Portofino Club Level questions.......

[Debs Hill]

Hi guys! Have only ever done conceirge at Disney before and wondered how it compares at Universal. Can you e-mail the club level staff to make restaurant bookings etc for you as you can at the Poly? Does anyone have any photos of the lounge and the offerings through the day?! Have great memories of a lengthy e-mail relationship with the Poly conceirge staff prior to our arrival that it felt as though we were meeting old friends!! ha!
Thanks!
Debsx

 

[calgarygary]

I consider Disney's concierge level to have slightly better offerings than Club Level at PBH. However, and that is a big however, the difference in costs by adding Club at the PBH vs. upgrading to concierge at Disney means that the PBH is a much better deal.

 

[mouse1]

I just came back from my PBH club level trip. The food was excellent!! I have also stayed at Poly concierge which I thought was just ok. I didn't feel I got good value for my money at the Poly.

We went in the evening for the appetizers thinking we would have alittle something to eat before dinner. Well, the food was so good we had to cancel our dinner reservations because we were to full.

They had fried ravoli one night that was just delicious and the same night they had chicken on a stick that my DH loved. The kids ate corn dogs. So nobody wanted to go to dinner after that. I didn't expect it to be dinner for us but it was. They also had out everynight platters of cheese and crackers and antipasta salads and fresh veggies with dip. It's only worth the money if you happen to like what they are putting out each day. We got lucky because there was something for everyone and everything was excellent.

At the Poly I felt like I wasted my money but club level at the PBH was worth it for us. The staff was excellent always asking if we needed anything.

I don't know if you can make advance reservations by email at the PBH. We were there early this month when it was crowded and made our reservations when we arrived at the hotel and had no problems. We even got a Mythos reservation last minute which surprised me.

 

[Subi WRX]

Hi guys! Have only ever done conceirge at Disney before and wondered how it compares at Universal. Can you e-mail the club level staff to make restaurant bookings etc for you as you can at the Poly? Does anyone have any photos of the lounge and the offerings through the day?! Have great memories of a lengthy e-mail relationship with the Poly conceirge staff prior to our arrival that it felt as though we were meeting old friends!! ha!
Thanks!
Debsx

You could try, but you don't really need to. No 180-day ADRs at Universal. No really hard to get reservations. You can easily make reservations yourself through opentable.com for either Emeril's restaurants. I wouldn't trouble the PBH staff to do that for you.

Think of Disney as staying concierge. Think of PBH as staying Club.

Just do a search on PBH Club. The food questions come up a lot. Note that if the search on the DIS isn't working, try google.

 

[minniejack]

When we were there over Thanksgiving:

Breakfast:
assorted Bagels & toast, with assorted jams, jellies, honey, butter, cream cheese
cereal (individual boxes) usually an assortment of 5 or 6
assorted danishes and pastries
assorted muffins
hot oatmeal with assorted toppings available, ie brown sugar, raisins
low fat yogurt, granola topping available
strawberries
cantaloupe
other fresh fruit such as bananas, oranges and apples
coffee, tea, milk, low fat milk, orange juice, hot chocolate, water, sodas

Midmorning snack - fresh fruit cups, fresh fruit, water, soda, coffee, tea, hot chocolate

early afternoon snack - icees, fresh fruit, water soda, coffee, tea, hot chocolate

appetizers (only made this once) -
fried ravioli with side of marinara sauce,
chicken skewers with sauce,
veggie and meat antipasti (served in individual martini glasses)
fresh fruit
wine, beer,
water, soda, coffee, tea, hot chocolate

dessert:
assorted Italian desserts such as cannolis
large cookies
milk, lowfat milk, water, sodas, coffee, tea, hot cholate

I have posted pictures of the breakfast set-up in the Portofino Bay info thread
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=272204&page=30
starts on post 441

 

[Debs Hill]

Thanks so much guys. I think that's a good comparrison between 'club' and 'conceirge'.
Do they allow you to take drinks out of lounge?
Also, I have a question about conceirge rooms as I have read so many conflicting reports in various places!!! We would like a bay view deluxe queen with conceirge.......is this possible?
Have read that conceirge is only in the villa wing, that there are no deluxe rooms with a bay view, and that you can add conceirge to any room!?!! Help!
Thanks so much!
Debsx

 

[goofy!]

Thanks so much guys. I think that's a good comparrison between 'club' and 'conceirge'.
Do they allow you to take drinks out of lounge?
Also, I have a question about conceirge rooms as I have read so many conflicting reports in various places!!! We would like a bay view deluxe queen with conceirge.......is this possible?
Have read that conceirge is only in the villa wing, that there are no deluxe rooms with a bay view, and that you can add conceirge to any room!?!! Help!
Thanks so much!
Debsx

There are definitely bay view deluxe rooms. We have stayed in them.

When you book a Club room, it is always a deluxe room. Usually they put you in the Villa Wing which overlook the pool, but you could be in any of the deluxe rooms in the hotel. This is the way to absolutely guarantee getting club.

Since there is no actual club floor or wing, you can also add club privileges at check-in if available. As long as club isn't overfilled, you are allowed to add it to any room from a garden view to a deluxe. Last time we were there, it was an extra $75.00 per night. While we have yet to be turned down from adding club, you do run a slight risk of not getting club when doing it this way.

So, you can reserve a:

Garden view - both king and 2 queen (add club at check-in)
Bay view - both king and 2 queen (add club at check-in)
Deluxe room - both king and 2 queen (add club at check-in)
or
Club room - always a deluxe king or 2 queen - club is included.

