Universal's Portofino Bay Hotel, A Loews Hotel
- Travlgrrl
- First Reviewer
- 5 out of 5
- Avg. Member Rating
- 31
- Reviews
-
5
- Photos
great hotel...new traditional vacation
- May 12, 2009
- Rated 5 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
My teenage daughter went here a few years ago with her friend's family and LOVED it. So the next summer we decided to take a family trip to Universal Studios and stayed at the Portofino and I have to say it was the best vacation we have ever had. My husband and I stayed at the hotel realxing while the three kids (16,14,13) did the parks. The kids love that your room key acts like a fast pass at the parks (2hour long wait cut down to less than 10minute wait for rides). Also the free boat shuttle to the parks and back is very easy and convinient ( about a 10 minute boat ride to city walk)
We decided to spend a little extra money and got the deluxe room which included acess to the deluxe suite lounge..this provided us with food services every couple of hours so we did not even have to buy the pricey hotel food and there was also complementary soad bottles and fiji waters in there all the time for you to take as you please. The room is super nice..the beds are especially comfortable..and the staff is all very friendly and helpful. It is a classier hotel with a very sophisticated feel but is very family friendly, although I do not reccomend very young children because there are not that many childish activities.
Overall this hotel is a great place for families with older children and teens to relax and enjoy a fun vacation..we come every summer for 3 nights and have an amazing time every trip!!
Editor Pick
The Portofino Bay Hotel: A Touch of Italy
- April 15, 2009
- Rated 2 of 5 by
Troobabiee7 from Brooklyn, New York
The Portofino Bay Resort is Universal Orlando's signature resort. It's the place to find La Dolce Vita, or "The Sweet Life" on your Universal Orlando vacation. Themed after the Portofino Village of Italy, the multi-colored buildings set against the vast array of harbors and waterways makes for a unique experience in the middle of Florida. Located on the far edge of the property, Portofino Bay is tranquil and relaxing. While it's very much a family-friendly resort, it's the most adult-oriented of the three Universal hotels, providing a quiet respite from the non-stop action of the theme parks.
There are several different categories of rooms at the Hard Rock Hotel, and all are relatively expensive for what you get. Garden View rooms are the standard here, with either a king bed or two queens, and a pretty view out over one of the many gardens dotting the property for around $200 a night. Looking for a different view? Bay View rooms come with the same bedding arrangement and a view out over the unique harbor surrounding the resort, for an extra $50 a night. Is it worth it? Honestly, no. We stayed in a Garden View room and liked it a lot. The gardens were gorgeous, and we didn't spend much time in the room to begin with. Beautiful views out over the harbor and waterways are provided from many public areas around the resort which can save you some money at an already-expensive hotel.
Deluxe Rooms are also available if you're looking for something a little bigger. For $350 a night you can get an over-sized room and bathroom, a VCR and CD player, and a view out over the pool. These rooms, though, are honestly the biggest rip-off's in the place. There are only three Deluxe rooms available which give them an air of exclusivity, but you're really just paying $150 more for a VCR, CD player, and a view out over the screaming kids in the pool. I say stick with the Garden View rooms. Regardless of which category of room you decide on, all three levels come with the same basic amenities - signature cotton robes, movies-on-demand, a coffee maker, a hair dryer and ironing board, and WiFi Access (for an additional $10 a day). You also get free Front-of-the-Line Access to all of the Universal theme park rides simply for staying at a Universal resort.
When it comes to recreation and entertainment, the Portofino Bay Hotel isn't as rockin' as the nearby Hard Rock Hotel (or as exotic as the Royal Pacific Resort next door), but it offers plenty of opportunities for relaxation and fun. There are three unique pools all offering a variety of amenities - a children's pool for the little ones, a beach pool with a sandy bottom and Roman Aqueduct slide, and a quiet pool complete with private cabanas available to rent hourly. Also on property is the Mandara Spa. With massages, face and body treatments, hair and nail care, a full-sized gym and a sauna, it's one of the top places in central Florida to relax and get pampered.
With eight restaurants and lounges, the Campo Portofino Kid's Club (with available babysitting services), pet-friendly rooms (a big plus for my family) and nightly musical performances of Italian classics, the Portofino Bay hotel is the place to stay if you seek true peace and quiet in the midst of the loud and crazy Universal Resort. As luxurious and gorgeous as it is, though, it does come off feeling slightly cold and impersonal. Everything (from the rooms to the restaurants) seemed overpriced on our trip, and it was all very stuffy considering the fact that we were in the middle of an Orlando theme park resort. The hotel can't be overlooked thanks to its overwhelming beauty, and we didn't run into a single problem during our stay, but I don't think I would stay here again. The rooms are too expensive, the food was just so-so (with the exception of Mama Della's), and the atmosphere was almost too upscale for a family looking for a week of relaxation and fun in central Florida.
From journal Universal Studios Resorts: Get Swept Away
Awesome Vacation
- April 8, 2009
- Rated 5 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
The hotel was wonderful. There were several restaurants at the resort and 3 beautiful pools. It was a nice relaxing time and I would definitely stay again. I would recommend the stone oven pizza at Sal's and the morning breakfast at the resort restaurant. Portifino Bay was simply a great time. We traveled there to relax for the week and spent a lot of time at the Villa Pool. There were mostly adults at this pool while the other pool entertained the little ones. There is a water shuttle to take to you to City Walk or Universal Studios. Even though we didn't do the park scene, We enjoyed City Walk for other great restaurants and things to do.
TIP: I would bring my own snacks for the room. The food is a little expensive. The mini bar charged $5.30 for one 12 oz can of Coke.
Beautiful Place - Service terrible!
- October 22, 2008
- Rated 3 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
upon arrival bellman took luggage and disapeared! It took 4 phone calls and over 2 hours to locate luggage. Finlly at 2AM, I went to lobby and found our luggage (including laptops) siting on an unattended cart in the center of the lobby. No on ebehind the desk, or anywhere in vicinity! In the morning, housekeeping pounded on the door and insisted they MUST clean the room - even after I requested time to wake up. Charged for a pet deposit???? and no pet!
Every little thing has an add on price! Pool closes early. So much for relaxing after doing the park all day!
Other than that the facility was gorgeous and rooms clean and cozy.
Beyond Expectations
- August 27, 2008
- Rated 5 of 5 by
a traveler from Travelocity.com
This was the best hotel that we have ever stayed in. The hotel was clean and beautifully kept. The staff was very friendly and responded to any request quickly. The room key as a fast pass was a plus - it made it possible to not only do a park in a single day, but to see the things we wanted to over again. There were a variety of ways to get to the park and easy access to many different resturants and stores. We plan to stay here again in the future.