Luxury Naples hotels have plenty for kids

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples

By Alexandra Karlesses (14 years old)

I have been on a few family vacations before, but my trip to Naples, Florida, has been one of my favorites so far.  Cleveland winters do not make you happy, and I felt I had not seen the sun in forever. That is why when we were landing in Fort Myers and I saw the sun shining, I was psyched!  I could not wait to log some serious beach time! My parents said we were lucky because we were able to combine a business and vacation trip and stay at some very nice Naples hotels.

I really don’t notice these things too much being a teenager and all, but even I could not keep my mouth from dropping open when we pulled up to the elegant Ritz-Carlton Naples hotel. My sister and I could not move fast enough to get in our bathing suits and get to the beach!  It was awesome. They had boogie boards and parasailing and everything a kid (teenager) could want!  I was snapping some major pics on my phone for my friends at home! Can you say jealous?

Naples Grande Beach Resort

Sadly, we only got to enjoy one night at the Ritz, but moved to the Naples Grande Beach Resort for the next three nights and I thought was terrific too. They had a great pool with a water slide carved out of rocks.  My sister and I loved that and went down many, many times! The Naples Grande Beach Resort also had access to a beautiful beach.  We spent three days mostly at the beach and pool swimming and reading and listening to my new iPod.  Oh, I almost forgot, the hotel has a spa and my parents let my sister and I get two spa treatments.  We both chose to get a facial and get our nails done.  My mom says we are spoiled, but I say…no way…

The hotel also has Camp Naples NG Kids Club for kids ages 4-12, and even though I did not go, my sister loved it and got to participate in many fun activities like arts and crafts (she made a tie-dyed t-shirt), water volleyball, scavenger hunts, nature walks, and seashell hunts on the beach. She loved her counselors.

I am thankful, though, to my parents who work hard to “spoil” us and to have let us experience this vacation, and I realized that I have a great family and that there is nothing like a family vacation to bring us closer together.  I only have one question, “where to next?”  LOL…

Related Orbitz resources:

• Family vacations
• Naples hotels

Tagged: Family time, Florida