PORTOFINO BAY HOTEL Information

[bopper]

A picture I took a couple of weeks ago during our stay:

 

[macraven]

A picture I took a couple of weeks ago during our stay:

that's a picture postcard look.

beautiful!

 

[goofy!]

I can see their point, but I booked a "package" on the Universal Website and still got the same denial! We had to cancel and rebook on some other place on the Universal website. Silly.

Packages are always booked through Universal Vacations. On the Universal website, you can get to two different places.

If you book everything separately, ie: book your room, then go and buy tickets - you are booking through Netbooker, which is the same thing that Loews uses and is compatible.

IF you book a package, you will see Universal Vacations at the top of the screen and you know you have been sent to Universal's travel agency. This is a third party and not eligible for Loews Perks.

That is why Loews says you have to book through them to get the perks.

To really ensure your perks, you should book through www.loewshotels.com. That way there is never any question of who you booked through.

It is kind of like the old days at Disney where you had to specifically ask to be transferred to a CRO operator so you got the rooms where you didn't have to pay in full 45 days in advance.

If you didn't ask, you would be switched to a WDW travel agent who booked travel packages.

Same difference - booking a room only vs. a package.

Jodi - we need a thread on how to navigate the Universal website

 

[goofy!]

A picture I took a couple of weeks ago during our stay:

Absoutely gorgeous!

 

[bubba's mom]

Packages are always booked through Universal Vacations. On the Universal website, you can get to two different places.

If you book everything separately, ie: book your room, then go and buy tickets - you are booking through Netbooker, which is the same thing that Loews uses and is compatible.


To really ensure your perks, you should book through www.loewshotels.com. That way there is never any question of who you booked through.


Same difference - booking a room only vs. a package.

Jodi - we need a thread on how to navigate the Universal website

I think you just did

You explained it perfectly!

Sounds like if you are booking package (& getting tickets with it), you're not LF applicable. If you buy your tickets separtely (on your own), then if you book thru Loews website, you're good to go

 

[gopherit]

Just called PBH to change a date on my ressie and am glad I did - despite the fact that we are a stated "party of 5", they did NOT have anything written donw about a request for a room with a sofa bed. I *assumed* that as a party of 5 they would recognize that - I guess you know what can happen when ya assume, tho. I think $25 per day for a rollaway is pretty darn steep - steep enough that we may toy with throwing DS13's very nice deluxe scout cot in the car. At HRH the deluxes all have a guaranteed sofa bed - not the case at PBH. Some do, some don't - does anyone have a % statistic for that? We will be checking in fairly early that day so I sure hope we get what we want (i.e. a sofa bed) but it will be a Monday, so who knows where that will land us, if most folks come in for a Sat or Sunday visit and leave at the middle or end of the week. I think, if you reserve it as a party of 5, and they can't give you a sofa bed, they shouldn't charge for the rollaway. After all - what is really the difference - the rooms are the same cost, with or without sofa bed. But if you don't get one - you have to fork over $25 to get teh bed? Doesn't seem fair... but there I go, thinking all logical again...

Tried to get APH rate for room, but AAA with Loews upgrade was still the better deal ($254 using AAA and upgrade from garden to deluxe; $269 using APH for deluxe). had to laugh, though, because agent said, "Well, it's 269 with APH, so you may want to stay with your current rate, as the APH is not much of a benefit, only a few dollars less." Huh? I had her repeat the prices and said, "You mean, more, right?" "Yes, it's 15 more. SO do you want that rate?" I think she must still be having a Monday morning, all the way into Wednesday. I declined the APH rate and said, just keep me where I am, thanks!

 

[leahjade]

so which rooms have the sofa beds - only the deluxe - do they cost extra? We're coming with 5 people in the summer, but I won't pay $25 for those horrible cots. We did that last time and my kids all slept in the bed together anyway since it was so uncomfortable so that was money wasted.

 

[goofy!]

so which rooms have the sofa beds - only the deluxe - do they cost extra? We're coming with 5 people in the summer, but I won't pay $25 for those horrible cots. We did that last time and my kids all slept in the bed together anyway since it was so uncomfortable so that was money wasted.

At the PBH, only the Deluxes have the pull-out. It is an oversized chair that pulls out to a twin bed.

And, although the Universal site claims that every Deluxe has a pull-out, that does not seem to be the case. The Loews site does not make this claim, and since it is their hotel, I guess I would have to err in believing their site

FWIW - my kids have declared that the pull-out sofas are 100 times more uncomfortable than the rollaways.

