Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort - Design Brief

Envisioned as a refined coastal sanctuary, Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort seamlessly blends timeless refinement and relaxed coastal elegance. With master planning, architecture and landscape design by Hart Howerton, and interiors from Champalimaud Design, the design of the resort is inspired by the lush surroundings and nostalgic spirit of the Gulf Coast of Florida, welcoming guests with an inviting residential ambiance.

Hart Howerton envisioned the hotel as a sequence of spaces linking the land to the sea conceived in the tradition of the great houses of Southwest Florida. The architecture reflects a collection of buildings rather than a singular monolithic structure, allowing the resort to unfold gradually and reinforce its connection to the water through landscape and proportion.

“Our guiding intention was to preserve the qualities of Naples’ legacy as a social anchor defined by its connection to the Gulf. Reflective of the neighbourhood’s evolution through the years, we crafted a master plan that felt organic. Every architectural decision was about the community, and by composing the property as a series of buildings that echo its historic growth, we were able to carry forward the resort that supports the way people live today,” says Timothy McCarthy, Partner & Managing Principal at Hart Howerton.

Guests arrive via a porch-like porte cochere to a tall light-filled lobby with framed views of the Gulf, setting a majestic tone. Sun bleached pecky cypress forms the lobby’s coffered ceiling and was chosen for its distinctive pattern of spots and voids, and its connection to local craftsmanship.

Naples Beach Club embraces a sense of ease, romance and grace," says Ed Bakos, Partner & CEO of Champalimaud Design. "Much of our design is rooted in the nostalgia of South Florida. While the architectural elements have a noble quality, the atmosphere is low key and bucolic. We express Naples' natural charm through proportion, colour palette, and evocative detail." Crisp millwork, tailored furnishings, bespoke lighting, and striking bas relief frieze are inspired by the seven palms of southern Florida and are distinctly modern.

The Library, painted in silvery green, and The Merchant Room, the resort’s signature restaurant, open off the lobby and continue the progressive transformation toward intimacy and casual sophistication as one approaches the Gulf.  The visually layered room, with its painted mural celebrating the flora and fauna of Naples, textured light from the hand-woven birdcage-inspired fixtures, and its central borne and wispy palms is decidedly romantic. Champalimaud Design appointed the room with vintage inspired bamboo and rattan seating in natural linen paired with cognac leather trimmed in green piping and wrought iron and wood topped tables. The mural, by renowned fine arts painter Dean Barger, features a palette of flamingo pink and green hues with saturated accents on a silver leaf ground to reflect the iconic sunsets and soft night lighting.  A stunning terrace extends from The Merchant Room overlooking the cabana-lined pool and the Gulf.  A gracious pergola lines one side of the terrace, providing shade and a backdrop to alfresco dining.

The exterior design of Naples Beach Club is inspired by the charm of Old Naples and reinterprets Naples’ coastal vernacular in a contemporary seven-storey form. Hart Howerton drew from Naples’ historic cottages—metal roofs, clapboard siding, and shake-shingle textures— integrating exposed rafter tails, tongue-and-groove detailing, and jalousie louvers to reflect traditional local craftsmanship.

Landscape plays a central role in the experience. Hart Howerton framed more 1,000 feet (300 metres) of beachfront as a garden, with pools, paths, and gathering spaces reinforced with restorative dune plantings including sea oats and sea grapes that stabilize the shoreline and reintroduce native ecology. The property’s “coconut connector” pedestrian axis links the Gulf to Market Square and the golf course, stitching the campus into a cohesive coastal village.

Connecting the grand public areas to the ocean-inspired guest rooms and suites, guest corridors are defined by wood flooring, striped runners, and whimsical custom doorknockers in the shape of dragonflies, crabs, shells, and more.

Designed to celebrate the spectacular coastline and dramatic sunset views, the 220 high-ceilinged guest rooms draw inspiration from coastal cottages of Southwest Florida. Champalimaud’s interiors channel the tranquillity of the destination with painted wood plank panelling, cabana striped linens and rattan shades, carved teak consoles, and upholstered banquette dining nooks nestled beneath sea glass chandeliers. Blending functionality with elevated design, eye-catching bespoke cabinetry in flamingo pink or periwinkle blue lacquer with glass and metal shelving house the in-room minibar, adding a distinctive touch of colour.  For those looking to unwind, most televisions can be concealed behind a custom cabinet. Each guest room offers an expansive exterior terrace, fully furnished with plush daybeds and dining areas offering fluid indoor-outdoor living. Spacious bathrooms feature terrazzo floors, lacquered vanities with amenity niches and Waterworks fittings. Generous walk-in closets with custom leather, woodwork and integrated lighting further enhance the residential appeal.

Debuting in early 2026, the resort’s most luxurious accommodation, the 7,000 square foot (650 square metre) five-bedroom Sabal Suite, named in honour of Florida’s state tree, offers panoramic ocean views from its sixth-floor perch.  The expansive suite’s showpiece is a 2,100 square foot (200 square metre) terrace with miles of Gulf and coastline vistas.  It features a stunning circular pool in the centre with an adjacent hot tub, while an extensive verandah offers shaded dining and lounge areas. It is designed as a sanctuary for refined relaxation and meaningful connection, offering unforgettable escapes for couples and multigenerational families.

Artwork curated in partnership with Tappan Creative enhances the experience with a mix of figurative paintings, black-and-white photography, and colourful landscapes. The collection embodies warm sunshine, vibrant Naples flora, and the glimmer of the Gulf.