After having stayed at the Ritz Carlton the year before, my wife and I decided to try a more economic alternative in Naples as her frugal brother would be joining us. You’d think the culture shock of going from a five star experience at the Ritz to a boutique condo hotel off the beach would be jarring by comparison, but the Bellasera proved itself to be a top class, feature packed value alternative to its more respected competitor. In fact, we were extremely impressed with the overall extravagance of the room and the tropical themed grounds with palm trees, lawns, and walkways. Though it was on a decidedly smaller scale than the Ritz, the landscape was no less exquisitely maintained. Perhaps we had lowered our expectations by anticipating some of the unimaginative, discount décor or the wear and tear that is typical of many condo style hotels with years of families and children doing damage, but when we saw our room our jaws literally dropped. Upon entry there was a sizeable, immaculately tiled kitchen with modern appliances, granite countertops and bar, a well decorated living room with couch, coffee table, comfortable chairs, armoire and television. There was a stackable washer and dryer closet, and this is where we were wowed: First we saw the one bedroom we thought we were getting for the three of us to share including two full beds, dressers, television, desk, bathroom, etc. But after we explored beyond the living room we realized the wife and I had our own separate master bedroom, with third television and armoire, chair by the window, huge master bath with his and hers sinks, marble walk in shower, and our own walk in closet. Plus we had our own sizeable lanai enclosed balcony with charming deck furnishings and a view of the grounds and pool. Apparently the very friendly and helpful front desk staff had upgraded us at check in from a one bedroom to a two bedroom at no extra charge due to it being off peak season (May) and likely under booked. I guess we were really just amazed by how much the large and beautiful space exceeded our expectations and thrilled we’d be able to really spread out in a “room” that had all of the comfort and style of a tasteful Tuscan villa. Not only did the space afford such convenience, but we loved being able to stock up the fridge at the local supermarket and cook with all the utensils, pots and pans, and dishware provided rather than splurge on each meal. But for those of you who would like to splurge, the Bellasera is only a couple of blocks from the many fabulous Naples eateries on 5th Avenue and does have its own restaurant (Zizi) on site that we never got around to trying as we were spoiled for choice. In all, though, when you’re staying for a week or more at any location, we found that the dining in option occasionally does have its appeal. We also loved the pool and hot tub, chaise lounges, and towel service which matched that of the Ritz. I’d only wished they’d have had a slightly larger pool, but there never seemed to be a crowd when we were there so the three of us usually had unfettered access to the length of it. And as for the beach, it was maybe a fifteen minute walk and less than a mile down Third Avenue. The walk is a gorgeous necessity anyway with all of the high end real estate and palm trees along the way and the beach itself is uncluttered, relatively pristine and has scores of stately pelicans patrolling the harbor. In all this was an ideal stay for the money. The Bellasera should absolutely get top consideration by any vacationer looking for the ultimate in value and a charming, spacious, and beautifully decorated oasis at a very reasonable price.
Room Tip: May be worth requesting an upgrade if it's off season
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC