It's the ME, ME I've been to all THREE thread!!

[Robinrs]

:bounce: All three resorts I mean!! :bounce:

Which is your favorite?

Which is your LEAST favorite?

Why??

It's your turn to compare the Universal Resorts because you've been to all THREE!!

Inquiring minds want to know.... :p

[Muushka]

Favorite: HRH
2nd Favorite: PBH
3rd Favorite: RPR

Reasons: We like the atmosphere at HRH. It is very upbeat and lively. We like the room decor and the memorobilia (is that how you spell that :confused: ) . There is nice landscaping at HRH, lots of greenery. Also great location- so close to the parks.

PBH has beautiful and spacious rooms. The hotel is more formal than HRH. Probably the part we like least is that it is so dead after 8 pm. And the bay area, while beautiful, is very hot in the summer and pretty chilly in the winter with no trees around to shade and keep winds down. A wonderful second choice.

RPR was a very nice hotel. The rooms are a little smaller than the above resorts, and a little dark, but still very nice. A very nice third choice.

We look forward to our HRH visit in Sept, now that we have tried all 3.

[Flyfly_Eclipse]

I haven't been inside the rooms at HRH or PBH, but I've visited both and stayed at RPH...and here are my thoughts...

Favorite: RPH
2nd Fave: HRH
3rd Fave: PBH

RPH is VERY beautiful. Yes, rooms are a bit tiny...but they are the same size as Disney's All-Star Music resort, and this is the (usually) least pricy hotel of the 3, so I have no right to complain. The employees are VERY VERY friendly. It has a nice, large pool and friendly atmosphere (my dad was impersonating Arnold from T2 and fellow employees cracked up...in a nice way. I, myself, found him acting like an idiot, but at least they were nice enough to laugh. :p )

HRH. The is HUGE. Couches, chairs everywhere! Very pretty as well. I LOVE the pool area. I could hear music when sitting on a lounge chair...and even when I'm underwater! Yes, the pool has underwater music. Awesome!! It has a wonderful waterslide that a bunch of kids, including me, love. It holds up to 300lbs so any adults interested...slide in!

The PBH by first glance was "Whoa" It's HUGE. And to top it off...rarely can I ever say "What a pretty elevator"...but at PBH I could. Being the most expensive and probsbly the most romantic hotel, I'd have to say this is my 3rd favorite. It's TOO big. It is like the size of a town! I nearly got lost there, which is not found. I found it difficult to navigate around the property. The main pool, with beautiful stone decor and two slides is nice, but it closed early (about 8PM) and I didn't get to jump in. I guess it's their lap pool that stays open until 11PM. Whoop-pee...not.

[Beckles]

Most Favorite (~4 stays): HRH
Second Most Favorite (~5 stays): PBH
Third Most Favorite (~3 stays): RPR

I've said this many times, but the location of the HRH just can not be beat, there's nothing like the five minute walk to USF and City Walk and the convenience of being able to park your car five minutes from USF and City Walk too ... I love it.

If you take out location, the PBH is my favorite, the rooms are absolutely gorgeous and are not at all "cramped" like the RPR and HRH rooms can be ... The Beach Pool is not as big as the HRH's (because they have three pools), but it's nicer ... the hours can be a bit too short too as mentioned.

The RPR is a fine hotel too, and really can not be beat for the price ... but neither can the HRH or PBH when you get them for a good rate.

Personally, I always shop on price. I usually do not plan my trips very far in advance, so whatever hotel I can get for what I perceive as the best "value", that's where I stay ... that's actually why I stayed at the PBH the past few times, because it was actually less expensive than what was available at the HRH.

Update (11/02/06): Overall my rankings are still the same, but I've found it's become near impossible to stay at the HRH for a decent price so my latest stays have been at the PBH. The RPR is okay, but the pool area just doesn't do it for me and the rooms are just a little too cozy for my tastes.

[WebmasterBarry]

Believe it or not, I've stayed at all 3. My favorite is PBH, but HRH and RPR are nice. HRH is good because it is the closest to the park.

My favorite resort is the one that gives me the best deal. :)

[Robinrs]

It took me long enough but I finally achieved this this weekend.

Here's my synopsis:

Purely based on the hotels themselves:

My Fave: Royal Pacific.

This is my HOME now. I spent so much time in my room there and the staff treated me so wonderfully I will always love this this resort. It's an emotional attachment, I think! The rooms are small but very cozy and comfortable.

My second Fave: Portofino Bay.

