Just got back this morning !!!

[Lalalindica]

We spent two wonderful nights at the Portofino (December 24th and 25th)and three full days at US/IOA with FOTL!

Yes, we actually made it! My children and I came down with various ailments at the last minute before our trip but managed to board the plane against all odds and had the best time (It did take a couple of days to feel 100%).

JessicaR - you were totally right - The Portofino Bay Hotel was amazing and truly exceeded my expectations in every way! It's the most beautiful hotel I have ever seen! FOTL was wonderful!

We also stayed at the Ren Orlando near the Airport, Safety Harbor Spa and Resort near Tampa (both through Priceline) and five nights at the Dolphin (WDW). All of these hotels were wonderful, but the Portofino was the best! I totally fell in love with it and can't wait to get back there!

JessicaR- we didn't eat the Delphino's (sp?)either. We did have a wonderful lunch at the Tratorria del Porto (sp?) where I had the most wonderful seafood stew with pasta (cioppino) at the Tratorria I've ever had. We ate a couple of times at Sal's (delicious and convenient) and also had dinner once at Nascar's (food was better than expected).

I have to run back to the airport now to pick up our luggage. We were bumped off of our flight this AM and got separated from our luggage. Guess what? US Airways gave the three of us vouchers for free future air travel that will have to be used within the year to compensate us for our trouble!!



Portofino, you just might see us back again sooner than expected!

 

[cotye]

Welcome back! Glad to hear you had a good time! Sorry to hear you got sick at the end though. Perhaps you could regale us with a trip report!

<IMG width="107" height="123" SRC="http://www.geocities.com/cotye88/meeko.gif"</IMG>

<font size=4 color=blue>Kevin</font>

<font size=2 color=navy>Mariah: The Collection - 69 CDs and Counting.</font>

<font size=2>"I Will Be Alright, If I Can Find That Rainbow's End." - Mariah Carey</font>

 

[Molokai Gram]

Aloha and welcome back,

We are setting up a meet for March - it will be Robinrs and JessicaR birthdays and MardiGras. I am going to be at HRH 3/8 - 13 and Barry will be there maybe 3/9-13 and Robin and Jessica and others are going to try and return. A little soon for you, I know, but you do have free air passes.

Be sure to write a detailed trip report (please).

Glad you all got better while on vacation. I was thinking good thoughts for you all.

 

[Lalalindica]

Thank you Molokai Gram for your good thoughts! We needed them!

March, hum.....How tempting! I would love meet you all and return to my favorite place in the world at the moment, but am not sure if I can. I have no vacation time left... unless we just do the weekend?!? Hm...I guess I have to do some sleeping on this. Tempting...very tempting...

I am planning on writing up a trip report. How do you think I should I do it? Combine the Portofino, Disney, Tampa and other experiences or should I break it up and do the Universal/IOA part here and the rest on the Disney board?

 

[JessicaR]

Welcome Home Linda I am happy to hear you and the kids are geeling better and that it didnt stop you from your trip! I was worried after reading your last post before you left. Sounds like you loved Portofino as much as we did. What an awesome hotel. Maybe one of these days we will both go back and actually eat at Delfino's!How was the weather? I know its awful now and I keep thinking about poor Robin there during this cold front Did they upgrade your room? Did you get the cookies and milk? We loved Sal's too! Great pizza. I can't wait to read your trip report! You really need to consider if at all possible getting back there for a weekend in March so we can all have some fun!

 

[Lalalindica]

Thank you for your warm welcome JessicaR.

The weather was pretty nice from Dec 24th thru about the 28th. It must have been near 70. Then on the 28th it rained all day and a cold front came through. It was freezing the rest of the time, expecially Dec 30th (in the 20's at night) and New Year's Eve (in the low 30's at night). It was so cold that we were walking around in our heavy jackets that we fortunately brought with us because it was so cold when we left home (Wash DC/Baltimore area) and I still sprang for a $55 Mickey blanket (the only one available) to keep warm under while hanging out (we were at MGM all day/evening for New Year's Eve).

Going back to the Portofino: Our receptionist wasn't as generous as yours was, but we did get a slight upgrade to a half garden/half pool view. Our amazing floor to ceiling bedroom windows overlooked the villa pool and bacci ball (sp?) courts. We were on the 5 th floor (I think), building number 2 (main building), West Wing (I think I got this right!). The closest elevator took us to where the main pool was, right next to the spa entrance and the gated entrance to the Villa pool, right next to the Splendido Pizzeria.

Did your bathroom come with a separate shower (in addition to the tub)? Were there shutters above the tub that you could open from inside the bathroom? I just loved the bathroom! And the rounded arches.

And the beds...the beds were out of this world!! So comfortable and decadent.

There wasn't a speck of dust or a spot anywhere.

I checked with US Air - the airline I now have three different credits with that I have to use within this year (yahoo!!) and they do still have available seats for the weekend of March 9th -March 11th. I just however noticed that my kids are out of school the following Friday, March 16th, which would give us an extra day (we could then leave Thursday evening after school/work).

Molokai Gram - you wouldn't consider extending your stay, would you?!? You've prob been planning this for a while, haven't you.

And may I ask what rates you got at the HRH? I recall seeing some pretty decent rates being posted here (was it $117 a night?). How do I go about getting the best rate?

 

[Lalalindica]

Well, I went ahead and found a previous post re HRH room rates and numbers to call that you wrote up Molokai Gram and checked availability for both weekends. They only had rooms available for March 9 - 11th and so it was an easy decision: I booked the March 9th -11th weekend at the HRH at the Entertainment rate of $117 a night!! Now I have to check with the airline. Hey - this may work!

 

[Molokai Gram]

This is getting better and better! I hope you can make it and join us.

When you write you trip report it would be nice if you included some of the other things you did too. I know I would enjoy it and I am sure others will too.

Just leave out the stuff about it being cold.
That does make me nervous. We can layer, but I have no gloves and while it was cool when I was a teenager in Michigan to go out in winter without gloves, I am a grandma now and I don't want to be cool! I want to be warm.

Look forward to your posts to see if you will be joining us and hope a detailed trip report is coming to help make the wait easier.

Aloha

 

[Lalalindica]

I spent a couple of hours yesterday writing up the beginnings of our trip report and then lost it all! I wrote it up before logging in here on this discussion board. When I did log in (after writing up the report) it was gone!! I was so upset! Today when I came on I went to see if by some miracle it was on the Trip report board, but no such luck.

I'll write it up again soon.

 

[JessicaR]

Awwww dont feel bad. The same thing happened to me! All that hard work and *POOF* gone
It taught me a lesson to make sure I have it saved in Word first! I still have to finish my last 2 days