Portofino Bay Resort Club Level Pictures 2011

[vinotinto]

I just got back from there last week.They are trying out a new evening menu.We were there Sunday- Thurs and the meals were:
Sunday_mussels and pasta
Monday-Pork loin and mashed potatoes
Tues-Asian Stirfry with rice
Wed-Chicken Marsala and pasta
Th-Mexican beef and rice
There is a Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Zinfandel , 2 red wines ( can't remeber what they were) and Perini beer, Bud, Heinken and bud light
They also have cut up veggies, cheese,crackers,dip and fruit
Lunch time/afternoon- granola bars, goldfish crackers, pretzels, terra chips sodas ,water, lemonade, iced tea

breakfast- Individual boxes of cereal,Oikos greek yogurt cups, granola ,fruit, oatmeal ( with option to add cinnamon/brown sugar/nutmeg),Pastries( danish/cinnamon rolls), Breads/rolls/bagels (toasters available- cream cheese/butter/jams/jellies/peanut butter), hardboiled eggs.coffees/OJ/teas ( coffee is starbucks)

dessert- Choco. chip cookies/small desserts ( they changed nightly..Tiramisu, flan,Creme Brulee,spongecake..few others I can't remembr)

Thanks for posting this! We're currently booked CL at Portofino. Still trying to decide if it's worth the extra $$ over a regular room. This is very helpful though, as I don't eat pasta, but do eat mussles, pork loin, chicken marsala, stir-fry, etc. Sounds like you could make a meal out of this. Is the food good or just OK?

Also good to know that they have hard-boiled eggs in the am, as that is basically what I eat in the mornings.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

What time does the CL open in the morning? I remember is was always after we left for early entry.

 

[RMulieri]

Club lounge at Universal is on par with disney. It is very good and yes you can easily make a meal out of the evening food.There was also a salad each night ( one night a bean salad, one a pasta salad, green salad etc).We thought the food was MUCH better than it used to be and it was not that bad last time.We thought it was worth every penny, and we are cheap by most standards.
The club lounge at Portofino opens earlier than the other 2 resorts,It opens at 7am ( not convenient if early entry is at that time, but last week early entry was at 8am and that was PLENTY of time to eat and be at the park for opening).

 

[vinotinto]

Any recent pics of the 2 Queen Club romms? What is a good request to put in for nice view? Location?> Do all the rooms have a sofa bed or only some?

 

[RMulieri]

Any recent pics of the 2 Queen Club romms? What is a good request to put in for nice view? Location?> Do all the rooms have a sofa bed or only some?

Most of the club level rooms are located in the villas wing.They have a view of the Beach pool( main pool) with the studios themepark in the distance or the Villas pool ( one of the quiet pools ).I have had both and preferred the Beach pool view but I liked that I could see Rip Ride Rocket in the distance from my room.
It was my understanding that they got rid of the sofa beds.Someone may know more, but we had a deluxe queen room and a lounge chair /ottoman
The renovated rooms look exactly like the pics posted on the PBH renovations thread.

 

[vinotinto]

Most of the club level rooms are located in the villas wing.They have a view of the Beach pool( main pool) with the studios themepark in the distance or the Villas pool ( one of the quiet pools ).I have had both and preferred the Beach pool view but I liked that I could see Rip Ride Rocket in the distance from my room.
It was my understanding that they got rid of the sofa beds.Someone may know more, but we had a deluxe queen room and a lounge chair /ottoman
The renovated rooms look exactly like the pics posted on the PBH renovations thread.

Thank you!

 

[vinotinto]

We just got back from a long, holiday weekend (Columbus Day weekend) at the PBH Club Level.

It was very relaxing, and we really enjoyed it.

Here is what was offered:

Evening (5:00 - 7:00)
Friday
Antipasti - we arrived too late for the "hot" offerings/antipasti
Hot Offering - we arrived too late for the "hot" offerings
Dessert (8:00 - 9:00) - mini tiramisu, cookies

Saturday
Antipasti - Pasta salad
Hot Offering - Seafood stew (mussles, shrimp, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) and linguini
Dessert - mini crema catalana, cannolis, cookies

Sunday
Antipasti - Pea and bean salad
Hot Offering - pork cutlet with green apples and mashed potatoes
Dessert - mini chocolate cake, mini creme brulee

Breakfast was what was indicated earlier (7:00 - 10:30)
One table with Kellogg's cereals and hot oatmeal (with raisins, cinnamon as toppings)
One table with assorted pastries (mini croissants, muffins, etc.)
Bagels, bread, cream cheese, smucker's peanut butter (and two toasters)
Fruit salad (pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew)
Strawberries
Oikos Greek yogurt
Chilled hard boiled eggs
Coffee, tea, OJ

Wine and beer from 5:00 - 7:00 pm

Assorted snacks from 12:00 - 3:30
Coke, Sprite, Dasani, iced tea, lemonade
Terra chips
Popcorn
Pretzels
granola bars
Goldfish
Cracker jack

Overall, we found club level to be relaxing. We saw the staff working hard to keep things replenished and the club clean. I appreciated the hot protein offerings (seafood stew and pork) and the protein choices in the am (yogurt and eggs) the most. I think it's a good choice for short trips. The staff was very nice.