The beauty of this hotel speaks for itself. It's a luxurious, incredible hotel, but it's more for romance than a mother travelling with her kid! The bathroom in the deluxe is HUGE and beautiful.

My third: The Hard Rock

This hotel matches me more than the others, but since I work in radio it's not as much of a vacation for me! I like the cooool, though, it's very me.

Location:

Hard Rock -- Hands down the best location. The walk to the parks is so short and comfortable. If you're going for the parks and the UE especially, this is the hotel to choose.

Royal Pacific -- The only hotel close to IOA. You at least have a choice of the walk and the water taxi. The walk is longer than the Hard Rock's but it does end up at IOA!

Portofino -- Unless you're in the West Wing the walk to the boat dock is about as long as the walk from the Hard Rock to USO. I spent more time waiting for the boat than I'd prefer. I was told that there are no deluxe poolview rooms in the West Wing so the next time I'll go standard!!

All three of the hotels are top of the line class acts. The whole umbrella of Loew's follows them and unites them. Preference, price and the amount of time you spend at them can be the deciding factor.

[CDisney]

With my Easter trip, I also have gone three for three, and what amazes me is how happy I'd be to stay at any of them. They're all fantastic.

If pressed to choose, I'm with Robin and have to say that I enjoyed the Royal Pacific the best. I found the ambience very romantic and the kids loved the pool. I think perhaps the introductory $139 Fan Club rate that we got for club level may have colored my perceptions. The staff at the Club level were so friendly and helpful. We were so spoiled.

In April, we had a deluxe pool view at the Portofino Bay and the kids enjoyed exploring this resort. We got such great pictures around the resort and spent a lot of time at the villa pool. The beach pool has the slide, but it was easier to keep track of the kids in the villa pool. When we stayed 'til closing at the parks, there was definitely a line for the boat back to the resort and it was too far to walk at the end of a long day.

Our first experience onsite was the Hard Rock Hotel and nothing can beat its location. I'm sure that as my DSs get older, they'll push for the Hard Rock because its hip and happenin'.

I love staying onsite with access to City Walk. I can't wait to go back. I've got a tentative trip booked for fourth of July at the Hard Rock, but I'm still waiting to find out if my DH is going to have any vacation time.

[Robinrs]

This is a comparison chart for all three hotels posted by UniversalStudios.com: CLICK HERE (http://themeparks.universalstudios.com/orlando/website/resort_hotels/hotel_comparison_guide.html)

[karin037]

1. PBH. The beds are the most comfortable. The rooms are bigger. I love the pool. Mama Della's is great.

2. RPR. I love the South Pacific theme. The landscaping is beautiful. Closest to IOA. Price is cheaper. I enjoyed watching the Torch Lighting Ceremony. Breakfast was great. Pool is very nice, too bad they didn't put in a slide.

3. HRH. Closest to Universal Studios. Pool is great, but very crowded. I didn't think the breakfast was as good as the RPR.

I think all three are wonderful hotels. I prefer the PBH, but I would stay at any of them again. They are beautiful hotels.

[pathubia]

In my humble opinion.....
Drumroll please.....

1-----Tie between RPR and HRH
2-----PBH

I love all three, but I love the "coolness" of the HRH, I mean could it be any cooler.

I love the pool area of the RPR it is so pretty.

The PBH is beautiful but too stuffy for us.

Who knows if I had been to the PBH first it my have been my fav.

I just cant wait to get back!!!

[FeeFeeWhite]

Ask away! - Quick update...

RP - Can't beat the service or path to IOA.

PB - Rooms are huge and restaurants are great!

HR - My kids miss that slide!

[SnowWitch]

1. HRH (2 visits) & PBH ( 1 visit)
2. RPH (1 visit)

My DH and I both believe PBH to be #1 but we're a democratic family so the boys opinions count and they give the #1 spot to the HRH.

PBH is just gorgeous! The beds are so incredibly comfortable. We love the bay area in the late evenings; Order a brick oven pizza and a bottle of wine..... I could sit there for hours.

HRH is just cool. Fabulous location as someone mentioned above. Take the short cut by the pool bar and your at USF in under 2.5 minutes (This is teenager speed). For those of us with less energy its barely 5 minutes and thats stopping to admire the flowering trees.

RPR okay this may not go over well but its our opinion. The hotel is beautiful on the exterior a bit sparse on the interior. The rooms are to small. Club level staff is TOP of the line!! We had serious issues with housekeeping during our stay. " Like them letting someone into one of our rooms because the person said it was their room." Forunately my SIL was in the room at the time. Management response........ oh OOPS!

