Portofino Parking

[lindalinda]

I am driving and staying at the Portofino in April. Since I am driving 14 hours with 3 teenagers, I know the car with be a disaster when I arrive, so I dont want valet parking since I imagine it would be difficult to unpack the car easily. So where is the self-parking? Is it easy to get to?

Thanks

 

[calgarygary]

The self parking is very close and not at all an inconvenience. What is an inconvenience is that the card that they give you to operate the gate doesn't always work.

 

[lindalinda]

So I need to check in before I can get into the self-parking area? I'm not too worried about the card working, because I wont be using the car at all, once I get there.

 

[calgarygary]

You do not need the parking card to get into the lot, you need it to get out. I would drive the car to the entrance, check in and then go and park the car.

 

[Motherfletcher]

We always park first. Since you have teenagers you won't need the bellmen or it sounds like you'll be embaraassed to to do the bellmen route. As you drive the winding driveway leading to PBH you'll keep right to a parking area for the bus and taxis. To the right is a gate with a machine that spits out tickets, take one and the gate opens. The parking is underground and the spot you are looking for is by the elevators. If the the first level is full or nothing close the elevators keep going down. Have kids unload the major piles of trash at the garbage can by the elevator door. The only bad thing is that the elevators are not air conditioned. When you exit the elevator at ground level which is actually the 3rd floor you follow the outdoor hallway toward the entrance where the valet and bell people are eager to make a buck. We always duck into the first set of double doors you come to which takes you to a foyer/entrance area for conventions. We have never done this when there was a convention in progress because we arrive around or before 8 am. Veer left and you will enter a darkened alleyway lined with gift shops and bathrooms (someone always needs these when we get there). Keep left and it leads you the back way to the check in desk. The kids can hang in the lobby or in the outdoor patio with the luggage while you check in.

 

[calgarygary]

See you are always learning something on these threads. I had no idea that there was underground parking at the PBH; we always found open spots just past the gate.

 

[damo]

See you are always learning something on these threads. I had no idea that there was underground parking at the PBH; we always found open spots just past the gate.

Exactly. I just printed that out and added it to my file of important stuff.

 

[Lisa3]

Strange question but does anyone know the "clearance" on the underground parking at Portofino? I am asking because I don't want to have a problem with the car top carrier. We never leave home without it!

 

[lindalinda]

Exactly. I just printed that out and added it to my file of important stuff.

So did I! I printed it out and put it in my "Universal" file!

 

[Motherfletcher]

Strange question but does anyone know the "clearance" on the underground parking at Portofino? I am asking because I don't want to have a problem with the car top carrier. We never leave home without it!

It feels lower than it probably is. We have a van and it feels tight. My son jumps up and touches the support beams so my guess would be 9-10'?

 

[robvia]

Good advice. The walk from the parking garage to your room is far, because you have to go thru the lobby, and down 1 floor to get to the lagoon area where the rooms start.
Ask for a West Wing room because they are closer to the main pool, and you can walk thru the hotel to get to your room in A/C.
Once you get in your room and everything looks ok, get all the kids together and make another trip back to the car to bring everything in. We usually had to make two trips.

 

[lindalinda]

Good advice. The walk from the parking garage to your room is far, because you have to go thru the lobby, and down 1 floor to get to the lagoon area where the rooms start.
Ask for a West Wing room because they are closer to the main pool, and you can walk thru the hotel to get to your room in A/C.
Once you get in your room and everything looks ok, get all the kids together and make another trip back to the car to bring everything in. We usually had to make two trips.

I did ask for a west wing room, but I am upgraded to deluxe so they werent sure if I would get it. I think maybe most of the deluxes are near the Villa Pool? Thanks for the advice, if I thought the car wouldnt be a horrible mess, I would just use valet, but I know these kids, and I'm not that confident!

 

[damo]

We parked right by the elevators the whole time we were there. It is very convenient and not a long walk.

We actually never got charged for parking. No one even asked if we had a car. I think we just got lucky.