 

[bubba's mom]

Just called PBH to change a date on my ressie and am glad I did - despite the fact that we are a stated "party of 5", they did NOT have anything written donw about a request for a room with a sofa bed. I *assumed* that as a party of 5 they would recognize that - I guess you know what can happen when ya assume, tho. I think $25 per day for a rollaway is pretty darn steep - steep enough that we may toy with throwing DS13's very nice deluxe scout cot in the car. At HRH the deluxes all have a guaranteed sofa bed - not the case at PBH. Some do, some don't - does anyone have a % statistic for that? We will be checking in fairly early that day so I sure hope we get what we want (i.e. a sofa bed) but it will be a Monday, so who knows where that will land us, if most folks come in for a Sat or Sunday visit and leave at the middle or end of the week. I think, if you reserve it as a party of 5, and they can't give you a sofa bed, they shouldn't charge for the rollaway. After all - what is really the difference - the rooms are the same cost, with or without sofa bed. But if you don't get one - you have to fork over $25 to get teh bed? Doesn't seem fair... but there I go, thinking all logical again...

Tried to get APH rate for room, but AAA with Loews upgrade was still the better deal ($254 using AAA and upgrade from garden to deluxe; $269 using APH for deluxe). had to laugh, though, because agent said, "Well, it's 269 with APH, so you may want to stay with your current rate, as the APH is not much of a benefit, only a few dollars less." Huh? I had her repeat the prices and said, "You mean, more, right?" "Yes, it's 15 more. SO do you want that rate?" I think she must still be having a Monday morning, all the way into Wednesday. I declined the APH rate and said, just keep me where I am, thanks!

Great minds think alike...this was my EXACT thought!

 

[gopherit]

so which rooms have the sofa beds - only the deluxe - do they cost extra? We're coming with 5 people in the summer, but I won't pay $25 for those horrible cots. We did that last time and my kids all slept in the bed together anyway since it was so uncomfortable so that was money wasted.

The sofa bed does not cost extra - hence the irony that they would make you pay $25 if the room DIDN'T have one. To me - no sofa bed, gimme the cot for free, but what do I know...

At the PBH, only the Deluxes have the pull-out. It is an oversized chair that pulls out to a twin bed.

At HRH it was a loveseat that became a sofa bed, and according to the Loews folks - every deluxe at HRH has one. Makes me think HRH is simply more "party of 5 accomodating."

And, although the Universal site claims that every Deluxe has a pull-out, that does not seem to be the case. The Loews site does not make this claim, and since it is their hotel, I guess I would have to err in believing their site

FWIW - my kids have declared that the pull-out sofas are 100 times more uncomfortable than the rollaways.

Maybe the chair bed isn't as comfy as the loveseat bed, but DS had no issues with it at HRH. I guess we will soon find out! The new type sofa beds (with the memory foam mats) are actually quite nice (like the ones they have at some of the Disney resorts). Too bad they haven't moved to those.

 

[minniejack]

Talked with Portofino directly a couple of days ago and an agent told me that the deluxe has both a regular sofa and a pull-out sofa. You never know which you will receive until check-in--???? Hotel planners must still be having that same Monday morning

 

[macraven]

if you are driving take the air mattress for a bed.

we have one from a camping store and it is great.

we use a small air compressor to inflate the bed and can deflate it easily, then roll it up in the daytime.


it is like sleeping on a mattress if you buy the camping style one.

the roll away that you rent takes up too much space in the room imo

 

[chrissyc]

I just got back this morning and I had a deluxe and no pull out anything. Just 2 beds and a regular chair. So make sure you call the day before to make sure you get what you want.

 

[FireandIce]

Great minds think alike...this was my EXACT thought!

That's true ! But fools seldom differ !!

 

[minniejack]

We stayed previously in room 2444 villa wing (deluxe) on the 4th floor. Extremely nice and convenient to club and restaurants and not too far of a walk to boat in a.m.

 

[bubba's mom]

That's true ! But fools seldom differ !!

oh let's not go THERE.....shall we

 

[FireandIce]

oh let's not go THERE.....shall we

Sorry Barb You left it wide open, and I couldn't resist.

 

[Debs Hill]

Does anyone out there have photographs of the villa pool and hillside pool? We have only been to PBH once when my son was a baby and so we spent all our time at the Beach Pool and didn't even see the others!!! Where are they on the property in relation to the waterfront etc?
Thanks so much for your help!
Debsxx

 

[bubba's mom]

Sorry Barb You left it wide open, and I couldn't resist.

i know


(blaming that blonde thing )

 

[damo]

Does anyone out there have photographs of the villa pool and hillside pool? We have only been to PBH once when my son was a baby and so we spent all our time at the Beach Pool and didn't even see the others!!! Where are they on the property in relation to the waterfront etc?
Thanks so much for your help!
Debsxx

Here is a map of the PBH. 24 is the villa pool and 26 is the hillside pool. 25 is the beach pool.

Here's a picture of the villa pool

Pictures of the hillside pool are harder to find. It is smaller than the villa pool.