Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando

We stayed at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel during Christmas and had a wonderful experience overall. The holiday atmosphere was festive without feeling overwhelming, and the resort felt both relaxing and special. The customer service via text was very helpful and responsive throughout our stay. The front desk staff were also excellent and thoughtfully accommodated my requests as part of the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits, which I really appreciated. We especially enjoyed the Christmas Day breakfast buffet at Mama Della. There was a wide variety of options, and it felt like a nice, relaxed way to start the holiday morning. Transportation to the Universal parks was very convenient—the boat ride was quick and enjoyable, and being able to arrive without dealing with parking was a big plus. The only improvement I’d suggest is running the boats a bit more frequently, especially during peak times in the late afternoon. The Unlimited Express Pass included with the stay was by far the best overall benefit. It made a huge difference during the busy holiday season and easily justified staying at the hotel, allowing us to enjoy attractions with much less waiting. Overall, it was a memorable holiday stay with great service, excellent park access, and unbeatable perks. We would happily stay here again, especially during the holidays.

This resort is a stunning re-creation of the famed Mediterranean seaside resort village of Portofino, Italy. The rooms capture the epitome of European luxury and elegance with authentic Italian furnishings and marble accents. The Harbor Piazza surrounds Portofino Bay, and is where you’ll find most of the dining and shopping locations. There restaurants serve authentic Italian cuisine and shops sell Mediterranean-style souvenirs. Staying in the Loews Portofino Bay Resort makes you feel like you are on a dream vacation in Italy. A massive perk of staying at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is that each stay comes with complimentary Universal Express access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure for each person staying there. And this benefit is valid on the day of check-in and the day of check-out. Another perk is the complimentary transportation via shuttle buses or water taxi to Citywalk and to the theme parks. If you prefer to walk, there are picturesque walking paths to the parks. I had a wonderful stay at this resort. The bed was comfortable, the room was spacious and clean, and the staff were wonderful. I would definitely stay here again.

we loved this hotel! felt like a very high-end experience. The rooms were clean and spacious - amazing view from ours. The pool was fantastic. Club level was really worth the splurge. Very easy to get to city walk via boat, or to epic via bus. I'd originally booked at a lower-price hotel, but switched to Lowes for the express passes - so glad I did. I think the parks (when we went, anyways) would have been borderline unbearable without express. My only (small) gripe is the TV's - it's basically only live TV, or a pricey rental library. Nothing free on-demand, which was a little surprising. I would have thought we could watch some of the Universal movies featured in the parks when staying on-resort, but nope. Jurassic Park would have been $25. Couldn't even log into our own streaming services. Like I said, it's a small gripe - we didn't go to universal to watch TV. But with young kids after a full day at the parks, its a nice option to have.

This hotel is beautiful and the staff is amazing. There is so much to do here and of course the boat to go to Universal parks is right at the lake at the hotel. It is Soooo convenient. The rooms are large, the bathrooms are large and both nicely decorated, it also has a coffee maker in your room. The bay front rooms that we had all had balcony's as we stayed(12 of us) for a week and it was worth the price to feel like you were in Portafino, Italy on the water and every night around 7:30om the opera singers came out on one of the balcony's to sing all the favorite songs old and up to date. It was lovely to see everyone gathering in the huge courtyard to watch and hear them from our balconies. The courtyard is surrounded by restaurants of all kinds, a gelato shop(delicious) sandwich and pizza shop, coffee shop, etc,etc ,etc. The lobby which was large and gathering place to meet your family, friends and could sit around and just relax. Also they would have canapes and things to eat and drink during the day. They also have a walking path from the hotel to the park that takes about 15 minutes and the walk is lovely with meticulous landscaping along the path, we really enjoyed both the boats and the pathway.

I recently stayed at this resort and it was everything I hoped for in a quiet, romantic getaway. The atmosphere is peaceful from the moment you arrive, beautiful scenery, soft lighting, and a calm, intimate vibe throughout the property. The staff were warm and attentive without ever being intrusive, which made the experience feel even more relaxing. Our room was spotless, cozy, and perfectly set up for a couples’ retreat. Whether we were enjoying the views, walking the grounds, or unwinding in the evening, it felt like the perfect escape. Highly recommend for anyone looking to reconnect and enjoy a serene, romantic vacation.