Now our stay at the PBH was before the dismantling of the Butler club, we also have used HRH club and as mentioned above RPH club level. Where we felt RPH did exceed the others was in this area. They have a fabulous staff which makes or breaks this service in my opinion.

[keriannhoward]

My favorite is RPR mainly because I think it's just as beautiful as PB but much less expensive. I was spoiled by PB because I first stayed there with all the kids and DH (before the baby was born) while they were just building HRH. We got upgraded to the concierge level and lots of comps and just loved it!!

Our next visit, DH and I alone stayed at HRH and it was ok, but I wasn't impressed, too many children screaming and running (and this was in December!) and the decor just seemed a little cheap to me.

I stayed at RPR this past summer with ALL my kids and my mom and really liked the decor and the room size. The only thing I missed was a slide at the pool, but the kids didn't seem to mind a bit.

From now on, we'll stay at RPR.

[Figment22]

Our family has stayed at all three resorts, too. I'd rank them:

#1 - HRH (3 visits)
#2 - PBH (1 visit)
#3 - RPR (1 visit)

1. We LOVE the Hard Rock! I've always been a rock and roll girl and this resort is my idea of heaven. It is just so cool, which is not your normal adjective for any hotel. The location cannot be topped, just a short stroll to USF. (Much shorter than the walk to IOA from RPR). The pool is my favorite. Those underwater speakers are great; it's so relaxing just to float in the water and listen to the tunes. Great slide. Love the dive-in movies and dive-in concerts. My kids loved Lil' Rocks (child care center). My only negative on HRH is the choice of restaurants. Wish they had at least one other option.

2. Portofino Bay is beautiful. The most comfortable hotel beds we have ever slept on. The bathroom was bigger than my youngest son's bedroom at home! Very nice pools. Good slide at the beach pool. Absolutely the best selection for restaurants and shops. I love having Sal's Pizza there. A nice quick, cheaper food option. The Italian soundtrack just doesn't do it for me, though; I much prefer the rock and roll at HRH!

3. OK, we happened to have a not so good experience at RPR. We stayed there about 4 weeks after they opened and they still needed to work out some of the kinks. Specifically, we got tired of being awakened in the middle of the night by fire alarms! There were housekeeping issues also. All that being said, I would stay there again for a good rate. The rooms were nice with several special touches. The theming is beautiful.

That's the beauty of the Universal hotels: You can't go wrong with any of them!

[AlisonB]

Finally made it to all 3!!

It's a really tough call to put them in order - they all have wonderful benefits!

1. RPH
2. PBH
3. HRH

1. Just loved the theming at Royal Pacific - very 'vacationish' and the most wonderful friendly staff!

2. Very quiet and refined hotel, which appeals to me. A little bit spread out for my taste (we had a bit of a trek to get to our room).

3. As I prefer quieter hotels the Portofino just pipped the Hard Rock into second place. I love the short walk to Universal Studios from HRH.

[BONZO]

Well,

As DW has posted above we’ve finally made it to the club and I tend to agree with her comments.

Difficult to place in order as they are all great “upscale” hotels with a different atmosphere to all of them.

1. RPH – I loved this place as much as I love the Poly - The theming is first class, the staff were superb and kids enjoyed the sandy beach and pool area. We had a view of Hulk and Dr Doom from our bedroom which was a view I never tired of.

2. PBH – Very relaxing European feel and had an air of exclusivity about the place. Very quiet and at times I could swear there was tumbleweed blowing through! – LOL

Our room was MASSIVE! – The biggest hotel room I’ve ever stayed in – I guess we must have “lucked out” and had an upgrade (off to check room number).

3. HRH – A different animal altogether. This should have ranked as my “Spiritual home” due to the theming but it was quite busy and bustling. The plus side was the short walk to US avoiding the boat.

[mouseRD]

Anyone have any updates on PBH? Anyone have a great visit there?

[FloridaMom]

We just came back from 4 days at PBH. We stayed at the Club level and loved every minute of it. The staff was great, the room was clean, the beds turndown every evening. They accomodated our requests every time.
The only down side for me was that (depending on where your room is located) the seemingly endless walk to your room....especially after a full day at the parks.... The hotel is huge...
But it is upscale and the grounds are beautiful... I am already planning to go back in August and would not stay anywhere else.

[mouseRD]

Thank you so much for your report; we can't wait for September!

