PORTOFINO BAY HOTEL Information

[damo]

Just wanted to give you a mini review of our recent 5 night stay at Portofino Bay Hotel. We checked in Oct 27th - Nov 1st.

Upon arrival we checked in and our room was ready. We were assigned room 1132 in the east wing with a bay view. The room was on the bottom floor and as soon as we walked in I noticed an insane amount of dust/build up all over the room. The furniture was extremely dusted, rug not vaccumed and the comforter was dingy and dirty. I immediately went to the front desk and spoke with Whitney she was wonderful. I asked her if there were any new recently renovate rooms we could be placed in. Without hesitation she apologized for the poor condition of the room. We came to find out that it was a pet friendly room and while I love my dog the thought of laying in a bed where a million other dogs once were is a serious turn off.

Whitney placed us in a newly renovated room 1220. The room was beautiful the bed was amazing!!! it was hands down the best mattress I ever slept in and we have a heavenly mattress at home. Whitney left an adorable candy display in our room and a note wishing us a wonderful stay.

The new rooms are great you can tell they changed the rugs, bedding, painted new carpets. The furniture however is still the same from the old rooms with the exception of the chairs near the table. If they were going to renovate they should have replaced the furniture as well.

The grounds were beautiful despite the construction outside we never heard noise even during the day. The walk to IOA, universal studios is not bad at all sometimes we walked, did the rickshaw took the boat it depended on our mood the majority of the time we walked and it was not bad at all.

Due to hurricane sandy we had to stay an additional night dennis at the front desk was wonderful with accomodating our extra night stay.

I would def stay at the portofino again the staff everywhere we encountered were seriously super pleasant and super duper nice.

We ate at mamma della's and the food was awesome again!

If i think of anything else I will come back and write some more overall we loved our stay there at the portofino and despite the bad first room it didnt ruin our trip at all. imo it really pays to speak up when you are not happy with a room after all you are paying alot to stay there why not get your money's worth

Renovations were done many years ago (2005/2006). Weird that they still had rooms from before the renovations. It sounds like a room that isn't often used. I wonder if someone gave it to you by mistake.

 

[LMO429]

Renovations were done many years ago (2005/2006). Weird that they still had rooms from before the renovations. It sounds like a room that isn't often used. I wonder if someone gave it to you by mistake.

They just renovated rooms in the east wing started from the 5th floor down. The staff told us the room renovations just took place 2 months ago. the first floor of the east wing has not be worked on yet and is the pet friendly floor. You could see from outside the open windows the rooms that were renovated and the ones that were not..you could tell easily from the paint on the wall (the new rooms have a blueish accent wall) and the new head rests are apolstered beige..the old rooms have green heads boards made of wood.

 

[damo]

They just renovated rooms in the east wing started from the 5th floor down. The staff told us the room renovations just took place 2 months ago. the first floor of the east wing has not be worked on yet and is the pet friendly floor. You could see from outside the open windows the rooms that were renovated and the ones that were not..you could tell easily from the paint on the wall (the new rooms have a blueish accent wall) and the new head rests are apolstered beige..the old rooms have green heads boards made of wood.

Very cool!!! I wonder if this means they are starting to renovate all the rooms again! This is the first news of actual room renovations...we knew they were doing work outside but not inside yet. Excellent! Do you have any photos?

Just found this in trip advisor....very nice!

<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g34515-d123528-Loews_Portofino_Bay_Hotel_at_Universal_Orlando-Orlando_Florida.html"><img alt="Photos of Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando, Orlando" src="http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/f9/04/42/loews-portofino-bay-hotel.jpg"/></a><br/>This photo of <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34515-d123528-Reviews-Loews_Portofino_Bay_Hotel_at_Universal_Orlando-Orlando_Florida.html">Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando</a> is courtesy of TripAdvisor

 

[LMO429]

Yes they are renovating all the rooms. Even the carpets in the hallways have been replaced. I didn't take pictures but on tripadvisor someone has a pic of the new room u can see the blue accent wall and the new headboard scones etc. I could tell walking back to the resort there were some renovated rooms in the west wing but they are def in the east Wing with the exception of the first floor right now. If anyone is checking in specifically ask for a Renovated room they will give u one. That is what I did and I was granted a newly renovated road just had a slight bump with the first room so glad I spoke up I usually don't but it wound up working out for us

 

[JanaJohn]

The walk to IOA, universal studios is not bad at all sometimes we walked, did the rickshaw took the boat it depended on our mood the majority of the time we walked and it was not bad at all.

