PORTOFINO BAY HOTEL Information

[Holly Goheavy]

I just booked at PBH for 4th of July week, checking in on the 2nd and out on the 6th and got a FL res rate of $223 a night for garden view. That was going with the FL res summer getaway package on the website that includes 7 day tickets. I won't get points towards my Loews First program but I really couldn't beat that price.

 

[dsmom]

We are leaving in 10 days for our first stay at Portifino!! We have a deluxe club room. We are guarenteed a balcony (health issues for my son) and was told it would be beach pool or villa pool view. Is any one better than the other and how far a hike to the Club lounge is it from these rooms? Any hints or tips for a first timer to this resort? Thanks!

 

[Fan2CSkr]

We are leaving in 10 days for our first stay at Portifino!! We have a deluxe club room. We are guarenteed a balcony (health issues for my son) and was told it would be beach pool or villa pool view. Is any one better than the other and how far a hike to the Club lounge is it from these rooms? Any hints or tips for a first timer to this resort? Thanks!

I personally prefer the beach pool balconies. Request a full balcony. The walk to the club room would most likely be easier from the villa wing guest rooms. The beach pool deluxe rooms are in the west wing. Enjoy your stay we just returned.

 

[Dislifer]

We have stayed "Club" level at Polynesian and Royal Pacific, how does Portofino compare? I know it is located near the lobby. It doesn't sound as nice...I'm not sure we should stay at "club" level...although we are really looking forward to staying at Portofino!

 

[dsmom]

thanks Fan2CSkr - I will ask for a beach pool view if available. How was your trip? We leave in three days and I can't wait! I am curious about the location of the lounge for club being on different floors also. ( We stayed at Animal Kingdom lodge and were on a different floor than the club lounge and it was not that big a deal.) As long as I am there I don't care where it is! We will need a fridge for my mom and my son for medical reasons- do we just ask for that at check in? Thanks again!

 

[Fan2CSkr]

thanks Fan2CSkr - I will ask for a beach pool view if available. How was your trip? We leave in three days and I can't wait! I am curious about the location of the lounge for club being on different floors also. ( We stayed at Animal Kingdom lodge and were on a different floor than the club lounge and it was not that big a deal.) As long as I am there I don't care where it is! We will need a fridge for my mom and my son for medical reasons- do we just ask for that at check in? Thanks again!

Our trip was great. It was very crowded and PBH had two conventions going on while we were there. In all our trips I have never seen the express lines so long! The hotel was great and so was the weather.

The club lounge is right off the lobby on the main floor. It isn't so bad and its pretty central to leaving and entering the hotel. There are stairwell shortcuts everywhere at PBH and elevators are plentiful. I would call ahead to request the fridge and confirm it again at check-in.

have a great trip! Can't wait to hear how you liked it when you return!

 

[dsmom]

Thanks! I called ahead and requested the fridge. We leave in the morning- can't wait! I will try and write my first trip report when I get home!

 

[damo]

Our trip was great. It was very crowded and PBH had two conventions going on while we were there. In all our trips I have never seen the express lines so long! The hotel was great and so was the weather.

The club lounge is right off the lobby on the main floor. It isn't so bad and its pretty central to leaving and entering the hotel. There are stairwell shortcuts everywhere at PBH and elevators are plentiful. I would call ahead to request the fridge and confirm it again at check-in.

have a great trip! Can't wait to hear how you liked it when you return!

I wonder if there were still school groups. The Friday that we were there was crazy with school groups with express passes. I do think that the express passes were very cheap that day though, so maybe it is time for prices to go up.

 

[ozziewags]

Looking at the map, it looks like some of the rooms are pretty far from the dock. We have a Portofino suite (Garden view, parlor) booked for July (Platinum Loews) and wonder if they have those rooms in the West Wing, which looks closer to the dock? Is that correct? Thanks for any help, so I know what to request.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

I wonder if there were still school groups. The Friday that we were there was crazy with school groups with express passes. I do think that the express passes were very cheap that day though, so maybe it is time for prices to go up.