[clarkgriswold]

Most Luxurious: PBH Hands down
Most Cool: HRH
Most economical: RPH

All three are among the best hotels in Orlando, and you can't go wrong with any.

Essentially, after multiple stays at all three, we approach it this way:

1.) Adults-only trip: PBH
2.) Family Trip (with three teens) : HRH
3.) Trip "on the cheap" RPH

[Figment22]

As a member of the Me, Me I've Been to All Three Club, I've been intrigued by this thread since Robin started it over a year ago. It's great to read everyone's comments but I wanted to try to quantify the input a bit. (OK, maybe this is a bit compulsive :teeth: ) Here's what I did: Most posters expressed a 1,2,3 preference so for a #1 rating, I gave the hotel 5 points; for a #2 rating, I gave the hotel 3 points and for a #3 rating, I gave the hotel 1 point. Between the three hotels there would be a total of 9 points per poster. If a tie was indicated, I split the points between the two hotels. For example, the poster indicated a #1 choice which was awarded 5 points but considered the other two hotels equal so I took the remaining 4 points and split them evenly between the two remaining hotels at 2 points each. OK, here goes:

Grand Totals To Date:

At #3 with 35 points: Hard Rock Hotel
At #2 with 39 points: Portofino Bay Hotel and
At #1 with 43 points: Royal Pacific Resort

You'll note I'm being impartial here because if you go back and read my post, you'll see that I have HRH in first place!

So, you can all resume laughing at my statistical analysis now that you've read my data:) (Or maybe you're doing this:rolleyes: )

[Motherfletcher]

Good job! They will probably not tear you up as bad as they did me for taping all of the aerial maps together to calculate the distances though.:crazy:

[lovetheparks]

Favorite: HRH
2nd: PBH
Least: RPR

I love the room sizes at the Portofino but the price is usually just a little more than I like to spend for two of us so with the atmosphere at the Hard Rock, distance to the parks, the Velvet Lounge we just adore for a late night cap and yummy breakfast at the Kitchen, it wins for us hands down.

I was not impressed at all with my recent stay at the Royal Pacific and will not be returning.

[wintermom]

lovetheparks

Thanks for your post but could you give us a little more info
on the down side of RPR?

Thanks
Wintermom

[lovetheparks]

Originally posted by wintermom

Thanks for your post but could you give us a little more info
on the down side of RPR?


The service (that I had anyway) was no where near that of the HRH (even their bad service) or PBH. I'll paste the bulk of the letter I wrote them:

This was my first stay at the Royal Pacific and I'm afraid it will be my last. I have stayed at the Portofino and several times at the Hard Rock and have become accustomed to a certain level of service that the Royal Pacific was sorely lacking. I'll start with my first impression, the service drive/front entrance. I pulled up and was waved over to the left to park. There were 3 men standing around that were not helping guests. I waited a moment in the car and then when noone came over I got out grabbed my bags from the trunk and had to leave my things to walk across to get someone's attention and ask them to check my bags. I know at the Hard Rock they practically swarm you to help. Not here.

Enter the lobby and approach the Loews First express check in line. I was greeted with "you're a Lowe's first member?" Well yeah, I am. When she pulled up the reservation was rather rude about telling me I'd not be getting the welcome gift. Not a big deal, I knew that anyway and I just recently learned of Lowes first so I'm not accustomed to it. The service I found was just not friendly at all and put a very sour taste in my mouth the first 10 minutes on property.

The room was OK- the bathroom could have been a little cleaner (grout either missing or discolored in the tub/shower) and the windows were very dirty but my big problem was with the marked bed sheets. The bottom sheets- that you actually lay on- were not clean. It looked as if someone with black-soled shoes had walked on them. I called star service and asked that someone come up and change them. After almost 2 hours, I went down to the lobby and asked again. This time 2 people came in asked what I needed and when I explained my probelm (for now the 3rd time) they went and got new sheets to change.

I had made reservations for our 10 year wedding anniversary Jan 28-30 but promptly cancelled them the day I checked out. The customer service was severely lacking at this property and I hope that future guests have better experiences than I.

**That's the bulk of my issues. With all that and the room being smaller than both the other hotels, I'd rather pay the little extra to have more room.

[wintermom]

Thanks for the information.

We are staying at the Portofino this time but I keep thinking
I should switch to the RPR . The Portofino's $100.00 a night more than the RPR, but I am the type of person who really enjoys delux hotels so hopefully
it will be worth the money.

