Press Release: Noble House Hotels and Resorts
January 16, 2002
NAPLES, FL -- LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, a Noble House Resort, reopened yesterday after an extensive $45
million renovation and construction project. The comprehensive renovation has transformed this local landmark into
a luxurious, 189-room boutique resort located directly on the picturesque Gulf of Mexico. Together with an all
new championship Bob Cupp-designed golf course, function space, Baleen Restaurant by premier Noble House chef and
restaurateur Robbin Haas, fitness center, and a full-service Indonesian-inspired spa -- the resort is sure to draw
business and leisure travelers back, time and time again.
``LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort has an 'original Naples' feel to it,'' said Bill Smith, president of Noble House
Hotels and Resorts. ``We redesigned the property to highlight the style and classicism of the Gulf Coast, making
it a haven for the sophisticated traveler who values equal amounts of privacy and pampering.''
The renovation included an extensive transformation to the entire structure of the property. The resort's 189 guest
rooms are divided between a 15-floor tower, a second four-story Bay Tower, and another four-story Beach House building
with 8 deluxe suites facing the Gulf of Mexico. New to the property are four uniquely designed swimming pools,
two lagoons and an outdoor whirlpool, Tiki Bar, retail shop, a 4,500 square foot Spa, 2,700 square foot fitness
center, 234-seat Gulf-view Baleen Restaurant and bar, 11,500 square feet of meeting space, and a 6,907 yard championship
layout 18-hole golf course designed by Bob Cupp. The Noble House Director of Design Carl Myers, Architect Steve
Rossi of Rossi Architecture and Marcie DeLaRosa of DeLaRosa Studio have artfully reformatted the layout, transformed
the design and preserved the classic style and vistas, while Noble House Landscape Architect John Farrar sculpted
and enhanced the landscape and natural environment.
Each guest room boasts a large, private balcony and sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico or Vanderbilt Bay. Generous
use of whites, warm golds and cool greens are the foundation of the color palette and a canopied iron bed draped
with mosquito netting and woven-rattan chairs are featured in each room. Custom fabric was designed for the duvet
cover and pillows depicting Florida herons, egrets and spoonbills, in gold, green and pink tones. Amenities include
twice-daily maid service, full marble bathroom, two-line telephones, high speed Internet access, fully-stocked
private bar, CD player, goose-down pillows and pillow-top beds, waffle-weave bathrobes, upscale bath products and
Frette linens. Select guestrooms even feature a bathroom with a view of the Gulf of Mexico.
Baleen, a premier indoor/outdoor gulf-front restaurant and lounge with cuisine designed by famed Noble House Miami-based
chef and restaurateur Robbin Haas, was created with both visitors and locals in mind. The unique 234-seat restaurant
(96 inside, 88 outside, and 50 indoor/outdoor lounge seats) has a rich and eclectic decor, blending traditional
woods and dramatic windows on the Gulf, with chandeliers of hanging monkeys and bold fabrics. Banquettes and beveled
mirrors outline the room, while signature hand-made Cuban tile complimented by a luxurious woven-area carpet serves
as flooring throughout the restaurant. Stylish and innovative, Baleen offers a seafood-centric menu that is complex
without being complicated. Much like a great steak house, diners enjoy generous portions and brilliant bursts of
flavor. The menu rewards those who love seafood in all of its glory. Signature items include: Chinese Fried Snapper,
Whole Chilean Seabass, Roquefort Encrusted Filet Mignon and Wood Roasted Bell & Evans Chicken. Baleen's wine
list is flexible and well chosen featuring over 350 selections including 15 wines by the glass that change every
week. Baleen is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails daily.
The all-new 4,500 square foot Spa Blue and fitness center is a soothing and rejuvenating environment that features
treatments based on the traditions of Indonesia, promoting health (body), peace (soul) and relaxation (spirit).
