Inside the New Port Royal Club: Amenities, Design and the Anticipated 2026 Reopening

Last updated: September 2026

The Port Royal Club has always been more than an amenity. It is the private beachfront gathering place at the center of Port Royal, Naples’ most exclusive waterfront neighborhood.

Following the loss of the original clubhouse after Hurricane Ian, the Club embarked upon a complete ground-up rebuild rather than a limited restoration. The result is a planned 62,000-square-foot, two-story Gulf-front clubhouse intended to preserve the Club’s history while substantially expanding its dining, social, wellness and beachfront experiences.

The original official construction schedule targeted a Summer 2026 grand opening. As of September 2026, the precise opening date should be confirmed directly with the Club because construction and operational timelines can change.

For Port Royal buyers, the new Club matters for a practical reason: it completes a lifestyle that is difficult to duplicate elsewhere in Naples. Owners can combine a private estate, yacht access and a members-only Gulf-front beach club without moving into a condominium or branded residential development.

The New Port Royal Club at a Glance

The Club’s official New Clubhouse Plan and current member book provide the basis for the planned experience described here.

From John Glenn Sample’s Original Vision to a New Clubhouse

Port Royal’s identity dates to developer John Glenn Sample’s vision for a private Naples waterfront enclave modeled after the spirit of Port Royal, Jamaica.

The Port Royal Club was established in 1959 as a gathering place for neighborhood residents. Over the decades, it became the community’s social center—combining private beach access, dining, swimming, tennis, wellness and member events within a rare Gulf-front setting.

Hurricane Ian severely damaged the original clubhouse in September 2022. Rather than reproduce the former building exactly, the membership chose to create a new facility designed around how Port Royal owners live today.

The rebuilding process was guided by extensive member input. In the Club’s published planning materials, members placed the greatest emphasis on:

• Dining spaces with direct Gulf and beach views
• Covered outdoor dining
• An indoor-outdoor bar serving as a social focal point
• Pool-deck and beach-level dining
• Both casual and formal restaurant environments
• Expanded à la carte capacity
• Upgraded pool furniture and cabanas
• More opportunities to gather outdoors

Those priorities explain why the design is organized as much around the Gulf and outdoor spaces as the clubhouse itself.

A West Indies-Inspired Architectural Identity

The new Port Royal Club is designed to retain the architectural language associated with the neighborhood rather than introduce an unrelated contemporary resort aesthetic.

Hart Howerton’s plan uses a refined West Indies-inspired vocabulary, with architecture intended to feel established, residential and appropriate to the Club’s Gulf-front setting.

The arrival begins along Gordon Drive with mature landscaping and a brick-paver approach. A circular arrival sequence leads to a covered porte cochere, while an open-air breezeway visually connects the entrance with the Gulf beyond.

That visual connection is important. Instead of requiring members to navigate through an enclosed lobby before seeing the water, the architecture is designed to reveal the Gulf as part of the arrival.

The principal dining and social spaces are then positioned to maximize beach, pool and sunset views from multiple levels.

Main-Level Dining and Social Spaces

The main level is designed around flexible, everyday use rather than a single formal restaurant.

Planned spaces include:

• Family casual dining with indoor and covered outdoor seating
• A member living room and lounge
• Coffee and café service
• The indoor-outdoor Sunset Bar
• Flexible dining areas
• A banquet room and event space
• A banquet porch and arrival garden
• A main kitchen serving multiple dining venues
• Pool and beach kitchen support

The ballroom is planned to accommodate approximately 150 people and can be integrated with adjacent dining areas for larger Club events.

This flexibility allows the Club to serve very different moments—from morning coffee and an informal lunch to private celebrations, holiday events and evening dining.

The Sunset Bar should become one of the building’s defining spaces. Positioned toward the Gulf, it is designed for open-air drinks, social gatherings and sunset views without requiring members to leave the neighborhood.

Upper-Level À La Carte and Private Dining

The upper level moves toward a more refined dining and entertaining experience.

