JW Marriott Marco Island

Located just south of Naples on Florida’s Paradise Coast, the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort is an upscale family-friendly tropical oasis surrounded by a wealth of natural beauty and opportunities to explore the beach.

The resort’s common areas make a luxurious statement, with wide hallways, tall ceilings, marble floors, and wood accents. Of the resort’s two outdoor pools, the North Pool has a shallow wading area with interactive fountains, waterslide, waterfall, and hot tub, while the South Pool is larger. Both have beach views. The resort also includes multiple restaurants, with indoor and outdoor seating. Quinn’s on the Beach is famous for the nightly fire-dancer show at sunset. Watch for the Green Flash: reportedly on certain nights a flash of green light will race across the sky as the sun makes its final decent into the horizon.

The beachfront resort is located on South Collier Boulevard, the main drag that bisects the island north to south. It’s within walking distance of about a half-dozen other hotels, most of which have their own casual-to-upscale restaurants. Also within a short walk is Sunset Grille, a Caribbean-themed sports bar specializing in seafood and, not surprisingly, stunning sunset views. Southwest Florida International Airport is 48 miles south, and Miami International Airport is 102 miles west.

Guest rooms and suites are spacious but not as luxuriously designed as the public spaces of the hotel. Each has traditional wooden furniture and large windows that open to private balconies. Patterned carpet looks a little worn, and gives a slightly drab look to the space. Framed mirrors and palm tree artwork add some much needed color to the off-green walls. Bathrooms include marble sinks and showers, as well as bathtubs. In-room amenities include coffeemakers, safes, minibars, and flat-screen TVs. Upgrade to a Suite for a mini-fridge, living and sitting area, wetbar, and pull-out sofa bed -- some rooms have a microwave. Several rooms offer panoramic views of the beach and the Gulf of Mexico. Wi-Fi costs extra. 

This resort caters to beachgoers who want to do more than just sunbathe (which is perfectly fine, too). Poolside cabanas, beach chairs, and umbrellas are available to rent for a fee. And the resort rents water sport equipment that goes beyond the standard to include wave runners, kayaks, paddle boats, and sailboats. Two large swimming pools and a hot tub face the ocean. The North Pool is the best option for kids, with a waterslide and dedicated splash area -- but kids are usually found in both pools and it can get crowded. Couples may want to escape the secluded spa, which offers treatments and a pretty pool, but there's an extra fee to use it.

The resort also organizes sailing and shelling excursions, tennis clinics, and Tiki Tribe Day Camp, which includes five hours of kids’ activities and lunch for a fee. Among the other kid-friendly offerings are a game room, dive-in movies at the pool, and arts and crafts. There are numerous dining possibilities on the property. The luxurious spa offers manicures and pedicures, facials, body wraps and scrubs, massages, and other body treatments.

The resort’s private golf course, Rookery at Marco, is located a 15-minute drive from the main property. Free shuttle transportation is available to the Rookery, which is surrounded by wetlands and offers club and cart rentals, lessons, a driving range, free golf for kids, and a “19th hole” Rookery Grill.