``Our spa was designed with Asian traditions in mind -- a belief in the sacredness of the body as a temple of the
soul, said Dan Pierotti, corporate spa director for Noble House. ''Our intent was to create an oasis within the
resort to provide guests with a feeling of intense tranquility and spiritual awareness,`` said Pierotti. Our menu
of experiences is highly distinctive in the spa industry, but very representative of the luxury service that makes
Noble House resorts and spas so welcoming.''
Private spa treatment rooms, beauty salon, and boutique feature aromatherapy, beaded chandeliers, white tile, mahogany
flooring and wood-paneled walls. Fabrics are in cool whites and blues and are soft to the touch. Signature treatments
include the Javanese Lulur Royal Treatment, a regal ritual that begins with a Balinese massage of Jasmine Frangipani
scented flower oil and continues with a Lulur exfoliation, a yogurt massage, a scented shower, finished with a
soak in a Japanese tub infused with rose petals; and the Thai Kelapa Ritual, an aromatic coconut skin scrub combined
with a traditional Thai massage.
The exterior of the resort has been transformed with four swimming pools connected by cascading water features,
Tiki Bar, lush lagoon enclaves and whirlpool, which all complement the LaPlaya signature white umbrellas and private
cabanas. The resort pools look out onto 600 feet of magnificent white-sand beach. Guests can relax in a private
pool-side cabana while enjoying a massage and surfing the Web via a wireless connection. The resort features a
myriad of guest services and recreational options, including golf, concierge, business center, 24-hour room service,
gift boutique, and beach access with use of catamarans, parasailing and wave runners.
The Bob Cupp-designed LaPlaya Golf Club features a 6,907-yard championship layout, 18-hole, par 72 golf course,
driving range, practice area, and 12,000 square foot clubhouse scheduled to open in late 2002. The LaPlaya golf
course will open exclusively for resort guests and LaPlaya club members for play on January 28, 2002.
Like so many exclusive properties in Naples, the LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort also offers a private membership
club for those patrons interested in full time golf, beach, social and dining privileges. Membership information
can be obtained by calling 941-514-2665.
LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort is minutes from the Naples Waterside Shops, the Fifth Avenue and Third Street South
boutiques, galleries and restaurants, and the Village on Venetian Bay. Nearby attractions include Sanibel and Captiva
Islands, the Southwest Florida Nature Conservancy, Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts and the Everglades.
LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort is located at 9891 Gulf Shore Drive, Naples, FL 34108, facing the Gulf of Mexico.
Reservations for stays starting January 2002 can be booked by calling, (800) 237-6883 or (941) 597-3123. Visit
www.laplayaresort.com.
LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort is a joint venture project between Noble House Hotels and Resorts and the Barron
Collier Companies.
ABOUT NOBLE HOUSE HOTELS AND RESORTS
Owned by Pat Colee, Noble House Hotels and Resorts comprises twelve unique properties in six states across the
United States and includes: La Playa Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Ocean Key Resort in Key West, Hilton Daytona
Beach Ocean Front Resort in Daytona Beach, Grove Isle Resort in Miami, and Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
in Little Torch Key - all in Florida; The Adolphus in Dallas, TX; The Edgewater in Seattle, WA; Inn at Loreto in
Santa Fe, N.M.; Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club in Redondo Beach and Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego
- both in California; The SunBurst Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. and The Hotel Viking in Newport, R.I.
Location. Distinction. Soul. Noble House Hotels and Resorts brings distinctive quality and design to every one
of its resort properties, working with the natural surroundings and local history to create unparalleled settings
and unforgettable experiences that touch the soul of every guest.
ABOUT BARRON COLLIER COMPANIES
Barron Collier Companies traces its roots to Barron Gift Collier, the founder of Collier County, Florida. Over
the years, it has grown from a land holding company to one of the largest diversified companies in Southwest Florida.
Its business ventures include extensive agricultural operations and real estate development, as well as oil exploration
and mineral management. Other projects include the prestigious Grey Oaks Country Club in Naples, Fla.
SOURCE: Noble House Hotels and Resorts