Official plans include:

• Indoor and outdoor à la carte dining
• Gulf-view dining terraces
• Private dining rooms
• A primary indoor-outdoor bar
• Wine storage and member wine lockers
• A dedicated upper-level kitchen
• Administrative and operational spaces

The Club’s current member materials also describe an after-dinner lounge and piano-bar environment intended to extend the evening beyond dinner.

This combination creates several distinct experiences within one building. Members can use the Club casually during the day, entertain privately, dine more formally in the evening or meet friends for a drink without every visit feeling identical.

The Beachfront Pool and Lower Level

The lower level is designed to connect parking, beach access, pool service and outdoor amenities more efficiently.

Planned features include:

• Member arrival lobby at beach-and-pool level
• Direct member access to the beach
• Beachfront swimming pool
• Covered pool bar and dining
• Cabanas, umbrellas and lounge areas
• Shade gardens
• Beach-level lawn
• Pool and beach service pantry
• Towel and laundry facilities
• Storage and staff-support areas

The beachfront pool is not intended to operate as a secondary amenity behind the clubhouse. It forms a central component of the daily Club experience.

For owners who do not live directly on the Gulf, this provides private beachfront access within the neighborhood while allowing them to choose a home based on boating, canal width, dockage or bay views.

That combination is one reason Port Royal operates differently from a conventional beachfront neighborhood. An owner can prioritize deep-water boating at home and still retain access to a private Gulf-front lifestyle through the Club.

Fitness, Spa and Tennis

The new Club experience extends beyond dining and the beach.

Current member materials feature:

• Fitness center
• Individual and group training
• Spa and treatment services
• Tennis facilities
• Lessons and organized play
• Tennis pro shop
• Member programming and social events

These facilities allow the Club to function throughout the day rather than primarily during lunch, dinner or special occasions.

A member may begin with fitness or tennis, spend the afternoon at the beach or pool and remain for sunset and dinner—all without leaving Port Royal.

That convenience is particularly meaningful in a neighborhood where buyers are paying for privacy and control over their time.

When Will the New Port Royal Club Open?

The Club’s original published development timeline called for demolition and construction to begin in Summer 2024, followed by a grand opening in Summer 2026.

That plan also identified several potential schedule risks:

• City and state permitting
• Material and supply-chain delays
• Weather and hurricanes
• Availability of skilled trades and labor

Because the original Summer 2026 target has passed, prospective buyers should not rely on that initial date as a current guarantee. The new Club remains highly anticipated, but the exact opening date and the operating sequence for individual amenities should be verified directly with the Port Royal Club.

Important questions include:

• Has the clubhouse received its certificate of occupancy?
• Will all dining spaces open simultaneously?
• When will the pool, spa and fitness center become available?
• Will tennis and beach services remain operational during the transition?
• Are any amenities expected to open in phases?
• When will the Club begin accepting regular member reservations and private events?

A follow-up article will examine the finished Club, confirmed amenities and initial member experience after the official opening.

Who Is Eligible to Join the Port Royal Club?

The Port Royal Club is a private beach club associated with ownership of eligible properties in Port Royal. It is not a public club and should not be treated as an amenity automatically included with every property carrying a Port Royal address.

Eligibility must be confirmed for the specific property.

According to the Club’s current official membership guidance, a buyer purchasing a Resident Membership-eligible property has 90 days to choose among three paths:

1. Become a full member.
2. Preserve the property’s immediate Resident eligibility for up to five years by placing a deposit equal to 25% of the current joining payment and paying 25% of the current annual dues each year.
3. Elect neither option, which suspends the property’s membership eligibility. Reinstatement then carries a fee equal to 75% of the current joining payment.

Ownership of an eligible property therefore creates the opportunity to join, but it is not the same as automatically receiving an active membership.

Joining payments, annual dues, deposits, assessments, policies and eligibility rules can change. Buyers should obtain written confirmation directly from the Club before purchasing rather than relying solely on listing remarks or historical figures.

