RPR or Portofino with kids?

[katie111]

Which hotel do you think is better with 3 kids ages 5, 8 & 9? We can get a family discount (relative works at Universal) so the price differential is only $2 more for Portofino. My kids really want a waterslide and I like that the rooms are bigger at Portofino. However, I think I like the overall theming better at RPR and it seems like its closer to the parks and Citywalk. How far is the walk from Portofino to the parks & citywalk? Is it faster to take the boat? Which one has better restaurants on site? Which pool is better (excluding the waterslide)? How is the waterslide at Portofino (the bigger, the better for my kids). Do they both have pool bar/restaurants? Similar kids activities?

We'll be there for 5 nights at the beginning of June. Have been to Universal many times but only stayed at HRH one time about 10 years ago.

 

[damo]

RPR is probably better if you don't really care about the water slide. Their water play area is great for little ones. Portofino does have a great pool with a kiddie one too. Sal's Deli is a great place to eat. It is my favourite resort of the three but I no longer have little kids.

Other than the slide and the fact that it is a longer walk from PBH, there really aren't many differences. Both have good places to eat. Both have the boat transportation.

There are lots of pictures at www.loewshotels.com of the hotels that may help in your decision.

 

[Bourquefam]

We opted for RPR last year and ended up loving it. You are allowed to "pool hop", so don't let the fact that there's not a slide at RPR stop you. My kids ended up loving it (RPR) so much that we never made it to the other hotels to check out the slides. They had a ball just participating in all of the poolside activities.

Since we didn't make it over to PBH, I can't comment on their pool bar. I will say that RPR's poolside service was awesome and convenient!

 

[RMulieri]

You can't go wrong with either of them..We stayed at PBH this Jan with our 8 yr old..SHE LOVED IT...The slide is cool and alot of fun.She spent half the time just doing the poolslide. We also loved the Italian theming .Sals Marketplace and Mama Dellas were also great food.PBH is further from the parks, but honestly we HAD NO problems walking it( we beat the boat a few times.Each hotel has its own boat and it takes awhile to load,wait for people ,board and depart).My 8 yr old didn't complain once and she is the queen of complaining.The rooms are also nice and big.

 

[mark290]

For us RPR, no contest.

We have stayed at the PBH twice and the HRH several times. Never thought we would want to stay anywhere but the HRH. Last year we decided to try something different and went to the RPR. Now that is our favorite. The price was about the same for all three at the time.

I was affraid my kids would miss the slide but they liked the RPR pool much better than the other two. Thinking back we didn't use the slides very much anyway. We thought the service was best at the RPR and really liked the theme the best. We enjoyed eating in the lobby restaurant and I don't know if it is on the menu but you can order the kids meals there also. At the time it was the best bargain on property at about $6 and the kids where happy while I had sushi.

I thought I had a good rate for the begining of June at $220. The APH rate was a little more until today. It went down to $199.

 

[bumbershoot]

DS has been there at 6 and 7, has stayed at both resorts, and has liked both. Bigger rooms at Portofino have caused us to stay there 2 out of 3 stays. He loves the slide at both Portofino and HRH (b/c you can pool hop!), but likes to SWIM at RPR's main pool. (to do proper swimming at PB we had to go to the quiet pool)

On the other hand, if the price is better at RPR, we'd have no problems staying there.

 

[mjohnson96]

We normally stay at RPR and love it, this trip we decided to switch to PBH since DD (9) really liked the pool and they had a nice kiddie pool and playground for DD (2). My mom also wanted to try out the hotel since she was hoping to get lucky and get a balcony and plus she liked the feel of the resort. My dad really wanted a hot stone treatment so it makes it easy for him since PBH has the spa onsite And last both my brothers are coming to visit over the weekend and decided to stay at the doubletree and so it makes it pretty easy for them to come and meet up in the morning and see them off at night.

I am a little leery about switching but I know I will have lots of fun no matter what.

 

[spewey]

We have stayed at both recently with our DD (now 5), and will be returning soon (we will also be there at the beginning of June). For us, RPR is the better fit. PBH is lovely, and the Dr. Seuss suite was awesome (and pricey) - but the hotel felt a little "spread out", and it definitely is quieter. It also does seem far away from the parks.

We prefer the more lively (i.e. kids running around) feel of the RPR. They have a great lobby, and things seem more central. As for the pool - although it lacks a slide, we feel it is the best of any at UO, and the most kid-friendly.

YMMV, or course, but RPR (or "the elephant hotel" as my daughter calls it) is home to us.

 

[madelyn]

My family has 3 kids and when comparing all the on-site choices (I have never stayed or seen in any of them in real life), I did like that PBH has options for bedding for 5 (deluxe rooms) and also bigger rooms than RP. So that might be something to consider. However I ended up with a reservation at HRH (for only one night). My 13 year old son was asking for HRH and at the time the pricing was only $20 or $25 more than RPH. So for the one night I went w/ HRH and hopefully next time we can try one of the others. Oh...just re-read OPs post and while 3 kids were mentioned, I don't know that 5 will actually be in the room or if it will be 4. With 4, my choice between RPH and PBH would probably be RPH.

 

[katie111]

Thanks so much for all the replies! Well, the kids won out and we are going to stay at PBH because of the pool slide. I know my kids will spend hours on it and all my husband wants is some downtime with a nice cocktail by the pool so I think it will work out for all of us! Thanks again!