Wintermom

[stlrod]

Just got back from the PBH so I am now officially a member of the club. Our favorite is HRH, then RPR amd finally Portofino. Portofino seems dirty-looking to me. The pool was very cold. We had just checked out of the Ritz Carlton before our Portofino stay and there is no comparison in the level of service or the amenities (other than the front of the line access.)

[manhattan]

Been gone from these boards so long...didn't know this thread existed! OK my preferences:

1.PBH
2.HRH
3.RPR

Let me say that all three are great hotels and money being no object I picked the Portofino for first place because it is just so beautiful, the bed is so comfy, the tub and separate shower is wonderful - everything about this resort is just fabulous.

Hard Rock goes second for the pool! Kids just love the slide and even the food is descent.

RPR is beautiful to look at and walk around and I even liked the fact that we were able to walk to Intl drive, but the rooms were a little dark in my opinion, so that is why it is the last of my choice.

[All Aboard]

Count me in. Checked into PBH today and that completes the circuit.

[JessicaR]

Count me in. Checked into PBH today and that completes the circuit.


Ohhh are you gonna check out Bice? What room type did you get? Have a wonderful time, PBH is my favorite!

[Motherfletcher]

Count me in. Checked into PBH today and that completes the circuit.
Congrats on the Trifecta!

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

1) HRH - Decor/Pool/Location/love the lobby
2) RPR - Love the tropical decor/lobby
3) PB - Beautiful...but for us the location is poor.

[Valentine]

As of now I have booked 2 weekends in August one at HRH and the other at PBH.. soooo as of that point I will be joining the "I have stayed at all 3 club!" I will report back when I return!

kathy :banana:

[theterms]

We did it! We've stayed at all 3 resorts now! Just got back this morning.

I think our order is...
1. RPR
2. HRH
3. PBR

Although, we decided that the next trip we'll stay at whichever has the best APH rate, since we've stayed at all 3. We definately don't HATE any of them!

[DVC California]

Earned our brag rights this summer with a stay at PBH. However, our favorite has to be RPR, with HRH 2nd (liked the pool with piped in music and the kids loved the purple float mats).

Best thing about the PBH was the parking garage. It was nice to keep the car out of the sun all day. :sunny:

[Valentine]

Okay... so now I have also joined the ranks.. I have now completed my 3 stays... my ranking is in this order:

1 - PBH
2 - HRH
3 - RPR

Can I just say I LOVE LOVE LOVE PBH!!!! The Villa pool is exquisite!!! Now, remember, I am a solo adult traveler.. so my review is adult biased. If I was staying with kids, my order would completely switch to HRH as First. But with that being said, I can't wait to go back to PBH and I want to stay a few nights next time. I could spend an entire day just strolling around the resort and hanging out by the pools!!! and did I mention how incredible the villa pool is? Oh.. I did?? Well.. let me say it again!! it is GREAT!! So elegant and grown up!! LOL!! I will post a full trip report later.. but just wanted to add my "stayed at all three" report!!

Kathy :wave:

[Candice30]

hey...wait for me...i just joined this club too! i just returned from PBH and loved it. i went to RPR and HRH with kids and this last trip to PBH was with my sister only - adult only trip so the experience was different. i like each of them for something different but all in all, for me, HRH had the most to offer. i am planning my first solo trip there next year.

[bjakmom]

After 4 stays each at RPR and HRH, I just returned from my first stay at PBH - now I love all 3 for different reasons !!

PBH - I will definitely return to this resort - especially if DH is along (which he wasn't this trip) - the rooms are beautiful (we had 2 stds overlooking beach pool and 1 std upgraded to deluxe overlooking the villa pool). This resort felt more like I was staying in a small city than in a hotel - the hotel was sold out but it never felt crowded or 'busy' - we had a delicious lunch at Tratorria (kids also reported that their breakfast buffet was the best they had the whole trip - I was in the parks that morning) - great pizza at Sal's for lunch - some of the kids took theirs back to the room to relax - DD and her BF loved their dinner at Mama Della's. Everyone loved the atmosphere of the Beach pool and dive-in movie night was a hit. The only problems we had here were the inconvenience of some rehabbing requiring guests to change elevators to get around (you couldn't get out on the lobby floor from our elevator ) - but those things happen and upkeep is unavoidable - and we also had a few long waits for boats in the early evenings - one driver even advised people to take the pathway walk when he filled up the 2nd boat and still had to leave people waiting on the pier. I did walk back one afternoon with the little kids and it was a pleasant walk that we did in under 20 mins - IMHO it's about the same distance as the walk from BWV to MGM. The lush, elegant, quiet atmosphere of this beautiful resort far outweighed our inconveniences - every single staff member we encountered was friendly and delightful from check-in to bell service to room service to spa - wish we had a resort like this closer to home - I would spend the weekend without a theme park ! We will definitely be back (oops, did I already say that? ;) )!

