Portofino, Should I be nervous??

[Syngrolsch]

hi
I just booked the Portofino for 8/4-8/6 a few days ago. Got the entertainment card rate of $160.00.
I spoke to someone who was very nice and friendly and told me I had to 10 days to pay the deposit.

I called tonight to pay the deposit and spoke to a man who told me that I did not have the 160.00 rate but I had a rate of 187.50. I proceeded to give the name of the woman I spoke to and how she quoted me 160.00.
He then became irritated and told me that I was booked for the bayview room at 187.50 and that I couldn't get that room for 160.00. I said that was fine, I didn't care what type of room I had I simply wanted the rate I was quoted. He then informed that there were no rooms for 160.00 during that time.
I then asked for a manager and he became angry and told me how the manager will simply repeat what he stated and it would be a waste of time. I ask to speak to a manager again and he repeated himself again. I finally began to become irritated and snapped, "why won't you let me speak to a manager?"
At this time he put the phone down and I heard him loudly and angerily tell someone, "There's some lady here saying that so and so quoted her 160.00 for bayview and that's not possible and I don't know what she's talking about.
The manager wasn't any better at first, until I explained to her that I wasn't trying to get a bayview room for 160.00, I just wanted any room, garden view whatever for 160.00, the rate that I booked. She then said fine, you can have the garden view for 160.00 and that was it. Now all of a sudden there was a gardenview room available for 160.00.

After reading the story from Smooth silky goofy and other stories regarding the Portofino, I am now extremely nervous about staying there?

Anyone have great or positive stories regarding the Portofino??

P.S. sorry for the length, i guess I'm venting.

 

[Disney Debbie]

Boy that would be disconcerting to me too!

 

[kellymonaghan]

I think you handled yourself very well. I always recommend "polite persistence" when dealing with hotels.

The fact is that hotel personnel, from the reservations desk to the front desk, have a great deal of leeway in what they can charge for a room. There is simply no such thing as a fixed price for a room.

There are two other factors at work here, I think. One is that PBH has become extremely popular, both with corporate clients booking it for big meetings and upscale tourists looking to enjoy UO. So a lot of people are trying to book it. My guess is that, thanks to boards like this, there are a lot of people trying to play all the angles to get the best room at the best rate. (And there's nothing wrong with that, BTW.)

The second factor is human nature. I am also guessing that, because of the large volume of calls and escalating requests for this that and the other, that every once and a while someone snaps. It just happens. You were very smart to keep your cool and politely persist in asking to speak with a manager. You were also very smart to have kept a record of the name of the person you had spoken to previously.

I can only assume someone at Loews or Universal or both is monitoring these boards. (If they aren't, they're nuts!) So complaints like yours and Smooth Silky Goofy's are probably being mulled over and (hopefully) some training initiatives will be tweaked to improve the service.

But the fact remains: thanks to human nature customer service will never be 100%. Somewhere along the line someone will do something stupid -- Unlike you and me and everyone else who posts to these boards, of course, who are always perfect in everything we do.

So go to Portofino knowing that the vast majority of guests there have a GREAT time. I sure have.

 

[Radar]

As sort of a professional traveler would agree that this is the time to hold ground and negotiate price, and talking to manager was right thing to do, have you tried for entertainment rates at either here or HR, also apply for Loew's First card, might get upgrade to water view for free, this would really be sweet and make your trip,
you did good.....

 

[Syngrolsch]

hey
I feel so much better after reading the words of encouragement in response to my thread.
I think the more I plan the more nervous I get because I want my trip to be perfect. Gosh, I still have three months to go.

disney debbie-
thanks for the latin quarter coupon, I can't wait to use it.

thanks

 

[Disney Debbie]

You are quite welcome! I plan to use mine too - only 2 more weeks!

 

[pixie dust gal!]

This if by far my favorite resort! There were a few of us on this board that were the first to stay there and post back. I stayed in a kids suite for 5 days last year and LOVED IT!

There were problems(!!!!) I faced prior to arrival, and I won't go into it because it all melted away once I arrived. Remeber, you are not speaking to a staff member at PBH, you are speaking with a Lowes staff member! The hotel cannot handle their ressies direct - it must go through LOWES. The staff and resort were fabulous every step of the way. I returned there again just for 2 nites while visiting my girlfriend and her family. They cannot do enough for you - just ask. Always remember, should you encounter an unpleasant situation, just ask to speak to the Front Desk Mgr. - they will accomodate however they can with the utmost professionalism.

ZerasPride is another DIS member who loved this resort so too. I know she will read this and post her feelings.

In June, we are staying at the HRH for 5 nites and I am sad! The kids won out this time but I will definitely be over to the PBH a few times too! Too hard to resist!

Hope this helps! I am waiving some pixie dust around you to make all those 'bad' feelings go away!

 

[nhrenee]

Hi Debbie!

Don't worry! I've stayed in the Portofino 3 different times, from Nov/99 to Nov 2000. Once was with kids in a kidsuite, once alone and once with just my dh!

We've always been treated well and had a great visit. It's a beautiful resort, so romantic and quiet. What a wonderful break from the noise of the parks. Elegant but not stuffy. And the beds are so comfortable, it's like sleeping on a cloud! Sigh, now I wish I was there! LOL!

