bites, showcase The Merchant Room’s New American menu at Naples Beach Club.
Room rates
Q: How much are the rooms for a night for residents of Collier County? — Bruce Frields, Golden Gate Estates
A: “Rooms start at $1,200,” Delaney said.
Of course, the resort’s room prices also can easily double that, exceeding $2,500 per night, depending on accommodations. The Four Seasons offers a variety of guest rooms and suites, including specialty suites: “Our most spectacular accommodations, these lavish suites offer one or two bedrooms, extra-spacious terraces and glamorous living and dining areas designed for entertaining,” the resort promises.
The Merchant Room bar, framed by a tropical mural, pours craft cocktails and an extensive wine list for guests relaxing in the new Four Seasons lobby lounge.
Sports amenities
Q: When will the tennis courts be complete? – Scotty Walker, Naples
Q: Can residents of Naples still play golf or is the course private? — Anita Fiumara, North Naples
A: Three tennis courts are open and the other three courts will be ready in the first quarter of 2026 at the resort’s Mary C. Watkins Tennis Center, 825 S. Golf Drive, Delaney said.
A signature cocktail and an array of appetizers at The Merchant Room reflect the brasserie’s focus on house-made pastas, in-house dry-aged steaks and refined bar snacks.
“It’s the same place. It’s been completely redone, but it’s the same location,” she said. “It may change in the future, but for now, play is available for hotel guests and Naples Beach Club residents.”
Adjacent to the tennis center, the resort’s 18-hole golf course is targeted to open at the end of 2026. “There will be opportunities, there will be tee times available for the public,” Delaney said.
A server carries sparkling wine through The Merchant Room’s lounge, where diners gather for breakfast, lunch, dinner and after-dinner drinks at Naples Beach Club.
Sunday fun days
Q: Is there any update on whether this hotel will have live music on Sundays again — just like the old days? — D.L., Naples
A: “I can’t tell you that that exact thing is going to happen again,” Delaney said. “We have submitted applications for live music. You have to have an application for every outlet approved by the city. So, those applications are being submitted and we are waiting to see what gets approved. So, that’s step one.”
The redesigned Sunset Bar welcomes guests with open-air seating, beach views and a lively atmosphere at the new Naples Beach Club.
For now, the resort does not have specific plans for which days of the week and which types of music will be available, Delaney said.
“There are plans for live music in the future, but I don’t have exact plans yet,” she said.
The Tim Aten Knows weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at Tim.Aten@NaplesPress.com.
(1) comment
Beautiful but it definitely seems like locals will give way to wealthy tourists. Oh well. Another one bites the dust.
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