HRH - We are a music-loving/oriented family- so we have loved staying at this hotel - but found it to feel 'busier' and noisier than the other two. The noise from the hallways seems to carry into the rooms, especially rooms with a tiled entry. We love the pool here the best and renting a cabana for the day can't be beat for a relaxing way to hang out both day and night. This hotel is a must-stay for us when with the 'teens'. We love the staff here - they are definitely 'cool', but we are partial to cool, quirky kids ! You can't beat the 5 min walk to/from the parks!

RPR - Another great option - rooms are smaller and I would never spend the $$ to rent one of these tiny cabanas that are located right on top of the hot tubs, but the pool area is great for the little ones and pre-teens (but my least favorite for lounging). We have gotten great room rates here - the theming is awesome and lush - dinner at tchoup-chop is an experience in itself - staff has always been polite and friendly. I love staying here when travelling with just one of the younger kids.

Since I don't usually spend more than a few hours at a time in the USF parks, having these wonderful resorts to enjoy is a HUGE part of my experience there - and FOTL gives me lots of extra time to spend at the resort! :smooth: - I'm very happy to have 3 wonderful options !

[Disbug]

We just returned from a GREAT week in Orlando, and by staying at the HRH, we can now say we have JOINED THE CLUB! :goodvibes

When we went in May, I wrote a long and detailed trip report based on our stay at the RPR in the Singapore Suite. This trip we actually stayed in a STD Garden View Room at the HRH with all FIVE of us (including our 4 yr old who has CP). I have to say we simply LOVED it! The atmosphere was AWESOME! The Staff all were superb despite that reputation for a "laid back" attitude. The only issues we had were with the lack of hot water. I finally just let the tap run for about 40 minutes and got it hot enough to be comfortable. I reported the problem but it was never resolved in the 3 nights we were there. I hope they figure it out, because their water bill is going to be HUGE if everyone does this!

The reason we loved the HRH is the LOCATION, the DECOR, the MUSIC, the POOL, the STAFF! (Kudos to Jason in the Hard Rock Store... he was a gem!) I hope in the future we will be able to try one of the Deluxe rooms we've heard so much about. We did eat at the KITCHEN for dinner... I cannot recommend it. Very expensive for very average food.

Our second favorite (in fact so close, it might be a tie): is the RPR. Why? The LANDSCAPING, the DECOR, Emeril's TCHOUP CHOP on site, THE STAFF (absolutely awesome!), the Room Upgrades...

And last but not least, is PBH. The only reason it is last is that we have only stayed there one night (last Christmas). We received a wonderful upgraded suite and the Staff was marvelous. We loved the grounds and the room... but it is very far to walk to EVERYTHING. We have yet to try any of the restaurants here. So maybe on a future visit it will move up in the rankings! :goodvibes

[Valentine]

Just back Disbug??? So does that mean we have a trip report to look forward to from you?? I LOVE LOVE your trip reports!!!!

Kathy

[Disbug]

Well, Kathy...(you flatterer you! lol!) I have been toying with the idea of doing another trip report. It really keeps the trip alive for me, to look back on what we did. I am working on my pictures even as I type. So, I probably can be talked into doing one! (wink!)

[Valentine]

YAY!! Do One.. Do One.. Do ONe... do One!!! Pleeeeeeaaaaassssseeeee :)

Kathy :cool1:

[FeeFeeWhite]

Welcome to the club. Kongaloosh!

[Disbug]

YAY!! Do One.. Do One.. Do ONe... do One!!! Pleeeeeeaaaaassssseeeee :)

Kathy :cool1:


OK! Kathy! I've started the WDW portion of our trip over at the DOLPHIN! I'll let you know when I make it to the UNIVERSAL part! lol!

Thanks, FEEFEE! It's an honor to be a member of the club!

[FeeFeeWhite]

I just returned from Portofino Bay Resort. I am a Loews Platinum and completed the "All 3" circuit long ago. I now can say that I have stayed at all three Club Levels also. I have also stayed in most of the room types and suites (not the Pres. Ste. though). So I will try to help with any questions anyone has. Also, please check out the new Universal Orlando website. They have done an excellent job at showing the room layouts on this newly designed website.

