photo mosaic of Naples, Florida pier, Bayfront, Bayside, dolphin jumping, magenta orchid, water birds silhouetted against the sunset
When is The Perry Hotel Naples slated to debut in Southwest Florida?

When is The Perry Hotel Naples slated to debut in Southwest Florida?

Phil Fernandez | Naples Daily News

What’s rising, with a planned autumn opening, is The Perry Hotel Naples, a 160-room hotel along the Cocohatchee River that will feature the rooftop Tigress Restaurant & Bar.

The lodge is the second for The Perry, a boutique hotel brand that launched in 2017 in Key West, where developer FOD Capital is based.

What will the new Tigress Restaurant feature in Collier County, Florida?
The rooftop full-service 75-seat venue will serve Asian-fusion cuisine with dry-aged meats, chops and steaks. The property also includes a boardwalk that meanders from the pool deck to a riverfront pier with an eight-slip marina and a dock from which water sports, fishing trips, and dolphin and sunset cruises can depart, according to Mike Raymond, FOD’s CEO.

Read the full article and view the photos on naplesnews.com.

One of America’s favorite burger joints set to open at Mercato in 2025

One of America’s favorite burger joints set to open at Mercato in 2025

Diana Biederman | Naples Daily News

On a hot summer day in 2004, I remember standing in line with my ’21’ Club colleagues at the first Shake Shack in New York City’s Madison Square Park.

Nowadays, it’s famous for its burgers and shakes, but during that visit, I don’t recall any burgers or crinkly fries because it was all about hot dogs and soft drinks.

In those early days, it resembled a kiosk with an assembly prep line with different staff responsible for different toppings.

Following a 40-minute wait, it was my first (and last) bite into a Chicago-style wiener.

Several years later, another location opened in my neighborhood across from the Museum of Natural History. The ever-present line around the block made the sidewalk tricky to maneuver.

Anyone working in the restaurant industry has always paid attention to anything Danny Meyer (the hospitality legend behind the concept) opens because he is among the world’s most successful restaurateurs. Whether dining at Union Square Café, the game-changing restaurant that made him famous in 1985 — or Shake Shack — you’re in for a special experience.

Twenty years and more than 400 Shake Shacks across the globe later, Naples is getting its first outpost at Mercato Shops. It’s set to open in 2025 and is taking over 3,000 square feet in what was formerly Charming Charlie’s and, subsequently, the pop-up Hand & Harvest Artisan Market.

Read the full article on naplesnews.com.

Brand-new Key West hotel ready for $80 million in Naples

Brand-new Key West hotel ready for $80 million in Naples

The developers of a 160-room boutique hotel along the Cocohatchee River in North Naples say the building will open this autumn under the moniker The Perry, which launched in Key West in 2017.

The $80 million project is located at 12155 Tamiami Trail N., Naples. The hotel, according to a release, has seven stories. The hotel has spacious guest rooms, most with balconies, a ground-floor pool and adjacent activity lawn, a poolside tapas eatery, a lobby coffee bar, a fitness center, an open-air deck with a rooftop pool, a poolside bar specializing in craft cocktails, and the rooftop Tigress Restaurant, a full-service venue serving chef-driven Asian-fusion cuisine and panoramic views, according to a recent article by Mark Gordon of Business Observer.

“The Perry Hotel Naples’ opening will significantly change the landscape for destination hotels available to travelers visiting Southwest Florida,” says Mike Raymond, CEO of FOD Capital, the project’s developer, in the release.

The hotel’s mood and surroundings, according to the developers, are heavily influenced by the local native ecology, which includes a riverine estuary, a mangrove forest, and an upland forest of native pines, oaks, and palm trees.

Read the full article on naplesnewsnow.com.

Collier County has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world

Collier County has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world

Here’s a guide for summer.

Chad Gillis |Naples Daily News

Brown pelicans crash into tiny rolling waves as black skimmers use their sharp bills to slice through the surface of the Gulf of Mexico.

Shiny shells and salmon-hued bits of sponge tumble in the frothy white waters that lap along the shoreline.

Golden rays from the sun blast across the sky, breaking through the palm trees, sea grape trees and mansions and create huge shadows on the white sand.

This is it: Naples Beach. That place that so many people write about online.

Everyone from U.S. News and World Report to Dr. Beach himself have glamorized Naples-area beaches as being among the best in Florida, the best in the nation, the tops in the world.

And these are your beaches: it says so on the parking signs. Only residents with parking passes may use the lots here. If you live outside the area and can’t get a permit, you’ll have to race down to park near the old Naples Pier.

And while almost all beaches were impacted by Hurricane Ian in 2022, many renourishment and beach-rebuilding projects are already underway or completed.

Some beaches still lack the accommodations and facilities they offered pre-storm, but the beaches themselves are as beautiful as always.

They range from quaint, untouched shorelines to the old Naples Pier, where fisherman, swimmers, sunbathers and surfers flock during all times of the year.

But summertime is really the time to celebrate local beaches as the water temperatures are finally warm enough for a comfortable dip in the Gulf.