Stayed for four nights mid-December 2025. Very good looking hotel with an Italian vibe and laid back atmosphere. Rooms are LARGE, and the way we pack and the amount of luggage, this came in very handy. The bathroom has a vanity with double sinks which my wife and daughter appreciated. We booked with our Universal Studios Annual Pass rate and was very pleased with price and value of hotel. We were in building 2, the Villa guest rooms with a pool view. Just off the elevator, we could go right to the main pool or left to second pool, which was very convenient. The weather was sunny to partly cloudy and warm and we were able to hit the pool and hot tub, very nice during mid-day or after a long day in the parks. We ate on-site at Mama's and Sal's and both were very good. The crowds at Universal was less than summer, but with the unlimited express pass for our stay, made the vacation so much more enjoyable.

This hotel was a very nice time. Comes with the best theme park benefits (early entry+unlimited express passes!) and super convenient transport to Universal that makes getting around very easy! The staff was knowledgeable, kind and friendly, and the rooms were gorgeous. The common areas really transport you to Italy, and I really enjoyed my stay here! Will definitely be returning when I come back to Universal!

The location is perfect for Universal Studios. With the Unlimited Express Pass included in the room booking, the price felt absolutely worth it. Considering the convenience and value it added to our park experience, the overall cost was well justified — a great stay and a smart choice for visiting the parks. Note that luggage service can be slower than usual during holidays, and all requests must go through the hotel. If you’re traveling with a baby, it’s helpful to keep essential baby items with you rather than relying on hotel luggage delivery, so you’re not left waiting for supplies when you need them most.

The Portofino Hotel is an excellent choice for anyone visiting Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Its prime location, just minutes away from the parks, makes it incredibly convenient for guests looking to maximize their time at the attractions. However, what truly sets this hotel apart is the inclusion of early park entry and complimentary Universal Express Unlimited passes, which allow you to skip the regular lines. These perks alone make the Portofino a top-tier option and a must-stay for theme park enthusiasts. Beyond its unbeatable proximity and exclusive benefits, the hotel itself is beautiful, with a charming Italian-inspired design, luxurious amenities, and top-notch service. It's the perfect blend of relaxation and convenience, making it second to none in the area.

I was resorting hopping and I am a bit disappointed with this one, and it was not due to the renovations. We took the boat here and it looked like the Disney movie Luka, like an aesthetic Italian seaside town, perfect for beautiful pictures to post on social media, but it did not seem to offer much more, at least for now. When we arrived it was a bit after six in the evening and the entire resort was practically empty. Inside the lobby it looked abandoned. Almost all of the stores were already closed for the day. It looked like an abandoned Vegas resort. They had Italian inspire hallways that led to nowhere. They had a small souvenir shop open, but it was not my style. Their Universal shop was closed. The restaurants looked either closed or empty. There was a gelato place that did not look very good with little ice cream turn over. It looked like they were setting up some live entertainment, but no one was there to listen. I do hope the people staying here were having fun and I am curious about what their update will look like, but I am not sure I will return.

My wife and I were hungry. Our waitress's name is Fer. Very nice place, the music was great, This restaurant has a great vibe as well! The tortillas and salsa were very tasty. To the owners of this restaurant Fer was very savvy about her customer service, she checked on us, brought us a dessert as well after dinner. 5 star for this Restaurant! We will be back again to dine here! Sincerely, Aldrin S. Wood

Someone should have told us this location was under construction when we went to book it! Large sections trapped off, whole areas being worked on, and just lots of work being done. They did a decent job of trying to make it as nice as possible but for the cost they should have at least mentioned it. What wasn't under construction was nice though. We had a view of one of the pools and it was beautiful. The resort has shopping, an arcade, a couple of pools, several eateries, and a water taxi to universal. It is styled in an old Tuscan vibe and I'll bet it is beautiful when not all torn up... parts of it were. The tv in our room worked for crud... it was their cable overall... it kept cutting in and out the whole time we were there. We asked for repairs twice and they could not fix it. It was this way for the whole 5 days. Luckily we spent most of our time at universal so the construction didn't matter as much. Our room was ok, minus the tv, the people were generally nice, and our stay was good.

The resort is designed to resemble Portofino, Italy, with a lively piazza and an aqueduct-themed pool complex. (Note: The building façade is under heavy construction at the moment.)

