Despite the uneven economy, new hotels and resorts are opening right and left (or east and west as the case may be) around Florida.

Since the serious onset of recession in 2008, about a dozen top-scale and boutique resorts -- plus a smattering of brand-name properties -- have opened in gutsy defiance of predictions and indicators. Many more are slated to open by the end of the year.

Here's a look at what some new resorts have to offer.

NAPLES BAY

NAPLES

Naples Bay Resort, opened February 2008

The Edge: Boutique feel, big resort services

The 411: www.naplesbayresort.com, 239-530-1199; $129-$239

Swank and boating-oriented, it possesses all the posh, polish, and incredible dining it takes to steal the hearts of Naples' visitors who thought the Ritz and Naples Grande were the only top-of-the-line options in town.

By combining private yacht and recreation club settings with an Italian-motif boutique resort, Naples Bay offers guests amenities that include boat docking and rentals. A short walk away, a playtime complex contains a lush lazy river, and four pools -- lap, zero-entry family, waterfall and adults-only -- plus an intimate spa, fitness center with personalized readouts on every weight machine; and friendly pool bar and grill.

A free shuttle makes the short distance to the recreation club and also drives to the nearest beaches (stocked with beach towels and bottled water). The yacht club is part of the main hotel and includes a handsome, nicely nautical waterside lounge.

Plushly appointed accommodations with whirlpool tubs range from hotel rooms to one- and two-bedroom suites to cottages.

Olio on Naples Bay, a harborside restaurant, combines Italian and Napa Valley styles for something entirely novel and luscious. Naples' main drag Fifth Street South is a quick walk away for a dozen or so other top-of-the-line dining options.

WESTIN IMAGINE

ORLANDO

Westin Imagine, opened April 2008

The Edge: At the Convention Center's doorstep

The 411: www.westinimagineorlando.com, 407- 233-2200; $149-$559 off-season.

Every weekday, Westin Imagine hosts ``unwind hour,'' which could include anything from chair massages to an international cheese tasting. That's in addition to the usual perks associated with the Westin brand -- the Heavenly Bed, dual showerheads, fine dining et al.

The new 12-story tower holds 315 rooms and one- and two-bedroom suites decorated art-deco style in soothing pastels, equipped with 32-inch HDTV LED televisions.

Fiorella's Cucina Toscana, the resort's signature restaurant, combines Tuscan charm and casual contemporary elegance with original blown-glass art pieces decorating its walls. The menu too takes its cues from Tuscany and northern Italy.

The restaurant caters to families, as does the hotel itself with a kids program, a lagoon-style pool, and free transportation to the theme parks. A state-of-the-art workout center and in-room massages round out the amenities.

PARROT KEY

KEY WEST

Parrot Key, opened May 2008

The Edge: Spacious townhouses ideal for families

The 411: www.parrotkeyresort.com, 305-809- 2200; $214-$344 in August, $214-$404 (excluding holidays) September through December.

Singh Resorts opened a look-alike to its Tranquility Bay Resort in Marathon to resemble an old-fashioned beach community with picket fences and rocking-chair porches. The beach here, fringed with mangroves at the edge of Florida Bay, is manmade and the property more compact than Tranquility Bay -- 74 units on five acres.

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