Regarding value, we may or may not do it again the future. It's like going to a restaurant that has one appetizer choice, one dinner choice, only continental breakfast and you need to serve yourself. Especially since we did not get in until about 8 pm, it may have been better to use the $$ from Club and simply use it towards ordering breakfast and dinner a la carte. Also, this is the only Club Level where (alcoholic) drinks have only been served for 2 hours. Most places have alcohol extended longer or offer cordials or after-diner liqueurs. Breakfast was pretty repetitive. My son was asking to go to a restaurant on the third day.

I hope that helps and I am happy to answer any questions!

 

[3angelsmom]

Very helpful. We're looking forward to our first trip universal and first time staying club level in a few weeks. Thank you for posting!

 

[gopatsgo]

Had great visit at Portofino Club Level March 5 to 8, it was really really good. Only complaint was weather , hotel is stunning and have stayed at Yacht Club, Polynesian, Animal Kingdom and Royal Pacific, and it would be tied with Yacht Club as my Orlando favourite with Animal Kingdom closely behind.

 

[KateMac]

we stay at PB about 3 or 4 times a year.

everytime we have stayed club the food has always been

Italian themed.

They do have coffee makers and coffee in the room.

But, you can also partake of the club level offerings at HRH and RPR. Just present your room card at the front desk. I wish we had known that last year, but we're definitely going to check it out this year.

 

[peaches00]

But, you can also partake of the club level offerings at HRH and RPR. Just present your room card at the front desk. I wish we had known that last year, but we're definitely going to check it out this year.

Are you saying if we stay club level at pbh, we can also go to hr or to club?

 

[JessicaR]

But, you can also partake of the club level offerings at HRH and RPR. Just present your room card at the front desk. I wish we had known that last year, but we're definitely going to check it out this year.

No, that is not an option.

Are you saying if we stay club level at pbh, we can also go to hr or to club?

No.

 

[KateMac]

Are you saying if we stay club level at pbh, we can also go to hr or to club?

I'm sorry, but Jessica is incorrect. You absolutely CAN club hop. From Orlando Informer: "Guests staying in a club level room have access to the club lounges at all three hotels (if you are visiting a hotel other than your own, you have to stop by their front desk first)."

You can find the article, "Comparing Universal Orlando’s three on-site deluxe hotels" on the Orlando Informer website.

(You can pool hop, too!)

 

[KateMac]

See correctly formatted response

 

[KateMac]

No, that is not an option.

I'm sorry, but you are incorrect. Please see my response to the question.

 

[bumbershoot]

I wish we had known that last year, but we're definitely going to check it out this year.

So you haven't actually done it? You are going by an undated article on a different site (not an official site)... Just please temper your excitement, as this is something I have never heard of in 4 years toodling around on the Universal threads.

It would be super cool if it's real. But I'm just not sure that it is. It might have been real at some point, but until someone who has done it recently shows up, I'm not getting excited about it.

 

[bumbershoot]

" Yes, you CAN club hop (and pool hop) with club level "

You can pool hop without club level. That's a known and experienced thing by many of us, simply by being guests of the resorts. (there's a strong question of the extent of hopping between deluxe and Cabana Bay, though)

 

[Bluer101]

Far as I know there is no club hop between the 3 deluxe hotels. I have way to many stays onsite and have never seen or heard or this. Also, with HRH not owned by Loews anymore I doubt they would participate in this. Now pool hop is fine and we do this all the time.

Now for CB is is stated that they can pool hop.

This past weekend I asked a few of the water taxi pilots that we know pretty well about CB. They still have no idea how it's going to handled with CB visitors going to the other resorts by boat from Citywalk. He agreed with me that it would be BS if CB visitors can get on the boats and take boat seats at busy times away from deluxe paying guest. We will see how this pans out. I think at busy times they need to check room keys to be fair.

 

[macraven]

So you haven't actually done it? You are going by an undated article on a different site (not an official site)... Just please temper your excitement, as this is something I have never heard of in 4 years toodling around on the Universal threads.

It would be super cool if it's real. But I'm just not sure that it is. It might have been real at some point, but until someone who has done it recently shows up, I'm not getting excited about it.

i'm not aware of any club lounge hopping either.

i don't know why anyone would want to do that.

either you walk from one hotel to the others or use the water taxi and change at city walk to connect to a different hotel water taxi.

it wouldn't be something i would attempt to do.
call me lazy.............

 

[bumbershoot]

i'm not aware of any club lounge hopping either.

i don't know why anyone would want to do that.

either you walk from one hotel to the others or use the water taxi and change at city walk to connect to a different hotel water taxi.

it wouldn't be something i would attempt to do.
call me lazy.............

I could see if you were spending part of the day at a different pool, might be nice to run up to the club and snag some food if it's a food-time...

But wouldn't that make their planning for how much food to get THAT much harder?

Was stunned at the difference in the pictures from the beginning of this post and the abundance of different foods...vs how it was in Jan of this year. It felt like abundance in January, but not compared to how it used to be! I really could have used those hardboiled eggs shown on the first page, that's for sure!