03.29-30 Family decided on a quick trip to Universal to finish off spring break week. We love staying at Portofino. It has the biggest standard room of all the premier hotels. Our family of 5 needs space as much as we can get. This was our 3rd stay and every single time we are on prim, there's more construction going on. The inconvenience is very minimal but then again we are only in the room to sleep. Staff are always very polite and friendly. We requested for a roll-up bed that didn't get delivered until we got back in the room at 10:30. Room key card serves as express pass for both check in and check out day.

We never stay in expensive hotels. Then the kids changed that one...lol. This hotel offered early park admission and the express unlimited passes to the Universal theme parks. This is the main reason why we stayed there. When we arrived, we had bell hop service and the luggage was taken to our room. It felt like we were in Italy without having to go overseas. The place really portrays the European vibes. Our room was very clean and it overlooked the bay area. The pools are very nice and there are outside bars you can order drinks and food from. I had the tropical sunset beverage and it had a nice kick to it. The chips and queso were enough to munch on. There are other eateries inside the hotel and we ate at some of them when we had a craving or two. The water taxi was so relaxing. It's a complimentary transportation perk while staying at one of Universal hotels. It provided plenty of picture taking and a lift off of our feet going to and coming back to the parks. Take advantage of the perks during your stay since it's worth every single penny.

Amazing staff, everyone was so kind. Amazing food, always clean, and a gift shop. I recommend this hotel. 5 stars

Excellent service. All our requests were responded in a friendly and professional manner. When we needed something, like shampoo, coffee, towels, they got delivered in less than 20 minutes, day and night. Something very practical is that this hotel uses SMS text messages to contac the front desk. Asking questions or requesting service is super easy, the staff answers in minutes. The grounds are beautiful, well taken care of and the swimming pools and hot tubs are great. There is a long water slide, kids (and adults) loved it. One pool is lauder next to the bar/restaurant, with fun music and night movie. The other pool, further away , quiet to relax away of the noise. Food from this hotel is a highlight. They brought it to the room within 30 minutes. There is 24hs food service. Several options are available, healthy options, good quality and large sizes, at a great price (less expensive than the restaurants). The building is beautiful, like an Italian Villa Now, under major renovation. Rooms are large and comfortable, and pretty quiet. The unlimited Express Pass to most rides , free bus and water taxi transports, and 1 hour early access are awesome benefits,a lot of value. There is an Avis rent a car office in the hotel. They recommend me to make the reservation online to save money, and I effectively saved like $100 online. You can pickup at this location, and drop off somewhere else, such airport and another city.

I came to orlando for work and specifically chose portofino bay resort for its ambiance and attractions. I was excited for the stay. Upon arrival I was informed the the wing of the hotel I was staying in was under construction. Construction was from 9am - 6pm daily. Scaffolding all over outside and my window was covered in plastic, could see outside at all. You have to pay to park here $35 daily, if you want descent internet you have to pay for that as well. The television stations are junk. The food at the restaurants is sub par and over priced. I expected to pay the prices they charge for at least better than good food. The Construction really made it miserable. The family pool is awesome. The ferry to Universal is convenient and runs all day. The staff is welcoming. I feel I should've been told about the Construction when I booked and feel strongly that I should've been discounted or offered a free stay should I come back. Next time I'll go to hard rock. Huge disappointment!

We knew that the Portofino was under refurb but it's much worse than you can imagine. If you love the sound of road construction with windows block out this is your place. I will come back when times are better but this not why I gave this rating. The check in people refused to accommodate us to a "quieter" room. I mean flat out refused. We were celebrating a 50th anniversary and this certainly started off our celebration on the wrong foot. We cancelled our stay. My family enjoys Portofino and will come back when the "dust" settles.

Love this hotel. Love the hotel grounds, easy access via boat to park, fast pass and love the smell of the place.

Went here for a conference and had my family tag along. We had a really great stay. The room was great and had a beautiful view of the bay. There were lots of food options, convenience store, and things to do. Including three pools. My only Complaint would be the lobby is SO SO COLD. So were the conference rooms. Other than that, it was great and we'd love to stay again someday.

