"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.

LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort is a joint venture project between Noble House Hotels and Resorts and the Barron Collier Companies.

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.

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.