[ds2Mom]

Fee Fee White and everyone who's ever stayed concierge at HRH -- I'm taking my sister on a quick 50th birthday celebratory trip to FL. What's your thoughts on Concierge there? Worth the extra $$? We only have one night (pre-Disney cruise). If they have evening goodies, breakfast, etc. - was thinking it might be worth springing for it.
Appreciate any thoughts or suggestions!

[macraven]

i have stayed at club level on three different times.

2003-4-5

last october was a lot different than the other 2 stays.

it was well worth in in 2003 and 4
last october i was disappointed in the offerings they had in the line of food.

breakfast was great but it was not replenished on the mornings i was there.
this is very unlike my other stays.

for the afternoon, the only snacks were potatoe chips and pretzels.

the evening set up did not have the variety i was used to.


maybe it was a fluke for the time period i was there, oct 2nd weekend, just don't know.

the unlimited coffee, soda and water was available the entire time.

i don't go to the lounge area for the tv, checking out of cd's or newspaper.

i use it for the refreshments and the service of resturant ressies, printing out boarding tickets for return flight only.

now it has been over 3 months since i was there last. maybe someone that has been more recently has an update on the concierge level and how it was for them.

in years past i was very satisfied for concierge level and what i paid for it.
last year was not worth it for me.

[FeeFeeWhite]

If it is over a weekend I would not go for it, since it is always more crowded then. Also I don't ususally do it for one night, since you are only there for part of the day.

[yasuern]

Which is your favorite?
#1 PBH
#2 RPR
#3 HRH

Which is your LEAST favorite?
SEE ABOVE

Why??

PBH is our favorite because the themeing is lavis and at the aquaduct pool there seem to be many little areas that give you some privacy by going up or down a few steps - adn DD11 loves their slide. staff is professional and extremely attentive. the only down side some may feel it has - its the furthest away from the parks - but we took the boat and it was fine!


RPR is our 2nd best hotel of the 3. I loved the decor in the rooms although they were a little small. the grounds are very tropical as is the lobby. Staff was GREAT no problems from check in to check out. And it is a very short walk to IOA.

HRH is our least favorite - although we don't hate it and would stay again.
The POOL area is too open few areas of seperation - which stinks if the foilks on either side of you and behind you are smokers! (no problem for us now - I bring 2 4' battery operated clip on fans and blow the smoke back were it came from) The poo staff was excellent but housekeeping had issues when we were there last April - although nothing major - and all eventually was taken care of. - the best selling point of the HRH is the closeness to US. IMHO



Sue :goodvibes

[robvia]

Agree with the last post.
#1 PBH
#2 RPR
#3 HRH

PBH - Beautiful hotel, huge bathroom, larger room, friendly staff, nice pool. I'm surprised people make a big deal about the slide at the HRH, yet the PBH has one that is just as good. Walk to USF is 13-15 minutes.

RPR - Beautiful hotel, smallest rooms, nice staff, no slide at the pool but it has more action with volleyball and 2 basketball hoops. Walk to IOA is 7 minutes.

HRH - Good room size, snooty staff, bad reservation system, pool has the slide and music underwater. But the pool is only 3 feet deep, so you barely go underwater to hear it. The advantage of the HRH is being only 5 minutes from USF, great for walking back and forth.

[The Faculty]

1. PBH
2. RPR
3 HRR

1. Portofino: what can I say, top class in every way from the moment you arrive until you depart they make you feel welcomed, special and wanted. Facilities are slick and functional.

2. Royal Pacific: the theme is beautiful as are the rooms and layout of this hotel. Emeril's Choup Chop is also a highlight of this hotel.

3. Hard Rock = Hard Times: front end staff are rude; 4 guys tried to get our car and luggage at the same time without explanation; rooms were a complete mess; club level here is lacking in service and ammenities. Maybe after their upcoming $6 Million makeover, will they perhaps impress. IN the meantime, STAY AWAY!

[Motherfletcher]

1. PBH classy
2. RPR restful
3. Hip

[macraven]

1. PBH classy
2. RPR restful
3. Hip





#3..............
:confused3

maybe you are in the 3 way club after all........... :rolleyes1

[Ruapente]

Same here:

No.1 - PBH - Top notch. Fine details. Very classy.

No.2 - RPR - A complete polynesian escape.