Highly recommended this Universal Studios resort and we enjoyed our stay so much! I evaluated the price for this hotel vs. some other off-site hotel (yes, this hotel is much more expensive than other hotels nearby), but I still decided to stay at this hotel for a few reasons. 1) all guests receive free unlimited express passes for Universal Studios (US) for the duration of the stay, including the first and last day. For my family of 5, getting the unlimited express passes for US separately would almost double the night rate of this hotel. 2) the resort offers complimentary transportations (taxi and shuttle bus) to City Walk / US and the water taxi leaves the resort every 15 minutes from 7 am to 1:30 am daily. It is very convenient. 3) guests can use the room key to charge at the theme park, so no need to worry that the credit card got lost while doing the rides. In addition to those benefits, I also enjoyed this beautifully decorated hotel. The room is spacious and everything is relatively new/updated. The beds are very comfortable and soft. The bathroom is big and the double sinks definitely help to speed up the kids in the morning. The beach pool in the hotel is a great place to hang out during the hot afternoon. The pool has water slide for the kids. The view of the hotel from waterfront is awesome. Shopping, restaurant and snacks / coffee are right there, only a few steps away from hotel rooms. Last but not least, I was impressed by their text message team. The responsive time was incredibly fast. I usually got my questions answered within 5 minutes and sometimes multiple agents helped me with the same question. Definitely will return to this hotel if we visit Universal Studios next time.

Wow... what a terrible disappointment. Weathered and ill-maintained rooms. It's like a motor lodge the way it's set up with painted exteriors that look vaguely like you would think Italy might look. Initial room smelled like sweat. We were moved, and yet room was virtually the same, sans the smell. Construction happening everywhere did't help with a terrible first impression. Staff was nice about my complaints. I suppose they can only work with what they have. Shame on Loews and Universal. Very expensive for something even far below mediocrity. I am giving this 2 stars because I am sure there is always worse. UPDATE - Awoken first morning at 8:45 am to reciprocating saw and drilling outside room door. After complaining, offered breakfast. Front desk manager Seth Albert sends the following text: "Good Morning . . . my name is Seth I am one of the assistant Front Office Managers here at Portofino Bay. I understand that you have spoken to a few members of our team at the Front Office, and I am sorry for the experience that you have had with us thus far. At this point the hotel will not be extending any further compensation for the remainder of your stay with us. We are here to assist you in making the rest of your stay as comfortable as possible. If there is anything you need for the remainder of your stay, please let us know and we are happy to assist. -Seth"

We chose this hotel as there is early park admission and universal express unlimited if you decide to go to the parks! It's a little older than some of the other hotels but the rooms are very spacious and it's clean. The staff are super friendly and helpful and they try their best to help you with anything you have problems with (you can text them for anything!) However it gets one less star because of the room. The walls are paper-thin and we were super unlucky to spend most of our week-long stay next to a crying baby. It was as if the baby was in our closet! They couldn't switch our room and didn't offer any other solutions...they should think about soundproofing the tandem doors. The TV was broken for most of our trip as well but they worked to get that fixed ASAP and credited our reservation for our patience. Parking isn't free, it's $28/day + tax for overnight guests, so just be mindful of that! You can take the water ferry or bus for free to get to the parks or you can walk through the gardens! Bit longer that way.

Great movie theatre. Plenty of leg room. The place is kept clean. The ushers are polite.

I have never felt more disrespected at a hotel before. My fiancée and I booked a double queen room with her employee discount, and were told they downgraded us to a suite. Fine, not a big deal. Except, the suite was actually half a suite, and just the pullout couch that was not prepared for us as a bed. We had nowhere ready to sleep. When we asked if there was a mistake, the concierge at the help desk berated my fiancée for having an employee discount, somehow implying we should be grateful to have a room at all? Ok, sure. Whatever. I asked if they could at least give us pillows and sheets and make the bed, to which he said of course. We spent some time at the pool, and then went back to our room. The bed was not made, but housekeeping had at least dropped off pillows and sheets... I was still going to accept this with grace. Then, finally, we went to just make the couch bed ourselves, and found a disgusting mess of a mattress on old cardboard. The front desk didn't offer to change our rooms, just switch the mattress. Is it hotel policy to only clean/change mattresses when a guest is making it themselves and happens to notice it's putrid? Do not stay here unless you want to feel completely unvalued as a guest or perhaps if you want to sleep on old sweat and grime.

Thank you for your reply. Please review and revise your disclaimer on the website when looking to book a room. I understand that continuing a revenue stream while undergoing renovations is important but these are families who are doing their best to provide a vacation of a lifetime for their kids. Simply put you're not meeting that expectation. I will endeavor to educate the public on the true experience that they are going to get when they visit your hotel. Shame on you and your brand Sent to: Kate Higgins Assistant Front Office Manager Loews Portofino Bay Hotel Kate.Higgins@loewshotels.com (407)-503-1169

I absolutely love this hotel! It's gorgeous and feels like you're really on another continent! The pool is the most relaxing and one of the prettiest pools ever! I love the nachos and drinks at the pool bar! Overall really good food, service and atmosphere! One of my favorite places to hang out and perfect for a hot summer day!

