Portofino Bay - Help Me with Room Category and Resort Location

[Long Beach Mike]

Hi All,

I'm going with my family (myself, wife, DDs ages 9 and 10) to PB April 25-30th. I previously asked all on the forum about PB vs. HRH, and received great advice that helped cement PB as my choice.

I'll be going on an APH discount rate, and have as my options garden view at $209/night, bay view at $249/night, and deluxe at $279/night. Club level does have an APH rate currently, and at $353/night, and is price point I'm not willing to go to.

I've looked over the resort map, and feel the best location for my room would be the West Wing, which will give us quick access to the Beach Pool and the Garden Pool. Our family spends a lot of time at the pool each morning, going to the parks at about noon each day, so being near the main pools is a big plus. It seems the East Wing would put us a bit of a haul from these locations.

I was hoping you could give me advice/your experiences regarding which room category will give me the best chance of getting a room suited to our needs. Right now we are booked for a bay view room, but I'm kind of torn by my other options. I could go the cheapest route with a garden view room and save over $200, and leave to chance what my view/resort location will be. Or I can go up $150 with a deluxe room, get some more space, and by the description of the deluxe category guarantee a view of the Beach or Villa Pools.

I'd love to hear all your thoughts on:
1) How much larger/better are the deluxe rooms over the garden view rooms?
2) Which views you like best, bay view, beach pool, villa pool, or something else?
3) I realize there are only a very limited # of rooms with balconies, but is there a particular room category that would make me eligible or give me the best shot to get a balcony room?

If this helps at all, we recently stayed at the Grand Floridian for 8 nights and loved our 3rd floor garden view room in Boca Chica, which looked right over the main pool and allowed us to see our DDs in the pool from our room. A similar view at PB would be very appealing, unless a bay view is just absolutely breathtaking. This thought process is having me lean toward upgrading to a deluxe room, giving us more space an apparent guaranteed view of the Beach or Villa Pool.

Sorry this is long winded, and thanks in advance for any advice/insight you can provide

 

[Long Beach Mike]

sorry, meant to say there is not an APH discount on Club Level rooms available currently

 

[damo]

1. The main difference between deluxe and regular is that the deluxe rooms have a separate shower in the bathrooms.
2. My favourite rooms are facing the waterway since you can see the boats coming.
3. The only time I have had a balcony was when I had a villa suite which has a deluxe room with parlor attached. It was nice but definitely not a necessity.

 

[RMulieri]

Last I checked with the resort, rooms with balconies were now being charged extra nightly .You might want to check with the hotel what they are doing now.There aren't all that many rooms with them and many people want one

 

[Lynne G]

I usually only book at a bay view. I don't care, as we don't spend alot of time in our room. I always ask for the west wing, as that's the closest to the boat. I got lucky, last time, they upgraded me to a villa room, and I told my kids don't get used to it. I don't think you could go wrong with whatever you choose.

 

[keishashadow]

We've never had a balcony there, and while it's nice to peek out the window at the bay, tend to book garden view for the cost savings.

I've given up asking for a specific wing, other than room next to ice maker have never had an issue there. We are fortunate to typicaly secure a youfirst suite upgrade. If your budget allows, consider booking one of them.

 

[Long Beach Mike]

Thank you for everybody's replies!

Keishshadow, how does youfirst suite upgrade work, I am not familiar with it?

 

[keishashadow]

Thank you for everybody's replies!

Keishshadow, how does youfirst suite upgrade work, I am not familiar with it?

make sure to sign up for membership (before your trip) and attach your # to first reservation.

https://www.loewshotels.com/youfirst/benefits

 

[carmelhp]

make sure to sign up for membership (before your trip) and attach your # to first reservation.

https://www.loewshotels.com/youfirst/benefits

Don't you have to attain the next level of membership (other than blue) either before or during your stay (more than 4 nights I believe)?

 

[Long Beach Mike]

Hi KeishaShadow, thanks for the info! I'm already signed up from my trip last year to Miami Beach and have my reservation attached to the #.

I was at Blue level until last month, but since I didn't stay at a Loews property for the previous 12 months dropped back to Member. I guess I'll just wait until check-in and see if they can do anything for me. I'm checking in on a Monday the last week up April, so hopefully they'll have some higher categories they can bump me up to.

Thank you again!

 

[keishashadow]

Hi KeishaShadow, thanks for the info! I'm already signed up from my trip last year to Miami Beach and have my reservation attached to the #.

I was at Blue level until last month, but since I didn't stay at a Loews property for the previous 12 months dropped back to Member. I guess I'll just wait until check-in and see if they can do anything for me. I'm checking in on a Monday the last week up April, so hopefully they'll have some higher categories they can bump me up to.

Thank you again!

How did you like the Miami property? Rates have always been high, so we've skippepd it for other properties when in the area but it looks very cool.

 

[Long Beach Mike]

It is my families top 3 favorite hotels anywhere, right up there with Atlantis in the Bahamas and the Grand Floridian.

We stayed at the Fontainebleau and Loews Miami on a trip wrapping around a Carnival cruise, and absolutely loved Loews soooo much more. The Fontainbleau was way to stuck up and not-kid friendly at all. Loews, on the other hand, was like Disney World on the beach! There were kids activities all day at the pool, and the pool is absolutely stunning and relaxing.

Plus, the hotel is in walking distance to both Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road, so you basically had all of South Beach and Miami Beach at your doorstep. I don't know if they are still doing it, but there was also a Fiat Concierge in the lobby, and they would loan out great little convertibles for several hours for free!

Yeah, the rates are a bit crazy there. We went right before Christmas 2014, leaving on the 12/23. Our rate was in the high $200s/night, but the next day jumped in the $500s.

 

[keishashadow]

It is my families top 3 favorite hotels anywhere, right up there with Atlantis in the Bahamas and the Grand Floridian.

We stayed at the Fontainebleau and Loews Miami on a trip wrapping around a Carnival cruise, and absolutely loved Loews soooo much more. The Fontainbleau was way to stuck up and not-kid friendly at all. Loews, on the other hand, was like Disney World on the beach! There were kids activities all day at the pool, and the pool is absolutely stunning and relaxing.

Plus, the hotel is in walking distance to both Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road, so you basically had all of South Beach and Miami Beach at your doorstep. I don't know if they are still doing it, but there was also a Fiat Concierge in the lobby, and they would loan out great little convertibles for several hours for free!

Yeah, the rates are a bit crazy there. We went right before Christmas 2014, leaving on the 12/23. Our rate was in the high $200s/night, but the next day jumped in the $500s.

thanks - you had me until reading Disney World on the beach lol. Our trips to Miami are usually kid-free pre-cruise.

 

[dsmom]

We have stayed deluxe and standard ,not much difference to us. I love bay view but our favorite room ever was deluxe room 2663. It was top floor with full balcony right over the beach pool. What was nice is you could see disneys fireworks on the balcony at night.

We have stayed Loews Miami beach twice, our favorite resort ever! Last time there we were upgraded to suite on top floor with huge balcony. Can't wait to go back.