Four Seasons Naples Beach Club Reimagined by Hart Howerton

On May 6, 2026, The Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, revealed the results of its extensive reimagining. Hart Howerton led the masterplan, architecture, and landscape design, with Champalimaud Design spearheading the interiors. The Athens Group and BDT & MSD Partners acquired the 125-acre estate in 2021, committing to its legacy while envisioning a world-class Four Seasons resort and residential community.

The new aesthetic respects Naples' architectural heritage, drawing inspiration from the area's characteristic low-slung cottages, featuring clapboard siding, expansive screened porches, and deep roof overhangs tailored for the coastal climate. Sleeper Magazine reports that while the original Beach Club eventually included taller hotel structures, its cultural identity remained rooted in its bar, awnings, and beachfront. Hart Howerton approached the design as a collection of structures, rather than a singular resort, echoing the property's organic growth over generations.

Materials were selected for both character and durability. The hotel's structural core is cast-in-place concrete, engineered to withstand the demanding coastal environment. Stucco, applied to concrete blockwork, is detailed to emulate traditional clapboard siding, anchoring the property to its sense of place. Larger buildings feature standing seam metal roofs, while low-rise beachfront structures are topped with cedar shake. Hand-pressed stucco, embedded with shells, subtly connects the architecture to the Gulf's white sands. The signature striped awnings, color-matched to the originals, integrate historic details into the contemporary design, according to Sleeper Magazine.

Outdoors, a thousand feet of beachfront has been sculpted into a garden of pools, lawns, and gathering areas oriented towards the Gulf. Restorative dune plantings of sea oats, sea grasses, and sea grapes reinforce the shoreline's stability. A central pedestrian path, dubbed the 'coconut connector,' links the beachfront inland to the golf course and Market Square, effectively unifying the entire campus across Gulf Shore Boulevard North.

Our take: This extensive overhaul demonstrates a nuanced understanding of luxury hospitality in a sensitive coastal environment. The commitment to historical context, while elevating the guest experience to Four Seasons standards, is a delicate balance. The choice of Hart Howerton, known for its mindful approach to site and culture, suggests a development that prioritizes enduring design over fleeting trends. We'll be watching to see if this strategy sets a new benchmark for coastal resort redevelopment.