I did see some school groups that had matching tee shirts in the parks. The express lines were packed with people that bought express not hotel guests cause after a few times of waiting over a 1/2 hour on express I started looking at what people had. It totally seemed to me that express was over sold. The weird thing is I have been in the parks during MUCH higher occupancy and the express lines were never a problem. I'm wondering if the word is just finally out that this is an option and maybe they need to cap the amount sold. Just doubtful that would happen. The other thing I noticed that was different from February is every 15 feet there is now a sign advertising Express in the parks where before it was less obvious. I am still hoping it was just a May thing and we will avoid those dates!

ozziewags Looking at the map, it looks like some of the rooms are pretty far from the dock. We have a Portofino suite (Garden view, parlor) booked for July (Platinum Loews) and wonder if they have those rooms in the West Wing, which looks closer to the dock? Is that correct? Thanks for any help, so I know what to request.

Just avoid the East Wing and you will be fine! Villa Wing or West Wing would work out well.

 

[dsmom]

Just got back last night- will write a trip report soon but wanted to let everyone know it was a perfect trip! We had room 2663 - incredible room right over the beach pool, full balcony, deluxe room. It was a short walk to the lounge and the boat dock. The resort was unbelievable!

 

[DoleWhipMom]

Great to hear you had a good trip & thanks for the room # - I'll request the change for my trip . Looking forward to your report.

 

[Cass]

Hi Dsmom, glad you enjoyed your holiday at universal, looking forward to your report!

 

[Dislifer]

Just got back last night- will write a trip report soon but wanted to let everyone know it was a perfect trip! We had room 2663 - incredible room right over the beach pool, full balcony, deluxe room. It was a short walk to the lounge and the boat dock. The resort was unbelievable!

Can't wait to hear! I'll be going in December. When you say it was a short walk to the lounge, do you mean you stayed conceirge level...so the conceirge lounge?

 

[dsmom]

Yes - Sorry, I meant to say conciege lounge. The staff there were outstanding!! Especially Elsie and Samantha. We are in the middle of a tropical depression/storm and my son can not go outside so I will try and write the trip report as soon as I can!!

I noticed the express pass lines being very long this trip also- and I would say 90 percent of them were the ones purchased in the park- I saw almost no room keys in line.

On a side note to Alexandnessa- our room keys had the A1* on them and we got lots of nice little perks every day!

 

[macraven]

dsmom.......so glad to hear you had a great time !!

i hope we all told you right.

 

[dsmom]

Hey Mac! All advice given was perfect! I have been trying without luck to e-mail you for days now! i am usually typing with one hand, standing up running back and forth with David!

While at PB we toured the other two resorts with my mom- I checked out your favorite resort and fell in love with the grounds there- it sounds strange but I got the best feeling walking around there- it is a beautiful resort - not what I expected at all.

 

[macraven]

dsmom, so glad to hear that.
i would always correct myself on the threads if i found out i gave out info that was changed since my last visit or if i was incorrect from the start.



i'm excitedly awaiting a mimi trippie from you.


was the room you stayed in all you expected it to be?


pm or email me anytime you have free time.
take care of David first.

 

[Dislifer]

Hey Mac! All advice given was perfect! I have been trying without luck to e-mail you for days now! i am usually typing with one hand, standing up running back and forth with David!

While at PB we toured the other two resorts with my mom- I checked out your favorite resort and fell in love with the grounds there- it sounds strange but I got the best feeling walking around there- it is a beautiful resort - not what I expected at all.

Mac: Your fav is Hard Rock? You like Portofino too, right??? I've only stayed at RPR and loved it...but I want to try something different next time.

 

[macraven]

Mac: Your fav is Hard Rock? You like Portofino too, right??? I've only stayed at RPR and loved it...but I want to try something different next time.

i like hrh the best, the distance to the park is so close. that is one thing i love about it. and it is the smallest hotel of the three. only 650 rooms and many conventions are held there. when it is like that, the coffee shop and kitchen are not overly crowded. the convention people ususally have a buffet set up for their group.

next i love portifino a lot. i like the ambience of that place. the room sizes are larger than hrh. distance to the park and city walk is the draw back for me at pbh. i go during hhn in october and don't get in until after 2 in the morning. if i would not be able to get the boat back to pbh, it would be a very long tiring walk for me at that time in the morning.

rph has the best resturants for me..the breakfast buffet at Islands is super good. the grounds around the pool is kewl. the room size and it's layout isn't my fave.

you will like pbh !
it has many plusses

only the distance to city walk and the parks are my problem with that hotel