Do you remember what it cost to take the rickshaw over to the parks?

 

[LMO429]

Do you remember what it cost to take the rickshaw over to the parks?

they work on tips..we tipped them 10 bucks..i think 5 bucks would be enough.

we only used the ripshaw on the mornings we missed the boat and wanted to get to ioa for harry potter.


you really do not need to be at harry potter exactly at 8am..even if you get there by 830 it still plenty of times to do the main things ollivanders/forbidden joureny in enough time especially during the slower times of the year.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Does anyone have pics/video of the new rooms, including the bathroom?

 

[Daryl]

This doesn't include the bathroom, but here's a link to a time lapse view of the room renovation.
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2...ir_Rooms_Renovation_with_New_Time-Lapse_Video

 

[sonofanarchy]

Thanks. I saw that mentioned earlier.

I don't know. Is it just me or are the new rooms kind of ugly and not as transporting as the old ones?

 

[Daryl]

I wouldn't say ugly, but I agree with your point. The old rooms really had a great continental touch that was charming and as you say "transporting". These rooms just don't look as unique to my eye.

 

[sonofanarchy]

I wouldn't say ugly, but I agree with your point. The old rooms really had a great continental touch that was charming and as you say "transporting". These rooms just don't look as unique to my eye.

I really dislike the beds and the lamps with the little balls hanging from them in between the bed. And the color is very sterile and cold. That's a perfect word - "Unique". It's lost that.

 

[damo]

I dunno. I like the new rooms better. The old rooms were looking like a cheap imitation of old world charm lately. When good furniture wears it looks charming. When cheap furniture wears it looks tacky. The rooms were starting to look very tacky.

 

[glocon]

I definitely like the new look of the rooms better. Never considered staying there because I didn't like the look of the rooms before, and since I am the family planner, no PBH for us. Now I LOVE the look of the rooms. The blue and white color scheme is so cool and soothing. I think that the old colors were warmer, but in Florida cooler colors are what I would gravitate to.

 

[RMulieri]

I dunno. I like the new rooms better. The old rooms were looking like a cheap imitation of old world charm lately. When good furniture wears it looks charming. When cheap furniture wears it looks tacky. The rooms were starting to look very tacky.

agree with this.I really like the new decor.Can't wait to see it in august

 

[dsmom]

the pictures do not do them justice. stayed in a new room last december and

they were georgous!! i loved everything about them! we are staying in a PB

suite this thursday and can not wait !!

 

[Daryl]

That's very good to hear! I was very happy with my last stay at Portofino. Stayed at the hard rock a few months ago but I must say I missed the charm of Portofino bay. I love the old color scheme. It got away from the Blues and whites that you find in almost every other Florida hotel. Or maybe it's just that I've had so many great memories and I'm worried about losing the familiar setting. It's exciting to hear from folks that the refurbishment is tasteful and attractive. Looking forward to my next stay this summer. Hope you have a wonderful trip on Thursday!

 

[FoursCompany]

Oh I LOVE the new decor and we are *this* close to booking for 7 nights at the end of May. We are booked at Parc Solieil but are probably going to cancel and stay at Portofino instead as we are only doing Universal Studios this trip.

We did Disney last year, and let me tell you it's hard to find a hotel that tops AKL (the most amazing resort ever, IMO). This one seems very nice but in a different way. Hubby and I are looking for some romance this time.

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

I read on another thread that the HRH has fridges now, does PBH? Thanks,

 

[damo]

I read on another thread that the HRH has fridges now, does PBH? Thanks,

Nope and neither does Royal Pacific.

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

Crap!