I checked in here and immediately checked out about 8 years ago because of rundown smelly rooms. I thought after a remodel that it might be okay. NOPE! at least the rooms are prettier, but the smell is still there. It reminds me of a $40 a night motel on the side of a deserted interstate. I will be checking out early tomorrow morning. If you value a good nights sleep with a clean smelling room, don't even think about booking this property. Speaking of that... I hope the bed isn't worn out.

Impeccable room and attentive staff. Upon entering this luxury hotel, you are hit with a welcoming aroma of bright sunshine. It's a delightful oil used in the lobby; so fresh and clean. Best night's sleep in the comfy bed with forming pillows. A view of the water and sun sets or rises depending on the time of day or nite. So appreciative of the water taxi that provides transportation from the hotel to Universal City-walk where you are just a few steps away from Universal Island of Adventure or Universal Studios. Whenever you decide to return to your hotel, the water taxi is waiting. The property offers many late nite spots for you to grab a bite to eat or a beverage of your choosing or just an opportunity to sit outside and enjoy the views and your company.

We just got back from a room at Portofino Bay that was under ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION. The "bay view" was blocked by canvas and scaffolding, and there was noise from work on the wall, immediately outside our room from 8am to 8pm. "La Dolce Vita"? What a joke. Management is aware that they are renting rooms in an active construction zone--you could not miss it, but they have told guests there are "exterior improvements," which they think discloses the situation. IT DOES NOT. This is not a normal hotel renovation on the property. It is active construction on your room, with you in it. These cheap-stakes have guests paying full price to stay in the middle of a construction zone. They do not care about guest experience. Stay away at least until December 2024, while renovations are under way. And maybe even after that--Portofino Bay cannot be trusted to provide a relaxing vacation, and Orlando is full of better choices.

Way overpriced for what you're getting at this resort. Rooms are dirty - hairs on the beds, mold in the shower, and dusty baseboards in the bathrooms. Also, they do not have fitted sheets on their beds, so it's only a regular sheet tucked under the mattress which doesn't stay in place so you come in contact with the mattress pad. You are also only provided with no top sheet, only a duvet which also has a flimsy duvet cover so you are constantly touching the actual duvet insert. Additionally, you have to pay $15/day to rent a microwave. The only positive about this resort is the water taxi to Universal.

The hotel was amazing! Everyone is so helpful and polite. The room was amazing we had two older boys with us that one is 6 foot tall and fit perfectly in the minion bunk beds! The themed room was so cute! The bathroom was massive! The pools where awesome, we went down the slide about 9 times! We have stayed at other hotels at Universal but so far this is the best one! It has a spa that we didn't do. It also has a gelato store, Starbucks, a couple of restaurants, universal gift shop, hotel Gift shop and a bar all in the views I shown. The past reviews mentioned that they had a wait or were never notified once the room was ready. We had no issues at all they text us at 3:53 that the room was ready. If you are contemplating on a hotel for Universal choose this one!!

A very good hotel and probably one of the best hotels I have been too. The service at the hotel was very nice because the staff were very nice and polite and attentive. The hotel was very nice and clean. The ambiance of the hotel was an Italian hotel. There is a tone of good amenities at this hotel. My favourite is the beach pool with the bar because you can order good food and good drinks. There is also a lot of good places you can go out for dinner at this hotel. For the reasons I have stated in this review, I highly encourage and recommend that you stay at this hotel for the good service and the good ambiance and for the good amenities.

Staying at Portofino bay is the best experience. After arriving you are transported to Italy, as every inch of this hotel has the perfect details and ambiance. Had dinner at Mama Dellas in the square which was exquisite. Paired with opera singers and fresh cannolis at our table nothing could beat this. Portofino is convenient to the parks with a water taxi boat that takes you straight to the gate. Your stay also comes with express unlimited pass and early park opening. The hidden best secret of this hotel is that it is dog friendly! We brought our pup, and enjoyed walking the grounds with her. The friendliness of the hotel staff was also 5 stars.

