HRH Pool Closed 7 - 14th September

[kevin harrison]

Just had the following email, to say I am angry is an understatement...

Thank you for choosing to stay at Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando during your visit to the Central Florida area.

We will begin renovating our pool and pool area on September 7. This renovation is necessary to ensure that Hard Rock Hotel continues to provide an awesome hotel pool experience for our guests. From September 7-14, our pool and pool area will be closed for this renovation. During that time, we encourage you to visit one of our sister properties at Universal Orlando Resort - Loews Portofino Bay Hotel or Loews Royal Pacific Resort - for a supremely comfortable Loews pool experience that includes daily planned activities.

At Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, you will find three beautifully themed pools to choose from. The Beach Pool is the ideal place for the family to spend the day together. This lively pool area features a Roman aqueduct themed water slide, a sandy beach and adjacent children's pool, two hot tubs and three colorful beach cabanas. The Splendido Pizzeria offers poolside service of pizza, sandwiches, and beverages, and guests can enjoy a weekly "dive-in" movie poolside. For a bit more exclusivity, the serene Villa Pool offers additional amenities including private cabana rentals and upgraded lounge chairs. The cabanas include fan, bar/refrigerator and phones, and can be upgraded to include TV and VCR. The third swimming pool, the Hillside Pool on the hotel's east wing, offers a bit more privacy and a quiet place for relaxing by the water.

Sink your toes into the white sand beach of Loews Royal Pacific Resort's huge lagoon-style swimming pool and feel your cares fade away. The palm tree-lined pool area features two hot tubs, a beach volleyball court, and the impressive Royal Bali Sea interactive water play area for children. For a nice shady retreat, rent a private cabana complete with such amenities as a ceiling fan, phone, TV, a refrigerator with water, soda and a fruit bowl. You'll find a variety of organized poolside activities including ping pong tournaments, pool basketball, hula hoop contests, arts and crafts, weekly "dive-in" movies, and more.

Transportation to Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort is available via our hotel shuttle approximately every 20 minutes throughout the day. Additionally, as a guest staying at Hard Rock Hotel, transportation is also available through the hotel's valet parking vendor, Towne Park (from your guest room, dial ext. 3-2195).

We look forward to welcoming you to Hard Rock Hotel. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to make your stay more memorable.

 

[THUNDERMOUNTAINMOMMA]

I wouldn't be happy, either. Sure, they provide transportation to the other pools, but it's really inconvenient IMHO. Are there any rooms available at the other 2 resorts?

 

[macraven]

that's a bummer the pool is closed during your time there, especially if you all are pool people.


take advantage of the other pools, and also the pool club houses for showers, towels, soap, etc.
you don't have to lug anything with you to go to the other pools.


like the above poster stated, can you switch hotels?
if you are big into the pool time, i'm sure they could work something out for your satisfaction.

it wouldn't hurt to try.
give them a call and see if that will work.

 

[OvertheRainbow]

What??? I never got this email and we're staying sept 12-16. Couldn't they give everyone a little more notice??? Guess they didn't want to give everyone time to change their reservations.

 

[kevin harrison]

I rang the HRH, I said if I had wanted to use Portofino's pool I would have stayed there.

We can't really walk across daily as my son has medication which will be kept in his room and we can't keep going back and forth for supplies for him.

The HRH has given us a kids suite upgrade as a peace offering.

My son has a naso gastric tube running into his stomach, and we have had a horrible year stress wise with him, it is my 40th Birthday, my son's second birthday and our 15th wedding anniversary trip and they have wrecked it.

Thinking about a kids suite upgrade from a king suite isn't that much of a deal..

 

[SnackyStacky]

I rang the HRH, I said if I had wanted to use Portofino's pool I would have stayed there.

We can't really walk across daily as my son has medication which will be kept in his room and we can't keep going back and forth for supplies for him.

The HRH has given us a kids suite upgrade as a peace offering.