For a deeper explanation of the 90-day decision and property-specific eligibility, read Port Royal Club Eligibility: The Hidden Price Driver in Naples.

Why Club Eligibility Must Be Verified Before an Offer

In most neighborhoods, a private-club question can be addressed after a buyer selects the home.

In Port Royal, it should be addressed before the offer is written.

Two properties can appear comparable in location, construction quality and waterfront access while carrying different Club rights or status. The distinction can influence both the buyer’s intended lifestyle and the property’s market position.

Before purchasing, determine:

• Whether the property currently carries Resident Membership eligibility
• Whether that eligibility is immediate, preserved, suspended or otherwise restricted
• Whether a prior owner made an election affecting the property
• Which fees would apply to the new buyer
• When the buyer’s 90-day decision period begins
• Whether any pending assessment or capital obligation applies
• What documentation confirms the property’s current status

The listing agent’s description is not a substitute for confirmation from the Club and review by the buyer’s attorney.

What the New Club Means for Port Royal Buyers

The rebuilt Club strengthens Port Royal’s lifestyle proposition, but it does not make every Port Royal property interchangeable.

A buyer should still evaluate the underlying real estate independently.

For boating-focused buyers

Review:

• Canal width
• Water depth
• Bridge clearances
• Dock dimensions
• Vessel capacity
• Wake exposure
• Turning radius
• Travel time to Gordon Pass

A Club-eligible property with compromised boating may still be inferior to another property that better accommodates the buyer’s vessel and daily use.

For Gulf-front buyers

Review:

• Direct-beach versus elevated Gulf positioning
• Dune and vegetation sightlines
• Exposure and sunset orientation
• Setbacks and buildable envelope
• Storm-resilience considerations
• Privacy from beach activity
• Replacement cost

For new-construction buyers

Review:

• Architect and builder
• Elevation and current building standards
• Interior scale and ceiling heights
• Construction quality
• Completion timing
• Landscaping maturity
• Technology and building systems
• Whether the design will remain relevant at resale

The new Club enhances the neighborhood, but the residence, land and waterfront function remain the foundation of the purchase.

Port Royal vs. a Branded Residence

The new Port Royal Club also creates an interesting alternative for buyers comparing a private estate with a branded condominium residence.

A branded development such as Four Seasons, Rosewood or The Ritz-Carlton generally combines the residence, service platform and amenities within one managed property.

Port Royal separates those components:

• The buyer owns a private single-family estate
• The owner controls the home, land, dock and outdoor environment
• Eligible ownership provides the opportunity to join the separate private beach club
• The Club supplies dining, wellness, beach, tennis and social experiences outside the home

Port Royal may be preferable for buyers who want privacy, land, yacht access and separation from shared residential buildings.

A branded residence may be preferable for someone prioritizing extensive in-residence services, security, property management and a true lock-and-leave ownership model.

For buyers weighing those lifestyles, see the comparison of Rosewood, Four Seasons and The Ritz-Carlton Residences Naples.

Should You Buy Before or After the Club Reopens?

There is no universal answer.

Buying before the reopening allows a buyer to evaluate current Port Royal inventory while the finished Club experience is still emerging. The tradeoff is relying partly upon plans, construction progress and projected operations.

Waiting until after opening provides greater certainty. Buyers will be able to experience the completed spaces, understand how the Club operates and assess which amenities become part of their actual routine.

However, waiting does not guarantee:

• More suitable inventory
• Better pricing
• Lower membership costs
• More negotiating leverage
• Availability of a preferred waterfront position

The decision should be based on the quality of the individual property and the buyer’s timeframe—not on a speculative prediction about how the market will react to the Club opening.

Port Royal Buyer Due-Diligence Checklist

Before purchasing a Port Royal property, a buyer should evaluate four separate layers.

