Portofino Club level all that it is cracked up to be?

[OrlandoGuy]

I had a previous thread asking whether I should go with the AKL or Portofino... well I chose the Portofino. Figured I should start a new thread for a new question.

Im a seasonal employee at IOA so I went for the red carpet employee discount, but soon found out that it was only for full time employees (too bad because the person on the phone said $99 dollar rate for a bayview room). But I was eligible for the friends and family rate of $179 for deluxe and $251 for club level. I really want this night to be romantic and special, especially since it will be only me and my gf and she doesn't even know we are staying the extra night, she thinks that I couldn't take off of work and we were leaving early.

So I went with the club deluxe room. I know it comes with all the free drinks and snacks that you could want... but do you think it would be worth it in my situation? There is nothing planned for that night so I thought that if we happened to just lay around in the room then the benifit might be greater than a guest who just used it as a place to sleep and leave. I've searched and found a few people who liked and disliked the option, but do you think it would be really worth the extra $70 in my situation?

BTW: we are college students so we plan on drinking so the free beer will be a nice plus (is there a limit?)

 

[macraven]

it's all the beer you can drink.........and free.
also they have had wine in the evening plus the food.

so you are paying an extra $70 for the deluxe room, that sounds like a good deal with the discount.

i hope you have a great view and higher up level floor to enjoy it all.
i had a deluxe room one time and it is larger than the regular rooms. go to the loews site and check out the info on the hotel there. you can view the rooms and lobby, etc from that site. very impressive. it will give the dimensions of all the rooms.


if you spend time in your room, you can rent movies thru the tv, hang out n the lounge, walk around the lobby, .............lots of things you can do in the hotel.
hope your stay will be fantastic !!

 

[boomer626]

For a family of five it was worth it for us because of the breakfast - which was a very nice selection of continental offerings - coffee, water, and soda throughout the day, and the evening drinks and cheese from 5-7. The food in the evening is a just a nice spread of cheeses and crackers, and one hot sampler offering like Beef Wellington. Milk and cookies for late night dessert. For just the two of you, they have several nice restaurants and lounges where the $70 might go farther, and the atmosphere might be a little more comfortable and than the club lounge. You'll be very pleased with the PBH either way.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Yeah, I decided that it might be a little better just to go with the Deluxe room. I might just get a 6 pack of beer for $5 and use the rest of the $65 on a nice dinner for 2. I can see how the breakfast and snacks would help with a family or party of 4-6 people, but 2 for just one night... i dont know i just dont see it. Reason I was originally was going to get the club room was because I thought that the rooms were larger or more extravogant, I had no idea they were the same exact room but just with the privilege of using the club lounge.

 

[robvia]

If you can pack your own cooler and carry it up to the room, then you'll be just fine. Here's my page on how to find the Publix just north of the park.
http://www.nogodforme.com/directionstopublix.htm
Some people don't spend the time to do that, so club room is great for them. In my case, I fill the cooler, with beer, sodas, milk, juice, plus doughnuts, chips, and other snacks in a plastic bag. There's work involved with shopping before checking in, then carrying the cooler and snacks up to the room. I usually have to make two trips. Plus you have to fill the coolers with ice each morning. I don't mind the work, it all pays off when I'm drinking beers in my room for $6 a six pack. But like I said, some people don't think like that.
The only thing I miss when eating out of the cooler is hot food. The club room usually has hot snacks, and renting a microwave costs money. So you'll still end up eating a couple times at a restaurant to get a hot meal. But you'll save a ton of money on drinks bringing your own.

 

[macraven]

go to the hotel site. check out the rooms there
deluxe room is larger than the regular room.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Ok, I would like one of the deluxe rooms with a balcony (small balcony is fine). Is there any specific floor/room that I should ask for? And do I request it when I check in or should I call the resort and see if they can leave a notation on my reservation? Also, if I tell them at check-in, would it be smart to get there early in the day (before the 4:00 check-in) to tell them in advance that I would like a balcony?

Sorry about all the questions.