No.3 - HRH - Very hip. But I must be getting old, because I felt like I don't belong. LOL

[macraven]

i finally became a member of the 3 way club...

stayed my first time at rph this october.


still have to say my heart belongs to hard rock hotel.
i love the short walk to the studios.
enjoy the short water taxi ride to the hotel when i used it.

love the room size and room layout.
love the views from the pool side rooms facing the park.
i like to see the park lit up at night, keep the curtains open at night so my "night light" is on until the sun comes up in the morning.
love the decor throughout the hotel.

do not care for the resturants at this hotel as much as the others.


next choice would be the rph.
gorgeous lobby, great check in area, very spacious.
wide sidewalks for walking area from ground floor to around the pool to water taxi and walkway to the parks.
beautiful pool
excellent waiting area at the dock for the water taxis. overhead on the dock platform area. nice and shaded from the sun.

better choice of resturants.

pbh, great rooms, large size, fine layouts of rooms.
beautiful grounds and pool is fantastic.

but, too long of a walk for me to the parks.
and, if i miss the boat, waits too long for me.

i'm impatient, when i want to go to the parks, i want to be there 10 minutes ago.

# 1 hrh
# 2 rph
# 3 pbh

[faindrops27]

So since most of you have stayed at all 3 resorts. I have never stayed onsite. So, can you all tell me a good price range for each hotel. I am deciding between rph&hrh. So what is a good price for these in sept. Thanks in advance,oh and just to let you all know. We are a family of 5.me, dh, ds2,ds5,dd3.

P.S. Forgive the poor grammer. :wave:

[Nan]

Finally a member of the club! We love all three but if we had to rank:

#1 HRH - proximity to US

#2 RPR - beautiful, reasonable rates

#3 PBH - unique, lovely, large rooms.

All three are fabulous!

Nan

[wwessing]

Same here:

No.1 - PBH - Top notch. Fine details. Very classy.

No.2 - RPR - A complete polynesian escape.

No.3 - HRH - Very hip. But I must be getting old, because I felt like I don't belong. LOL

We are torn between HRH and RPH. We have been leaning towards HRH, but we are both just shy of 40. Is this the hotel for 20 something families??

[Figment22]

[/COLOR][/B]

We are torn between HRH and RPH. We have been leaning towards HRH, but we are both just shy of 40. Is this the hotel for 20 something families??
Well, I'm 49 and HRH is absolutely my favorite hotel! Age is just a number.

[macraven]

So since most of you have stayed at all 3 resorts. I have never stayed onsite. So, can you all tell me a good price range for each hotel. I am deciding between rph&hrh. So what is a good price for these in sept. Thanks in advance,oh and just to let you all know. We are a family of 5.me, dh, ds2,ds5,dd3.

P.S. Forgive the poor grammer. :wave:

because of supply and demand, you will find that hrh will be the highest in cost

there is more room at hrh than rph.
i don't like the layout of the room at rph.
there is a wall that separates the bath area from the bed area at hrh.

at rph, it is a dark half wall , wall barrier between the sink and bed area.


hrh has a sink, large mirror, hair dryer, counter space and amenities in the little area outside of the bathroom.
in the bath room you also have another sink, toilet, tub


if you want more space, go to pbh. you will be amazed on the amount of space you have there. it will cost more than rph though.

it just depends what your priority is: price or space

[macraven]

[/COLOR][/B]

We are torn between HRH and RPH. We have been leaning towards HRH, but we are both just shy of 40. Is this the hotel for 20 something families??



so you are 39 and wondering if hrh would be too much for you???

wow, i never considered my age to be a factor at this hotel.
btw, i'm older than figment22 and age never crossed my mind when i first stayed at hrh.

it is a wonderful place to stay, it's my favorite!

go with it and you will enjoy it.

but, while you are staying there, take a short visit to the other 3 hotels to check them out.
look at their lobby and if the place is not too busy, the front desk tm can show you an empty room so you can see for yourself how it is decorated and laid out.

you can pool hop at any of the other pools as long as you are a guest at one of the hotels.

[damo]

Add me to the threesome thread!

Nobody is too old or too young for the Hard Rock Hotel!!!

[Figment22]

Wow, Damo. I thought you were a member already! This is one club I'm delighted to be in, for sure.

[macraven]

Add me to the threesome thread!

Nobody is too old or too young for the Hard Rock Hotel!!!




another member joining the 3 way club........hooray.......!!


staying at hrh makes one ageless.....