If you are booking club, I would just put a request on my reservation for a bay view room.

 

[minniejack]

Thanks so much guys. I think that's a good comparrison between 'club' and 'conceirge'.
Do they allow you to take drinks out of lounge?
Also, I have a question about conceirge rooms as I have read so many conflicting reports in various places!!! We would like a bay view deluxe queen with conceirge.......is this possible?
Have read that conceirge is only in the villa wing, that there are no deluxe rooms with a bay view, and that you can add conceirge to any room!?!! Help!
Thanks so much!
Debsx

Yes, you can load up and take back to your room.

You can add club to any room, but lounge is in the Villa Wing.
Personally, I want to be close to the food--

I know that even though my DD is 15 and DS is 13, they are both scaredy cats and would only go if it was close to the room.

 

[Debs Hill]

Now when you explain it like that it's cyrstal clear!!!! thank you so much!!!!!

What are the views like from the rooms in the villa wing?
How far is the conceirge lounge from rooms with a bay view and those in the villa wing?? Like you, my son would not be keen on going there alone unless close by!

If you book a suite, does conceirge come as part of the rate, or do you have to add that on?

Thanks so much!
Debsx

 

[mouse1]

I just came home from the PBH a couple of weeks ago.

We had a bay view room and added club to it. I know we did not have deluxe because those rooms have a seperate shower and tub. Our room was a tub shower combo.

I have had deluxe before and I didn't think it was worth it to pay extra.

But again, we did not have a deluxe room and we still had club. Also, the food was excellent in the club lounge.

 

[antmaril]

I'm sitting in the Portofino Bay Villa Club Lounge right now having my breakfast. I added Club when we checked in yesterday afternoon. It is $75.00 per night.

The Club Lounge is very nice. Yesterday, we had hot appetizers, cheese and ers, cold appetizers, wine, beer, soda, water etc.

Later in the evening we came back for dessert. Cookies, little pastries, milk, soda, water, etc.

This morning they have oatmeal, cereal and milk, bagels, croissants, muffins (a variety including low fat), and danish, in addition to coffee, tea, hot chocolate, water, soda, etc.

I added the Club level because of the pouring rain. At least it gives us somewhere to go other than the room. The weather is absolutely terrible and it doesn't look like it's going to clear any time soon. Oy.

By the way, I have stayed concierge at Disney and the food is comparable in my opinion. However, I will say that concierge at Disney has a more "exclusive" feel to it. Just my two cents, of course.

 

[mouse1]

I have stayed at most of the Disney resorts Conceirge but club level at the PBH was the best in my opinion. The food there was excellent. The service was the best I ever had. The employees kept asking if we needed anything and went out of their way to accomodate us.

I have decided to do club level at PBH only. As much as I love Disney resorts concerige I won't be doing there anymore.

 

[happymommy]

I'm sitting in the club lounge at PBH hotel this morning - sorry missed you last night, Marilyn! It has been nice - we had wine and snacks and were SO TIRED last night, so I got the kiddos ready for bed and came back here to join my husband. He ordered us some pasta from Mama Dellas - it was the best homemade pasta I've ever had! They delivered it here to the lounge, which was nice as it had cleared out after the appetizer time ended. I was just so tired - got up at 3:15am yesterday to get us all ready for the god awful early flight here. And we had gone to IOA and US during the afternoon - enjoyed a few fun rides.

The lounge is nice - and if they have wine later if you ask (my husband gave some of them a nice tip I think). The appetizers were so so yesterday, but not bad. Not much my son could eat, except he loved the Italian Sausages. The kids were tired anyway. They gave me some milk to bring back to the room for the kids (DD wanted some and I have to give a measured amount to DS daily).

I will warn others - we had lunch at the pizza place by the beach pool (Splendido). My husband had a wrap sandwich - he said it was awful, too garlicky, and he had a sour stomach all afternoon from it. My food was just so so, the pizza my DD had looked like it had been frozen. I don't recommend that place at all!

I find the service here has been excellent - very very nice.

I think that is pretty comparable to Disney.

It does get crowded, and folks come in tired and wet from the rain - it's not fancy like the Ritz. But I think the staff does their best to try and help the guests feel relaxed and pampered a bit.

I think our room is comparable to Disney - haven't stayed in a Disney hotel for 2 years, so things can change. We got our little balcony for fresh air, which is nice.

 

[goofy!]

I will warn others - we had lunch at the pizza place by the beach pool (I forget the name). My husband had a wrap sandwich - he said it was awful, too garlicky, and he had a sour stomach all afternoon from it. My food was just so so, the pizza my DD had looked like it had been frozen. I don't recommend that place at all!

We never order the pizza from the pool restaurant.

We always walk around the corner and order a pizza from Sal's and bring it back to the pool. Sal's pizza is phenominal!

 

[antmaril]

We never order the pizza from the pool restaurant.

We always walk around the corner and order a pizza from Sal's and bring it back to the pool. Sal's pizza is phenominal!

I agree - the pizza at Sal's is excellent!

 

[minniejack]

bump

 

[ready4mouse]

I would love to hear from anyone else that is going or has done PBH club!

 

[cbsnyber1]

I would love to hear from anyone else that is going or has done PBH club!

We'll be at PBH club Dec 12 - 18, first time. We did HRH club about six years ago and loved that, so I'm hoping PBH club is just as good.