It may seem odd to say luxury high-rises are having a moment in Southwest Florida. Towers have long populated the shoreline, and buildings like AQUA at Pelican Isle in the early aughts and Mystique and Kalea Bay in the 2010s raised the region’s expectations for high-rise living over the years. But now, with The Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Rosewood Residences planting their flags along our shores, the future of ultra-luxe living is even loftier.
Modern projects draw on modern tastes for a diverse clientele. On top of the expected plush amenities (fully staffed lobbies, private everything, pet grooming), new condos deliver the ultimate in resort-style living with five-star hotel interiors to match. Claudine Léger-Wetzel, of the STOCK Development group behind the much-anticipated The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Naples—which broke ground on Vanderbilt Beach in November—says condos are evolving to meet the diversifying demographic. “You need to think of Naples the way new people who come here are thinking about Naples,” she says. Newcomers still want to connect with the natural beauty but also crave the higher level of sophistication of larger cities.
STOCK called on Key Biscayne-based SUSURRUS designer Cristian Pinedo to create sweeping configurations that reflect the Gulf setting. Pinedo—who worked on The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, which stuns with its ceilings full of cascading greenery—is anchoring the Naples property with a majestic, spiral staircase in the grand lobby that snakes its way up, mimicking the curve of Naples’ labyrinthine estuaries. Vertical 3D wall features and lighting nod to the mangrove trees, while blue-green glass outside mimics our waterways.
The unifying of landscape views and interior spaces is a prevailing theme among the new class of luxury builds. Among the grandest of the developments is London Bay’s The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Estero Bay. The team pulled in the revered Miami-based firm Arquitectonica (also behind Gulfshore Playhouse’s upcoming Baker Theater and Education Center) to create the 500-acre complex as an ode to nature. Opening in 2026, the two, 22-story towers promise floor-to-ceiling glass windows, foliage-patterned walls and earth-toned furnishings from New York-based Meyer Davis Studio. Outside, EDSA landscape architects use tiered gardens, asymmetrical hardscaping and a lush palette to integrate a host of outdoor gathering spaces between the complex and estuary, with about a mile of waterfront and 80 percent of the site preserved.
A glimmering reflection of the ultra-cool factor defining the emerging Naples Design District, Aura at Metropolitan Naples, touts 9-foot-tall ceilings, glassed-in living rooms, wine walls, and a rooftop infinity-edge pool—all overlooking Naples Bay, downtown and the Gulf. Further north, The Irving Downtown apartments, hitting Fort Myers in 2026, is working with Naples Botanical Garden to incorporate native plants onto its rooftop.
Designers are also playing with texture. For The Irving Downtown, which sets a new precedent for ultra-luxe rentals in Fort Myers, the regional designer Dwayne Bergmann is sourcing cement-like porcelain tiles, matte brass light fixtures and black rift-cut oak cabinetry for an urban aesthetic. Exposed brick and metal on the exterior blends the 12-story building with the area’s historic district, Bergmann says, adding that they wanted the property to act as an extension of the River District.
The amenities keep getting better, too. On top of being connected to the Saltleaf Golf Preserve (which Raymond Floyd came out of retirement for to build) 18-hole course, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Estero Bay, developed concierge Experience Studio to coordinate water adventures, an anniversary dinner on your balcony, dog walking and beach days—all with The Ritz lauded standard of hospitality. At ONE Fort Myers—an intimate high-rise with 34 residences across 21 floors—a manmade beach brings the coast to First Street.
Delivering luxury in its purest form (read: unbridled comfort) is top of mind. That means, allowing plenty more space for residents to sprawl out. Epique Pelican Bay, sister property of Naples high-rise Mystique and the final tower that can be built in Pelican Bay, and Omega Bonita Bay (ready to move in now) deliver super-sized floor plans for residents, with none smaller than 4,000 square feet and penthouses topping 10,000 square feet. Epique doubles up the glam with gilded accents and one of the most stunning primary bath renderings we’ve seen—honed marble encases sizable steam showers with floor-to-ceiling glass views of the mangrove forest and Gulf. Such details continue to shine. Renderings for the Rosewood Residences Naples—coming to Gulf Shore Boulevard North in early 2025—foretell marble-clad, glass-wrapped interiors and Kallista Argile tubs to soak and enjoy the view. Known for drawing on local culture for its designs, the hotel stalwarts called on Naples’ MHK Architecture for the project.
Craig Klingensmith, vice president of the group developing The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Estero Bay, says 20 years ago, luxury condominiums were more bare-bones, so clients could model as they pleased. Nowadays, design plays a starring role from the onset. “Over time, people wanted great designs already done; they wanted finished units,” Craig says. “Even though your neighbor above or below you may have the same scheme and color of the flooring and cabinetry, if it’s great, it’s great.” In other words, there’s never been a better time to move on up.
