Naples Florida, The Perfect Couples Getaway

We recently visited Naples for a very short weekend for my birthday. While it was not what I was expecting, I did enjoy the area and the food!After a super short flight from ATL we reached our destination RSW airport. As far as airports go this is one of my favorites! It is easy to get in and out of and the car rentals are on site. It took us about 35 minutes to get to our resort and from there the relaxation was on! We stayed at the Bellasera Resort. The lobby is beautiful and the pools are nice, but I am not sure I would consider this a resort. It was a really nice hotel in comparison to other places we have stayed. The rooms were spacious and the beds fairly comfortable. The staff was exceptional however! I booked through Expedia which was nice as the resort fee was waived and we had a welcome gift. While checking in I was offered champagne which was a nice touch. We were trying to check in early but that did not work out unfortunately. It is okay though since it was lunch time and well, food!

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We were able to park our car and walk to just about everything which was a huge plus! We found a little burger place that was incredible! Brooks Burgers is eclectic and their food amazing! I had the Reuben on a burger and my good Lawd talk about a taste bud explosion! It was in my top 5 of best burgers ever! Heath had the Ragin Cajun and said it was equally as amazing. The servers were so nice and the ambience quaint. It was so good we went back the second day for lunch!

When we made it back to the resort we were able to get into our room fortunately. I had plans of shopping etc but after testing the comfort-ability of the bed, a nap won! We both ended up sleeping for about 3 hours! Suppose that is what happens when you have a 4 year old and haven’t slept properly in, I can’t remember!

After our lengthy nap we freshened up and headed to the shops on Fifth Avenue South. The whole street is lined with shops and restaurants and we spent the remainder of the day doing just that until it was time for dinner. I made reservations at La Trattoria which is again on 5th. The restaurant vibe is welcoming but a touch loud. We didn’t mind however and the food was so good! I love that it is family owned and I swear the staff is all related! I had the Fettuccine Paglia Fieno which was roasted chicken, mushrooms with a creamy truffle sauce and Heath had the Lasagna which has ham instead of beef or sausage as most do. He said it was the best he has ever had and that is something coming from him as he is the pickiest eater ever! The show stopper was the homemade tiramisu and the table side service. Prepared at your table with lady fingers, expresso, mascarpone and a Belgian dark chocolate on top! We enjoyed that with Espresso Martinis and I could have ended all culinary experiences after this meal! I didn’t think I would ever have food better until Vegas happened but that is a different post!

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When we left the restaurant it was pouring out but fortunately the resort has a shuttle service! Within 5 minutes of calling our super cute car showed and we were back to the comforts of our room in no time.

The next day we did shop some more and stumbled on a great breakfast spot. EJ’s Bayfront Cafe had wonderful food and coffee! Once we walked back to the resort we spent the most of the day by the pool. The Claw Bar kept us in beverages and again they did not disappoint. We did a ton of relaxing until it was time for dinner again!

Dinner was a bit of a disappointment and I am uncertain if it was due to the fact that the night before was so amazing or it was really not that great. We dined at Ocean Prime and while the reviews were amazing, the food was underwhelming. I was excited to try the sea bass as it it was fresh but the flavor was lacking. Heath had a filet that was to be prepared medium rare but was closer to medium. The service was attentive and I did have a nice dessert (which ended up being on our bill after being told it was comped) but it is what it is. You can’t have amazing experiences everywhere I suppose!

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The next morning our flight was a bit later in the afternoon so a walk on the beach was in order. There was a storm rolling in and rainbows made for some beautiful photos. The beaches of course are beautiful as I have yet to find a beach on the Gulf that isn’t.

All in all this was a fun trip and while I probably wouldn’t go again, I am happy to have had the experience. It was relaxing and that was the purpose of the trip!

If you get the chance to go for a short weekend I would recommend!