TripAdvisor, one of the Web's most highly respected
travel sites, recently named the four-diamond-rated
resort among its "Top Ten Hidden Gems in the U.S." With
all that glitter, what better place to proffer a diamond
ring? Bellasera, which ranks number one on TripAdvisor's
"popularity index" among 55 Naples-based hotels, also
took third place on its "Top Ten Best Bargains in the
U.S." list.
Sunflower yellows and earthy rust-reds color Bellasera
with Tuscan sensibility. Three-story villa-style
buildings with expressive arches and Romeo-and-Juliet
balconies open onto a courtyard right off a Tuscany
postcard. Stone fountains and rock cascades gurgle
around the swimming pool and whirlpool, visions of
ornate tiling and water fantasies. Umbrella-topped
tables, webbed chaises and private cabanas surround the
deck. Surely, Marcello will step from behind a coyly
drawn canvas cabana curtain at any moment.
 Tall
willowy royal palm trees and vine-swathed pergolas shade
Zizi Restaurant's al fresco
tables. Here, on the terrace poolside or inside the
sleek oh-so-Euro feeling ristorante, pure and
sunny Mediterranean flavors tantalize the tastebuds.
Frittata for breakfast, pennette pasta with chicken for
lunch, pan-seared grouper with sun-dried tomatoes and
lemon basil oil for dinner: Fine dining is like falling
in love, as they like to say at Zizi's. As far as the
chocolate espresso soufflé is concerned… maybe even
better. To celebrate the ultimate in love and dining,
arrange for a private dinner per due in one of
the poolside cabanas. For happy hour and after dinner,
cozy up in the lounge. On weekends, live late-night live
jazz or soft love tunes soundtrack your bella sera
tryst.
Accommodations at Bellasera, all privately owned, are
equally cozy and conducive to cuddling. They range from
sprawling three-bedroom condominiums to intimate studios
with romantic in-room whirlpool tubs and plantation
shutters that open onto the master bedroom so you can
watch TV together from your bubble bath. Warm southern
European style holds through in the rich woods, plush
furnishings and terra-toned tiling. A full kitchen means
you can do breakfast in bed or cocoon for dinner and
make your world wholly each other.
 One
is tempted never to leave. But then one would never
discover the symbiotic romance of Bellasera with
downtown Naples. They belong together,
like Pawel and Chiara. Mere footsteps away from the
resort, Fifth Avenue South spills over
with lively sidewalk cafés and clubs, the tinkle of
laughter and icy cocktails, chi-chi boutiques,
blossoming tropical flowers and world-class art
galleries.
Keep strolling, or take a short drive, to end up at
Naples' luxurious beach, where the rich and beautiful
head for sea-lulled relaxation alongside the gently
lapping Gulf of Mexico. One of the favorite sunset
activities for starry-eyed couples is a walk along
Naples Pier. One of Florida's longest
free fishing piers, it has pulsed as the heart of old
Naples since it was born in the 1800s. The romance of
its history and the charm of reeling fishermen and
waddling pelicans sweeps you away to a time and place
where the world celebrates love. Or amoré, as
they say in Tuscany.
In a-more ways than several, Bellasera injects a
moon-hits-your-eye element into a couples escape. It
inspires romantics to make beautiful music together.
Under the Naples sun... and moon.
As Dean Martin would sing: "Back in old Napoli, that's
amoré!"
For more information on falling in love with and at
Bellasera Resort, visit
www.bellaseranaples.com or call 877-247-5415. |
Have
a madcap fling, like Francesca and Marcello. Find (or
rediscover) the flush of new love, à la young Pawel and
Chiara. Or, like Frances and Ed, celebrate something solid,
the promise of love enduring. Because it feels so Tuscan,
you can relive any or all the different types of romance in
my all-time favorite love flick Under the Tuscan Sun
– without even leaving the country – at
Bellasera Resort in Naples, Florida.