New to Board - with Questions!

[CindyWho]

I have lurked and gotten great info from here for a couple of Universal Trips – Thank you all!
I now have a couple of questions that don’t have answers that are obvious (to me! ) and hope you can help….
I’m starting to plan a 5 – 7 night trip for later this year – there will be 4 of us (2 couples), Are there any rooms/suites that can accommodate 4 people in 2 separate sleeping areas?

On the website I see that all suites at RPR have club access, but there is no mention of the same for PBH – is it true there too?
I am Loews YouFirst Platinum but have never stayed once I reached that level. For the suite upgrade (if available - of course!) is your reservation price based on the lowest available room type? If I’m reading the terms correctly, I can only get any Loews benefits (and have the stay count) for 1 room, correct ?
I’ve stayed at HRH once and RPR twice and loved it --- can’t wait to get back!! Sorry for all the questions --- Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[damo]

I have lurked and gotten great info from here for a couple of Universal Trips – Thank you all!
I now have a couple of questions that don’t have answers that are obvious (to me! ) and hope you can help….
I’m starting to plan a 5 – 7 night trip for later this year – there will be 4 of us (2 couples), Are there any rooms/suites that can accommodate 4 people in 2 separate sleeping areas?

On the website I see that all suites at RPR have club access, but there is no mention of the same for PBH – is it true there too?
I am Loews YouFirst Platinum but have never stayed once I reached that level. For the suite upgrade (if available - of course!) is your reservation price based on the lowest available room type? If I’m reading the terms correctly, I can only get any Loews benefits (and have the stay count) for 1 room, correct ?
I’ve stayed at HRH once and RPR twice and loved it --- can’t wait to get back!! Sorry for all the questions --- Thanks for any help you can give me.

All suites don't have club access at any of the hotels. There are suites on the club floors at RHR and HRH and any room can be given suite access at the PBH. However, just because you are in a suite, doesn't mean you have club access. RPR and HRH have designated club floors with a variety of different types of rooms on that floor. I have also heard of people being given club access even though they weren't staying on the club floor. Usually this is because of an error in booking or something like that. PBH doesn't have a designated floor but people given club are given access keys to the club lounge.

Your platinum upgrade is based on the lowest available room and yes you can only get it for one room.

 

[goofy!]

We often need a two bedroom suite due to bringing other family members.

We are platinum also, so I always book the first room (garden view with a qualifying platinum rate) and get the parlor with our platinum upgrade. Then I add the second bedroom at the cheapest rate I can get, usually APH. The second bedroom doesn't need to be a qualifying rate because it is not part of the platinum upgrade. Then reservations makes sure that it is noted that this is the two bedroom suite and both bedrooms have to flank the parlor.

For the bedrooms on the parlors, one side will always be a king bed, the other bedroom will have two queens.

As Damo said, suites do not automatically have club access at any of the three hotels. You have to either book a suite on the club floor, or at the Portofino, add club access to your suite.

We always add it to our rooms, but we wait until check-in to do the add-on. It usually ends up being cheaper to do the $75.00 per night add-on than to book an actual club room.

Besides, at the Portofino, the club rooms are all deluxes and the Platinum suite is the Portofino suite which has garden or bay view rooms. The suites that have the deluxe rooms on either side are the Villa Suites, but those are not eligible for Platinum upgrades. (unless you get surprised at check-in )

No sense in paying for the bedrooms on the Villa Parlor and then getting the bay view ones on the Portofino parlor.

 

[CindyWho]

Thanks Damo and goofy!, got it on the club access. I asked because I had never before noticed the club level amenities section on each suite description. But re-reading it I see the part I missed (in red):
CLUB LEVEL AMENITES
42 rooms (335 sq. ft.) in total with keyed access to floor, located on the 7th floor
Staffed from 6:30am – 10pm daily
Additional room amenities: DVD turndown service, signature cotton bathrobes
Free access to health club
Upgrade charges apply, premium rated rooms - based on availability
Personal concierge services and 2,000 sq. ft. lounge featuring:
Complimentary coffee, tea, and soft drinks throughout the day
Continental breakfast served each morning (7am - 10:30am)
Hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine served each afternoon (5-7pm)
"Something Sweet" each night (8-9:30pm) raotteih:

goofy -- is the parlor setup only at the PBH?

Thanks again

 

[calgarygary]

As you are in the early stages of planning, why not pick a date when you will have the platinum upgrade to a suite. You can then book the other couple into the connecting room on the other side of your parlor.