Here is a look at five of the best beaches in the Naples-Collier area:

  • Barefoot Beach State Preserve Park ― Top Nature Preserve
  • Vanderbilt Beach ― Best Family Beach
  • Naples Pier ― Best Beach for Water Recreation
  • Keewaydin Island ― Best Boating Beach
  • Marco Island’s Tigertail Beach ― Best Birding Beach

Get the details on these 5 beaches on naplesnews.com.

SW Florida’s toughest golf holes and how to play them: Kensington Golf and Country Club No. 2

SW Florida’s toughest golf holes and how to play them: Kensington Golf and Country Club No. 2

Treylan McDuffie Special to the Daily News

Each week we will introduce you to one of the toughest holes golfers will face playing in Southwest Florida. Not only will we tell you which holes are most challenging but also give you how-to tips to conquer these beasts, or at least not have to color a solid square on your scorecard.

Course: Kensington Golf & Country Club
Address: 2700 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, 34109
The Hole: No. 2, 362 yards, Par-4

About the course: Kensington is known for its pristine conditions and challenging layout. It offers a walkable course, allowing golfers to immerse themselves in the natural surroundings fully. Designed by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., it features lush fairways, strategically placed bunkers, and challenging greens. The front nine and back nine each provide a distinct set of challenges, ensuring a well-rounded golfing experience.

About the hole: a dogleg left, Hole 2 would be considered fairly short for some but for others, this challenging hole requires all of your focus. It includes water hazards running down the left side and strategically placed bunkers demanding accuracy and thoughtful shot placement.

Tee Shot: Aim your drive towards the right center of the fairway. This strategy helps steer clear of the water hazard that runs along the left side and positions you well for the dogleg. Avoid missing to the right of the fairway, you will not enjoy the next shot. Depending on your driving distance and accuracy, a driver or 3-wood is advisable. Accuracy over distance is key here.

Approach Shot: The green is guarded by bunkers at the front and left. Aim for the middle of the green to avoid these bunkers and give yourself the best chance for a safe landing. Consider the elevation of the green. You might need an extra club, especially if playing into the wind. A mid-iron or long iron, depending on the distance remaining after your tee shot, should be selected to ensure you reach the green. Factoring in wind conditions and the lie of the ball is crucial.

On the Green: The green features subtle undulations, so focus on speed control and aim for the high side of the hole to account for the breaks. Taking your time to read the slopes and plan your putt is essential for success.

Read about the Key Challenges and catch up on previous holes on naplesnews.com.

NABOR Market Report | June 2024

NABOR Market Report | June 2024

Summer Buyers Enjoy More Options as Inventory Picks Up in June

Naples, Fla. (July 26, 2024) – Despite a 59 percent increase in overall inventory during June (compared to June 2023), overall closed sales during the month decreased 17.3 percent to 710 closed sales from 859 closed sales in June 2023. Data reflected in the June 2024 Market Report by the Naples Area Board of REALTORS® (NABOR®), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island), showed the overall median closed price decreased .8 percent to $595,000 from $600,000 in June 2023. Broker analysts say a steady number of list price reductions each month coupled with more realistic prices set by sellers will help the Naples market find its new “sweet spot” for home buying.

Price reductions occur for many reasons: nearby comparative homes are priced lower, there have been no recent showings or offers on the home, the home has received a low appraisal, or to attract more buyers.

The June report showed 1,351 price reductions compared to 94 price increases. Coupled with a 95 percent list to sale price ratio, the data appears to indicate that sellers are making headway to adjust their initial asking prices to better reflect today’s market and, to some degree, are entertaining negotiations to secure a buyer.

A Bounty of Options

Summer buyers will enjoy more home options as the inventory of properties continues to rise compared to the last three years. In June, the 59 percent increase in inventory resulted in an available pool of 4,680 properties compared to only 2,943 properties during June 2023. Plus, confidence in the market remains steady with overall new listings in June increasing 1.5 percent to 896 new listings from 882 new listings in June 2023. Driving this influx of inventory was the number of new listings in the condominium market, which increased 9 percent compared to a 3.9 percent decrease in new listings for the single-family home market.

While inventory is nearly split between single-family homes and condominiums, the median close price in the single family home market decreased 3 percent in June to $730,000 from $752,500 in June 2023, while the median closed price in the condominium market increased .8 percent to $485,000 from $481,250.

The NABOR® June 2024 Market Report provides comparisons of single-family home and condominium sales (via the Southwest Florida MLS), price ranges, and geographic segmentation and includes an overall market summary. NABOR® sales statistics are presented in chart format, including these overall (single-family and condominium) findings for 2024:
NABOR 2024 June Market Report chart

Geographic Standouts

The South Naples area (34112, 34113) reported the highest percentage of inventory increase in June (+80 percent) compared to other geographic areas tracked by NABOR®. The median closed price in South Naples increased 1.1 percent in June to $477,500 from $472,500 in June 2023. Alternately, the North Naples area (34109, 34110, 34119) showed the highest decrease in median closed price in June (-15.2 percent) to $627,500 from $740,000 in June 2023.

For more information about buying a home in the Naples, Florida area contact David at David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.