My son has a naso gastric tube running into his stomach, and we have had a horrible year stress wise with him, it is my 40th Birthday, my son's second birthday and our 15th wedding anniversary trip and they have wrecked it.

Thinking about a kids suite upgrade from a king suite isn't that much of a deal..

Call and explain your situation. Obviously, there's nothing they can do at the Hard Rock. But if you'd be willing, see if you can upgrade to the Portofino Bay. This really sounds less like a matter of inconvenience, and more a situation where you can't use the pool anymore.

Just be firm, polite and if they ask what they can do for you, tell them at least a lateral upgrade to the same room type at Portofino Bay so that your son's feeding equipment isn't a shuttle ride away.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

sorry to hear this for you. I hope you're able to switch to another hotel. It is a bit silly to renovate a pool in mid Sept. I would think Jan would be a better time: slow season and often not warm enough to spend a lot of time at the pool.
I hope it all works out for you and you still have a great time with your family.

 

[morningstar]

Kevin - I would be really upset for the inconvience for your family. Sorry, but the upgrade to kid suite wouldn't cut it for me. Please get back on the phone with a manager/director and try and work out a better deal for your family. I would personally stay at the Portofino in a suite and also request a voucher to stay in the future at Hard Rock Hotel. Something more needs to be done for your situation I don't think everyone that stays at HRH that week should be entitled to all this, but you must of picked the hotel based on your son's needs. When did they make this decision to renovate the pool - couldn't of been just now - sorry for your inconvience and hope it all works out.

 

[DOCTORRICK]

Can't say I totally agree.
Assuming the renovation had to be done, there a rea lot of reasons why it might not have been able to be done at another time (renovations may need to be staggered, availability of contractors, a queue of work that needs to be done, numerous possibilities) than it is going to annoy someone.
Certainly reasonable for you to call and complain, and they offered a fairly reasonable upgrade.
I do agree shifting to another resort, if available, might be a good option. Other than that, not sure what they could do.
If you explain the unique situation, maybe they could give you a cabana (if one is available) with a refridgerator for the supplies.

 

[kevin harrison]

Can't say I totally agree.
Assuming the renovation had to be done, there a rea lot of reasons why it might not have been able to be done at another time (renovations may need to be staggered, availability of contractors, a queue of work that needs to be done, numerous possibilities) than it is going to annoy someone.
Certainly reasonable for you to call and complain, and they offered a fairly reasonable upgrade.
I do agree shifting to another resort, if available, might be a good option. Other than that, not sure what they could do.
If you explain the unique situation, maybe they could give you a cabana (if one is available) with a refridgerator for the supplies.

Ok

The hotel has been working closely with me to help with Daniel's medical needs and are well aware of our needs.

They emailed me 4 days before we were due to flly, no way enough time to find another hotel and get my medical supplies that are being shipped from england changed.

From my discussions with the HRH, they are aware that this trip was my 40th birthday trip, daughters 7th Birthday, sons 2nd birthday - do you not think that they could have let me know a little earlier?

Like I said, if I wanted to stay at the Portofino, I would have booked a room there....

 

[macraven]

The battle of the bands will be at the HRH pool on sept 6th.

the pool will be open to the public for that event.

it starts at 4 pm and the winner will be announced at 9:45 pm


looks like that will be the last event for hrh pool until it reopens.

so if anyone will be at hrh on that date and plans to make it a day of it before it closes for refurbishing, be aware there will be an event held there starting in the afternoon.

 

[phamton]

I stayed at Dixie Landings (now Port Orleans Riverside) one year and the main pool was closed. I was really upset because we loved the Ol' Man River pool. Going to the Port Orleans French Quarter was not what we wanted to do. We had no advance warning except at check-in. I certainly understand your disappointment. There are more closings during non-peak time both at the hotels and at the parks. I hope that they can do something to make your trip enjoyable. Let us know how it works out.