Home to beachside luxury and downtown charm
For meeting planners seeking luxury alongside variety, Naples, Florida, is an ideal destination. Along the Gulf of Mexico’s shimmering blue waters and seemingly endless stretches of white sand, attendees can unwind in a relaxed resort setting. Alternatively, those looking for a more upbeat scene can find a taste of urban life downtown. Characterized by tree-lined streets, colorful Moke vehicles, white buildings and upscale local boutiques, Naples’ strong aesthetic presence creates an appealing and cohesive destination.
During a recent visit, I stayed at two Noble House Hotels & Resorts properties in Naples—Inn on Fifth and La Playa Beach & Golf Resort. While both offered the meetings infrastructure that planners expect from a luxury destination, it was the experiences surrounding those spaces that most stood out. In Naples, nature, wellness and sense of place serve as extensions of an event agenda.
Downtown Discovery
Located directly on 5th Avenue South—arguably the most coveted property location in downtown Naples—Inn on Fifth places groups in the center of the action. Within walking distance are dozens of restaurants and coffee shops (I recommend Fifth Avenue Coffee Company for a dose of local charm), theaters, waterfront dining experiences and beach access, allowing attendees to transition easily between scheduled programming and personal exploration.
That ease of access also creates opportunities for planners to build more flexibility into an agenda. Rather than coordinating transportation for each meal or off-site networking event, groups can disperse organically throughout the downtown district. For those with physical accessibility needs, Inn on Fifth offers transportation via golf cart or escalade to any destination within one mile of the Inn.
Experiences That Extend
Inn on Fifth’s offerings reflect Naples’ downtown spirit. The property includes 12,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor function space across ballrooms, executive boardrooms, terraces and a rooftop courtyard, allowing planners to keep the atmosphere fresh throughout an event.
Nearby restaurants including Ocean Prime, Truluck’s and Blu Pool Bar & Grill offer convenient options for executive dinners, meetings and attendee networking without requiring groups to stray too far from the property.
Waterfront Scale
At La Playa Beach & Golf Resort, the atmosphere shifts from downtown energy to coastal immersion. As one of only a small number of hotels located directly on the beach in Naples, the property builds meetings around beach views, bay views and access to stunning resort environments.
La Playa’s event spaces support larger groups while maximizing natural light. The Vanderbilt Ballroom faces Vanderbilt Bay, which is lined with picturesque boats and home to local wildlife. Meanwhile, the Bayview Ballroom and additional outdoor venues expand opportunities for receptions and networking events.
Outdoor spaces, including beach areas, lawns and poolside environments create multiple transitions throughout the attendee journey—and give planners a valuable alternative to exclusively indoor programming. The resort’s seafood-focused beachfront restaurant, BALEEN, is ideal for group brunch (the waffle croissant is a popular choice) and sunset dinners featuring an assortment of locally sourced seafood.
Nature at Work
What differentiated La Playa the most during my visit was the extent to which the destination itself becomes part of the meeting design.
The resort partners with local business owners to facilitate experiences that accommodate group preferences, such as yoga classes, fitness sessions, sunset boat trips culminating in a barefoot dinner at the popular Barefoot Beach Preserve and fishing trips where participants can eat their catch from the day at a chef-prepared dinner.
My visit fell over sea turtle nesting season, and after dinner one evening, I was fortunate to encounter a sea turtle laying its eggs in the sand in front of the resort. The moment was a magical and unexpected reminder that memorable attendee moments are often the ones that cannot be staged—but they can be facilitated by selecting the right event location.
For planners seeking to pair productive meetings with immersive destination experiences, La Playa Beach & Golf Resort and Inn on Fifth enrich valuable programming with awe-inspiring nature and opportunities for engagement.
This article appears in the September 2026 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
