HH Diamond ( 60+ nights in Hilton/Conrad hotels per year paid out of our own pocket ) : spending several weeks per year at this great property .
Stayed Oct./Nov. '13 for more than 2 weeks while Naples was getting ready for the long term visitors but this hotel was already very busy then with several fully booked days which did not bother us at all as most guests were in meetings or out of the hotel during the day .
Arrival : we normally drive into the covered parking ourselves, take the elevator from the parking to the beautifull lobby where we check in and only then unload our bags from the car downstairs with the help of one of the bellboys !
Alternative -which we never use - is to pull up at the front of the hotel under the coverded entrance , let bellman unload and get your car valet parked while you check in .
Front desk staff : lots of long term employees - very good sign in this industry where turn over rate is horrible !!- who know their repeat guests and their preferences but where everyone arriving gets greeted in a very professional , friendly, welcoming way which far surpasses the generic attention one gets in other places .
Exec. Floor and Exec. Rooms : top floor of the hotel with key access which is a great plus for us
The rooms we have stayed in since the beginning of our vacations here were always very clean ,very good beds with firm mattress and lots of pillows available ( firmer feather pillows would be an extra we would prefer here instead of softer synthetic material ).
Housekeeping staff and turndown service are fantastic on the Exec. floor and they really take care of the room and all amenities needed including supplying free daily bottles of water and coffee for the coffeemaker in the room .
The quality of bedlinnen and bathtowels is also very good and the laundry is very well done ( white towels are indeed white and not grey )
E.L. : on the small side with sometimes some waiting before there is a table free during breakfast but when supplies on the buffet run out one always an ask the lounge staff to check the kitchen for whatever is needed . Breakfast is served here in buffet with "continental " offerings : great bagels , fresh pastries , muffins , croissants ... , fresh fruit , yoghourt and lot of cereals . At noon fresh baked cookies from the kitchen and in the evening cheeses , vegetables and 2 hot plates with varying offerings . Honour bar with alcohol available .
Shula's : our favourite breakfast place ! If one likes cheese blitzes with rapsberry sauce this breakfast cook- " Garfield" - is your man but best to request the blitzes special at the front desk the day before or call the restaurant to ask if all ingredients to make chees blitzes are available ... Their french toast is also very nice as alternative choice.
Pool : renovated , extremly well kept and clean , good to swim laps . Sufficient amount of sunbeds provided and lots of place to take a tan or read in the shade . Most guest go to the beach so this is an oasis of rest and qiuet during the week ; can get a bit more crowded during weekends when guests from the Atlantic Florida coast come to Naples for R&R.
Fitness : was already very nice with plenty of precor machines provided ; is now being remodeled .
Bussiness centre : open for all guests , free, and with 2 to 3 working computers so very easy to check on emails or to print out boarding passes .
Surrounding area :
several great restaurants in downtown Naples and also several to be found closer the hotel with great Italian and Sushi choices less than 2 miles away .
open air shoppingmall with restaurants and several nice stores around the corner
Hilton beach shuttle is free and frequent with safe driving provided by the bellstaff , front desk waves you out with water, coolerbox and towels if you just ask for it
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Need for transport !!!! : In general we always rent a car for our entire vacation as distances to downtown and most stores plus restaurants are too far to walk or bike and it can get very hot !
This Hilton is a great place for vacation , to rest and to enjoy the Gulf side of Florida in a very discreet stylish setting without getting too " resort" style .