The property

• Lot dimensions and buildable area
• Elevation and flood considerations
• Age and quality of construction
• Renovation or replacement requirements
• Privacy, exposure and view corridors

The waterfront

• Gulf, bay or canal frontage
• Dockage and lift capacity
• Water depth
• Navigational restrictions
• Bridge exposure
• Speed and route to the Gulf

The Club

• Confirmed property eligibility
• Current membership status
• Joining payment and annual dues
• Applicable deposits or reinstatement costs
• Buyer’s 90-day election deadline
• Assessments and capital obligations
• Current reopening and amenity schedule

The transaction

• Survey and title review
• Property and membership documentation
• Insurance availability and cost
• Inspection and seawall evaluation
• Construction or renovation feasibility
• Total carrying and replacement costs

At Port Royal’s price level, small differences in these categories can translate into significant differences in value and usefulness.

The Bottom Line

The new Port Royal Club is designed to restore the social center of the neighborhood while expanding it into a more complete beachfront lifestyle environment.

Its planned 62,000-square-foot clubhouse brings together Gulf-view dining, an indoor-outdoor Sunset Bar, casual and à la carte restaurants, private dining, wine storage, event spaces, a beachfront pool, cabanas, fitness, spa and tennis.

For Port Royal owners, the value is not simply access to more amenities. It is the ability to combine a private estate and boating lifestyle with a members-only Gulf-front gathering place inside the neighborhood.

For buyers, the Club should be evaluated carefully but never in isolation. Property eligibility, waterfront function, land quality, architecture and total cost remain equally important.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Port Royal Club?

The Port Royal Club is a private, members-only beach club located at 2900 Gordon Drive in Naples. Membership is associated with ownership of eligible Port Royal properties.

Why is the Port Royal Club being rebuilt?

The original clubhouse was lost following Hurricane Ian. The Club elected to create a new ground-up clubhouse designed around current member needs rather than simply reproduce the former building.

How large is the new Port Royal Club?

The official clubhouse plan describes an approximately 62,000-square-foot, two-story principal clubhouse with an additional lower beach-and-pool level.

What amenities are planned?

Official materials feature Gulf-view casual and à la carte dining, the Sunset Bar, private dining, an after-dinner lounge, ballroom, wine storage, beachfront pool, pool bar, cabanas, fitness center, spa, tennis facilities and private beach access.

When will the new Port Royal Club open?

The original official plan targeted Summer 2026. Because that was an estimated construction timeline, buyers should contact the Club for the current opening date and confirm whether individual amenities will begin operating in phases.

Is the Port Royal Club open to the public?

No. It is a private members-only beach club.

Can any Port Royal homeowner join?

Membership is associated with eligible Port Royal properties, but buyers should not assume that every property has the same status. Eligibility and current membership standing should be confirmed directly with the Club.

Does purchasing an eligible home automatically make the buyer a member?

No. The buyer has 90 days after purchasing an eligible property to become a full member, preserve eligibility under the Club’s deposit structure or take no action and allow the property’s status to become suspended.

How long can a buyer preserve eligibility without becoming a full member?

The Club’s current public guidance states that immediate Resident eligibility may be retained for up to five years by placing the required deposit and paying the specified portion of annual dues each year.

Are current membership costs publicly guaranteed?

No. Joining payments, dues, assessments and policies are subject to change. Buyers should request a dated written schedule directly from the Club before making a purchasing decision.

Is Port Royal gated?

No. Port Royal is not a gated community. Its privacy comes from large estate parcels, low density, waterfront separation and its southern Naples location.

Private Port Royal Buyer Advisory

Port Royal is not a market where price per square foot alone determines value.

Club eligibility, waterfront function, lot quality, elevation, architecture, replacement cost and access to current or off-market opportunities can all materially affect the right purchasing strategy.

I provide confidential buyer advisory for Port Royal estates, luxury new construction and Naples’ leading branded residential developments.

Explore Port Royal real estate, request private buyer advisory or schedule a private consultation.

You may also call Johnathan Shirey directly at (239) 560-9340.

Club plans, amenities, policies, membership eligibility, joining payments, dues, assessments, construction schedules and opening dates are subject to change. Buyers should verify all Club information directly and consult their own legal, tax, insurance and construction professionals before purchasing.