 

[macraven]

i would suggest you plan this in advance.
call now and request what you want.

if you wait until you arrive, it may not be available.

if a guest is only staying one night and you don't get the request in prior, it wouldn't be held for you. the other party could be placed in a different room.

not sure which room would be best. there was a thread sometime back on the floor/room numbers and info on that.
do a search here on the dis for that thread.

maybe someone else could be of more help on the floor/room info.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Ok, well i called Portofino Bay hotel and was going to request a bay view with a patio... and the operator said "Ok so we have you down with the request of bay view balcony on your club level deluxe for $172". Im confused now... they kept the club level on my reservation and lowered the price even lower than the deluxe of $179 down to only $172. Does this make any sense? Do you think it was the operator's foul up or did I just get a really good rate by accident?

 

[macraven]

quick.......call back and be sure to get the operator's name. and if they same info is given...


signed ...... sealed....... delivered...........so wicked and sweet...

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Well I called back, same price and reservation was given of $172 for club level. I asked for an email copy of the reservation to be sent to me so that I can keep some type of proof just in case.

Should be smooth sailing... I guess it's a don't ask don't tell situation lol.

 

[macraven]

orlando guy.........woo hoo...........happy for you.


what a nice deal ...........

 

[Back the Badge]

Well I called back, same price and reservation was given of $172 for club level. I asked for an email copy of the reservation to be sent to me so that I can keep some type of proof just in case.

Should be smooth sailing... I guess it's a don't ask don't tell situation lol.

Wow, thats a great deal. When are you staying? If its anytime the end of January I will meet you at Margaritaville and you can buy me the biggest rita on the menu with all the money you saved

 

[OrlandoGuy]

All I have to say is... the club lounge was sooo worth it. I stayed at the Royal Pacific standard room for one night which was great and had a nice view, but nothing beats the Deluxe view of Portofino with the club level ammenities. First of all we left Royal Pacific at 10 am and checked in at the Portofino at 10:30... that's right not their 4 pm posted check in time but I was in the room at 10:30 am. And they also never gave me any hastle with the reservation but only told me that there was an extra $7 room fee. Me and my gf managed to get some good snacks, free drinks, and free deserts out of the club room. Only thing I would make sure to do next time is to keep track of their schedule, because they only have an alotted time for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desert, ect. and when they say they close at 10... they close at 10. I only managed to get one beer out of them before they shut the lounge on me during my "drinking time" but all is well. All in all, well worth the price. I will get some pics after I borrow the gf's digi camera.

BTW: The Universal staffing office had a mixup and gave me waaay more comp tickets than I should have gotten. I forgot to catch the error for them (hehe) and managed to walk away from the trip with enough comp tickets to have a special "free" Christmas gift for all my family. Hey, 1 day 2 park tickets are expensive, they should be glad that I give them a park ticket rather than some ties or socks.

 

[Lives4Disney]

OrlandoGuy - Glad you had a great stay at PBH.

My family and I will be staying at the PBH in a deluxe club level room in March (first trip to Universal). What is the best view to request? How about if we want to be close to the lounge?? Are all the club level deluxe rooms near the lounge?? It sounds like we need to request a balcony - not all rooms have them??? Anything else you can suggest???

Thanks for any info. I just don't want to get the cruddiest room in the place because we are newbies and didn't know what to request!!

Lives4Disney

 

[Colorado DISers]

OrlandoGuy - Glad you had a great stay at PBH.

My family and I will be staying at the PBH in a deluxe club level room in March (first trip to Universal). What is the best view to request? How about if we want to be close to the lounge?? Are all the club level deluxe rooms near the lounge?? It sounds like we need to request a balcony - not all rooms have them??? Anything else you can suggest???

Thanks for any info. I just don't want to get the cruddiest room in the place because we are newbies and didn't know what to request!!

Lives4Disney

BUMP- We are also new and going in June. Would like the same info on PBH Club level. Thanks in advance.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Well, you either get a bay view or a garden view, go with the bay view. Chances are that a room with a balcony won't be available because they only have a very select few to choose from (and most of them are only on the suites) but it is fairly easy to get a bay view.

Being by the lounge is a problem because the club floors are 6th and 7th and the lounge is on the 3rd, but it really wasnt a big concern because both the club level and lounge are on the same wing and once you jump in the elevator to the 3rd floor it will be only a short walk. The side of the wing is a 2 edged sword because if you pick a room by the elevator that is really easy to get to the lounge, you might have a problem with the noise, but farther down the hall you will have more of a walk ahead of you. The room I was at was very close to the elevator though and noise was not a problem... as a matter of fact the only other person I saw on my floor at all was room service, but I don't know how loud it might get during busier seasons.