Portofino Questions

[Hawk]

Hi Folks:

First time at Portofino for three days in April 2016. I have a few questions:

1. Is it faster to take the boat or to walk the shortcut? How long for each?
2. How often does the boat leave to and from the resort?
3. Are there multiple boats that can go to different places or just one boat that goes to many places?
4. What is the cost to rent a refrigerator?
5. Is there an ice machine on each floor?
6. Is there a charge for wi-fi?
7. I noticed on the map that parking is way to the rear (off Vineland). At check in do you go to the entrance from Universal Blvd. then drive back to Universal Blv to Vineland to get to parking lot or is the a back route?
8. Is valet available? What is the charge?
9. Is there a hot spa by any of the pools?

Thanks for your help.

Tim/Hawk

 

[macraven]

Boats usually come every 20 minutes but in high hotel occupancy periods, extra boats are added

Opinions vary but for me, water taxis are preferred over walking
I save my feet for park time

Ice machines on every floor
Valet parking available

Go to the website universalorlando.com for hotel details
You will find costs of fridge rentals ($15 per night) and valet costs
Believe it is about $8? More than regular hotel
Parking

 

[RMulieri]

Boats run about every 20 mins. They do stop and take time to load and wait so if a boat is just coming in to the dock , it is possible to walk and beat it . each resort has its own boat.It goes from the resort to citywalk dock and then back to the resort.
There is a ice machine on each floor
Basic Wifi is free.Upgrade for faster speeds is not
valet is available.Cant help you with parking stuff because we never bring a car.
There are hot tubs at the beach pool.Not sure about the Villa pool or the hillside pool

 

[damo]

We use the underground parking and just take the elevator up. It will let you out very close to the front entrance. What you see on googlemaps is the top level of the parking garage. It isn't as far away as it looks. We can usually get a spot close to the elevators on the bottom level.

If we are going to Universal, we walk. If we are going to IOA, we take the boat. It is either $15 or $25/day for a refrigerator.

 

[Chelley00]

We took a rickshaw to the park one morning and the kids loved it. Quicker than walking and the boat.

 

[Hawk]

We use the underground parking and just take the elevator up. It will let you out very close to the front entrance. What you see on googlemaps is the top level of the parking garage. It isn't as far away as it looks. We can usually get a spot close to the elevators on the bottom level.

If we are going to Universal, we walk. If we are going to IOA, we take the boat. It is either $15 or $25/day for a refrigerator.

Hi Damo:

So you self park, then check in?

Tim

 

[Hawk]

We took a rickshaw to the park one morning and the kids loved it. Quicker than walking and the boat.

Hi C:

There are 16 of us!

Tim/Hawk

 

[damo]

Hi Damo:

So you self park, then check in?

Tim

That's what we do.

 

[pcstang]

I check in and then self park.

 

[bumbershoot]

We park and then check in. We have luck half the time at Uni with getting a room right then, and I do NOT like handing bags over to Bell and then finding out we have a room, nor do I love leaving the car there while I run in to check. So we park and lug the bags up, and check in.

Wifi is included now.

There's a hot tub at the Villa pool as well.

I haven't taken the HRH shortcut from PBH. We either take the boat or we walk. Since the boat drops you off on the citywalk side of the water, there's still a walk to and across a bridge to either park, whereas the walking path gets you to the park-side of the water. Pretty sure the boat wins if you start walking at the same time, but it's not as close as you'd think, because of having to get off the boat, to one of the bridges, and across.

 

[rlduvall]

We took a rickshaw to the park one morning and the kids loved it. Quicker than walking and the boat.

I have always wanted to use them, but I never know what to tip. What would be the appropriate tip for 2 people?

 

[Hawk]

Thank you everybody for all the information.

Tim/Hawk

 

[macraven]

Some peeps tip $1 per person while others give 2/pp

I'm my fat days, I gave $3 for a ride back to the hotel

It's all personal choice if and how much you want to give the rickshaw driver

 

[rlduvall]

Some peeps tip $1 per person while others give 2/pp

I'm my fat days, I gave $3 for a ride back to the hotel

It's all personal choice if and how much you want to give the rickshaw driver

Thanks for the info!

 

[Squirlz]

I have always wanted to use them, but I never know what to tip. What would be the appropriate tip for 2 people?

Last week we rode twice from RPR to the entrance. I gave $6 each time and they seemed happy. Very slow time so they weren't getting too many rides.

As far as fridges, do they not have them in all rooms now?

 

[macraven]

rpr has mini fridges in the rooms

 

[Squirlz]

rpr has mini fridges in the rooms

Yeah we just returned from a week there. We're thinking of trying PB in September and I was wondering about the icebox situation there.

 

[damo]

Yeah we just returned from a week there. We're thinking of trying PB in September and I was wondering about the icebox situation there.

No fridges at the PBH.

 

[Donna3271]

Hi All,
is there a fee for the health club at PBR? TIA!!!

 

[damo]

Hi All,
is there a fee for the health club at PBR? TIA!!!

No.

The Mandara Spa® Fitness Center
Enjoy an invigorating workout at Mandara Spa’s state-of-the-art complimentary Fitness Center. From free weights to a variety of cardio machines, our facilities are designed so you can easily maintain your workout routine while staying with us (or, perhaps, begin a new one).

• 7 treadmills with TV monitors
• 4 upright bicycles with TV monitors
• 2 stair climbers with TV monitors
• 3 Elliptical cross trainers with TV monitors
• 13 stations of variable resistance weight machines
• Smith press machine
• Free weight area with dumbbells and 2 benches
• Stretching area
• Access to fitness mats
• Nutritional bars available
• Locker Rooms
• Steam and Sauna

HOURS

5 AM–8 PM daily

Fitness facilities are available for ages 18 and up (subject to change without notice).

The Fitness Center at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is complimentary to all guests staying within the Loews Hotels complex at Universal Orlando Resort.