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If you want the ultimate European-style, spare-no-expense on-site experience, look no further than the Portofino Bay Hotel. Universal's top of the line hotel evokes the Italian seaside city of Portofino, complete with a man-made Portofino Bay past the lobby.
Cost Range
$414–$739
Lodging Area
Universal Orlando Area
Category
Deluxe
Transportation
Boat, Bus, Walk
Room: A
Pool: B-
Italian seaside theming is done well
Largest standard guest rooms on site
Shower water pressure is like being bathed by the hand of God
Three on-site pools
On-site dining options
Walking distance to parks
Includes Universal Express Unlimited
Overnight parking fee
Some rooms feel dated
Most guest rooms are 450 square feet and have either one king bed or two queen beds. King rooms sleep up to three people with an optional rollaway bed; the same option allows queen rooms to sleep up to five.
A very small number of rooms have working balconies; you can't reserve one in advance but may upgrade at check-in if one is available for an extra fee.
Bice Ristorante This is part of a chain of very upscale and quite impressive restaurants found in New York, Tokyo, Las Vegas, and other international locales. The food is incredibly fresh, well prepared, and elegant, and the service is top-notch. But be prepared: Even a modest meal will put a dent in your wallet, and even though the food and service are definitely worth it, it may be too expensive for many vacationers. If you want to try a variety of things on the menu, split a salad, appetizer, or pasta dish between two people for a starter; portions are large enough for sharing, and the staff is more than happy to accommodate. The appetizers, mostly salads and antipasti of meats and cheeses, aren’t bad, but you’ve probably had something similar already. We rate Bice as one of the best restaurants in all of Universal Orlando Resort, and it compares favorably to any of the similar restaurants at Walt Disney World. Because the Portofino gets a lot of business-convention traffic, it’s probably easier to get a reservation at 5:30 p.m. than 7:30 p.m.
Mama Della's Ristorante This restaurant falls on the fancy scale somewhere between Bice and Trattoria del Porto. Traditional Italian food is served in a comfortable atmosphere conducive to a special meal but not quite as extravagant as its lavish neighbor, Bice. If you want food (almost) as tasty but for (a bit) less dough, Mama Della’s is a great choice.
Trattoria del Porto Where Mama Della’s succeeds in not feeling like a hotel restaurant, Trattoria del Porto does not. The food is perfectly fine and moderately priced (relatively speaking). The interactive Pasta Cucina is available every night until 10 p.m., allowing you to create your own entrée from a variety of noodles and sauces. Omelets at breakfast are pricy, so opt instead for the buffet (when available) offered in the mornings.
Sal's Market Deli This casual counter-service deli and pizzeria is practically the only affordable option on Portofino Bay property. The pizza is the best in Universal outside of Red Oven and can be made with gluten-free dough. Around the corner, a full-service Starbucks with an attached gelateria and bakery serves breakfast and desserts. Food can be packaged and taken back to your room, undercutting the expensive room service.
Starbucks at Portofino Bay A Starbucks location operating at Universal's Portofino Bay resort. This is popular with conventioneers.
Amenities
SWIPE TO EXPLORE
Portofino has three pools. The Beach Pool is for active families and includes a water slide, children's pool. The Villa Pool is more quiet and offers private cabana rentals. The Hillside Pool is even more private.
The Game (Not) Over Arcade is located next to the pool and features relatively recent video games of all kinds.
The Mandara Spa at the Portofino (a short walk away) is a full-service spa and salon. Services include massages, body treatments, mani/pedi. and more.
One lap around this part of the Universal resort can be as much as 3.6 miles. Some of it is on roads with traffic. Check with the front desk for options.
Guests staying at the Portofino Bay get priority seating at many Universal park and CityWalk restaurants. Check with the front desk for options.
Guests staying at Portofino Bay get in up to one hour early to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Guests staying at Portofino Bay get free Universal Express Unlimited passes to skip the standby lines at most popular Universal Orlando attractions.
Practical Matters
Check-in is 4:00pm
Check-out is 11:00am
Hotel mobile check-in lets guests perform several check-in tasks before leaving for their visit, leading to a smoother and shorter process once they arrive at the hotel. Check your email about 24 hours in advance for an invitation to do mobile check-in.
Park tickets are best purchased online in advance either directly through Universal Orlando or from a trusted reseller. However, if you arrive without park tickets, head to the Vacation Planning desk in the hotel lobby.
Table service dining reservations can be made via Universal Orlando's Dining Reservations website or app.
Washers and dryers are availabile in laundry facilities at each Universal Orlando hotel. Only credit/debit cards can be used for payment. A small selection of soap, fabric softener, and dryer sheets is sold in vending machines in the laundry rooms.
If you lose something during your stay, visit Universal's Lost and Found website or call (407) 224-4233.
Universal hotels have gifts shops near their lobbies with a decent collection of souvenirs. You will also find basic pharmacy items such as sunscreen, aspirin, allergy and cold medicine, baby diapers and formula, shampoo, and the like.
Universal recommends a third party company, Kid's Nite Out, to provide babysitting services at the resort hotels.
Transportation
The resort is located inside the Universal Orlando Resort. All modern GPS apps, and Google Maps, will have clear driving directions to it.
Destination | Boat | Bus | Walk |
---|---|---|---|
Universal Studios Florida | 9 min | 15 min | 16 min |
Islands of Adventure | 11 min | 15 min | 19 min |
Volcano Bay | – | 9 min | 41 min |
Bus service is available to the theme parks, Volcano Bay water park, and CityWalk.
It's faster to take a bus, boat, or walk to the theme parks, Volcano Bay, and CityWalk.
You can walk to the theme parks and CityWalk from the resort.
Universal's boat service provides access to the theme parks and CityWalk.
You can walk between the Royal Pacific, the Hard Rock Hotel, and the Portofino.
Driving to the Resort
Getting to the Parks
and Universal CityWalk
Getting to Another Hotel
from Portofino Bay
The resort is located inside the Universal Orlando Resort. All modern GPS apps, and Google Maps, will have clear driving directions to it.
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