Just curious, when you booked your room did the lady give you a conformation #?

 

[Syngrolsch]

hi
I feel 100% better after reading the raves about the Portofino! I can't wait to sleep on these beds that everyone keeps talking about.

I didn't know that the people who make the reservations are the people at the hotel.

I just called the 800 # and said I wanted to book a room only, I assumed I was talking to the people at the the Portofino.

nhrenee-I did receive a confirmation # when I booked and I gave it to the man when I called back to pay my deposit.
They keep telling me that my reservation said I had the 187.50 rate; I'm thinking the first woman I spoke to must have misspoke and quoted me the wrong rate.
Because I had a page of notes from when I booked it, that she DID quote me 160.00.

I learned the hard way from 3 vacations ago, to keep a yellow pad of paper and write EVERYTHING down including name of who I spoke to, date, time, and price.

 

[Syngrolsch]

hey

Radar
I forgot to ask about the comment you made regarding the Loews card.
I did try applying online for it and it asked me for my Credit card #, I felt extremely uncomfortable give that kinda information so I left it blank.
I submitted my info and it got kicked back as undeliverable email. Weird Huh?

 

[Disney Debbie]

I got a Loew's card without a credit card! I just called up and did it over the phone.

 

[MickFreak]

I applied online for a Loew's card and left the credit card info blank. I then called last week and got my #. They processed my card in a day from me applying online. I did, however, put all other information on the application. I just left the cc info blank.

I stayed at the Portofino April 11, 2001 and loved the hotel. I only stayed 1 night. I am going back in June for 2 nights and can't wait! I needed to add another night on and the Loew's 800 # told me to call the hotel directly and ask for the in house requests. I did that and got my extra day with no problem.

Sue

 

[pixie dust gal!]

We all talk about PBH and "THE BEDS", right? Well the only two things that keep me coming back are my hunk-a-hunk of burnin' love "SPIDEY" and "the beds". But did you all know that the beds are the same in both PBH and HRH? Being owned both by LOWES, they use the same bedding................ YEAH!!!!!!!!! That is why i gave in to the kids for the HRH - I actually called and asked if indeed they were the same - that is how much I LOVE those beds after a day in the parks, ummmmmmmmm! inkbounc

 

[Beckles]

I've stayed at the HRH and PBH, and the beds are definitely not exactly the same (the HRH beds aren't overly tall). Besides that difference though, I don't think the HRH beds are in quite the same league as the PBH ... they're very good, just not PBH good ... at least that's what I thought ...

Barry would probably know better since I think he stayed on consecutive nights at both hotels ...

 

[ZerasPride]

I just couldn't resist commenting on this thread!

You are going to absolutely love the Portofino! Is the hotel perfect? No. Did I have a few glitches in my stay? Yes. Would I return to the Portofino in a heartbeat? Absolutely.

I've stayed at the Portofino twice last year (once with hubby and once with sonny) and enjoyed both visits immensely. The staff is friendly and professional and the rooms are gorgeous. Of course the fotl perq goes without question as being superior to anything else offered at any other park but it is the overall atmosphere of the hotel - like the little details that keep me coming back. For instance, the wake-up calls - you can have me and Deb's favorite "main squeeze" Spiderman call or Olive Oyl, Cat in the Hat or several others. With the Loews First gift, we had cookies and milk delivered to our room and those famous beds are heavenly! I am vertically challenged and literally had to take a flying leap to get into bed every night the beds are so high off the floor (but I loved it).

There is nothing like taking the ferryboat to the parks in the morning and and the grounds of the hotel are lovely. Then there is the bathrooms - they are extremely well appointed and luxurious. I do not think you will regret your stay at the Portofino at all.

Unfortunately, our next trip is so short we cannot do a combo Disney/Universal trip but with all this talk about the Portofino I am trying to convince my hubby to change our Poly reservations to the Portofino (before they are sold out). I hope I can convince him before the weekend is over. There is nothing like the Portofino and the fotl access at the parks. Enjoy your stay and please report back when you return.

Lisa

 

[pixie dust gal!]

Hey Z,

I knew you wouldn't pass up that thread! Just looooove that PBH! More than those darn Krispy Kreme donuts! LOL! AND THAT IS A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You tell dh that they lost your ressies at the Poly! LOL If that doesn't work, when I come down, I will tell Spidey you're in town again.......... maybe he can sneak over! I almost killed my kids getting to the phone for our wake up call to hear his voice! My youngest kept saying "mom, I want to hear too"! LOL LOL LOL

I will help you figure this out........................

 

[MKPcm]

When you call the advertised number for the hotels and push the option for room only you are getting an outside company in Rhode Island-they work for neither Loews or Universal. The reservations company does reservations for a number of hotel chains in all different categories.

 

[pixie dust gal!]

If the above post is true, then they have changed their ressie system. Universal (on site) handled all the reservations at least as far back as November. Didn't know their was a change. Fact remains, it still is not staff at PBH just outside agency..............

 

[Smooth Silky Goofy]

It is the old bait and switch and they knew it . call up get a low rate call back to book it after you have made all your plans and they up the price. they know 99% of the time we will pay the higher price and if we make enough of a stink they will give us the unreal price they quoted us. PBH just another of their non customer service practices and the worker that was rude is the norm not an exception. STAY AWAY FROM PBH