The convenience of the hotel to the parks is great however, every time you turn around, the staff members are asking for tips. They are quite relentless about it to the point where they make you feel uncomfortable. I'm all for tipping and tipping well but to make someone feel uncomfortable and to be pushy is inexcusable. I've never had this experience at any other hotel that I have stayed at. I love universal but I'm really disappointed in the way that staff handled themselves this week.

The hotel is very very convenient to the parks and the Express Unlimited pass is a very nice perk, as well as the early park opening. Water taxi is a great way to travel. The hotel is timeless in a slightly dated way, which is fine. Texting customer service is a nice feature and they are generally very responsive. Staff overall is helpful (maybe overly so, it does feel like everyone is looking for a tip sometimes). I really wanted to write a good review because I generally had a pleasant stay. However, there were some big issues to overcome. The water in my shower was way too cold. After it got fixed (allegedly, I don't know because...), I had to evacuate my room because there was literal poop water coming up into my sink from someone working to unclog plumbing in the room next to mine, not to mention that the toilet was also constantly making weird noises. The front desk made me feel ridiculous for insisting on a new room and acted like they were doing me a favor by moving me at 10 pm when there was no end in sight to the poop water sink, which I did not appreciate. There were other things like a defective flickering lightbulb, very mildew-y shower curtain, and mediocre room service food that I would have overlooked if I had felt more support for my biggest problem.

Great stay, clean rooms, great lil fine dining restaurant on site, nice little wine/pub room. Great room service (great burger), good bathrooms, clean grounds, nice staff, and over all easy experience. It was under construction and we were not privy to that when we went, (and it looks like it will be for the next year- heads up), ...albeit... not the whole area. Luckily, our rooms were not affected on that side, but we did stay at the top dollar rooms- waterfront. I will say, annoyingly there were quests helping themselves to our italian style patio (set with chair, table, recliner, and had to inform them this is paid for, ...as it is right in front of our room slider. Maybe a small sign on the table to discreetly inform others, who may be mistakenly using it to rest feet/enjoy view or visiting the resort boat into park area, that the seats are for paid room guests. This then avoids the conversation (which should otherwise be understood) that it is infringing upon paid guests when they take the seat (ours) at our patio with the nice view? I believe it was people waiting for the nearby boat service (not terribly close but not far) as it was water front rooms. So maybe you might want 2nd floor with balcony? I don't think most people are that daft, but there was at least 2 who did that during stay. Would definitely come back, but time it after construction is done. Pool was great. Hard Rock and Swan great options too.

Best Steakhouse in Orlando!! Rib eye practically melts in your mouth, it's so tender. I've lived here in Orlando all my life (70yrs). Steakhouses come and go. Never been one better anywhere! This was meant for Linda's Cantina!! Not Portofina Bay Hotel

"Active construction until December 2024". Do Not stay here as most rooms are covered behind scaffolding and you cannot open your windows or see outside. Construction workers walk by your window. Also terrible AC in the room - entire room smelled like fried food through the vent due to faulty ventilation, and you cannot open your window due to construction. All my clothes snd everything in the room smelled like fried food. They also don't tell you about the extent of construction until you check in. It's a lot and will be going on until at least the year end. I wouldn't stay here even if it was free.

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is one of the hotels offered in the Universal Studios vacation packages. We ended up booking a week here during the New Years Holiday. Last time, we ended up staying at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort and wanted to try something new out. We ended up arriving really late to Loews Portofino Bay Hotel since our flight was delayed, around 2:00 A.M, next day. We had no issues getting picked up from the Universal Studios Resort shuttle though, which picked us up from the Airport with no problems. Check-in was a breeze since there was no one there. The team member provided us a overview of the hotel, showing us different restaurant options, the different pool areas, the game room, and the laundry room. The team member also provided us a text number to reach out to if we needed anything additional during our stay, such as extra towels or soap. The room we stayed in was a King room with a sleeper sofa. It was located right next to the complimentary taxi service to Universal's City Walk and next to their main pool area. It was easy access on the 3rd floor to the elevators. The bedroom was clean and the bathrooms are relatively large with a shower/tub, one unit. The complimentary taxi shuttle was approximately every 30 minutes. One boat was running to and from the Universal City Walk. It does share the same boat path as the Hard Rock Hotel, but I thought the boat service was relatively quicker at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel compared to the Loews Royal Pacific due to the water taxi layout. Onsite, there are a variety of food options available from upscale dining or quick service. During our stay, we did stop by the Starbucks and the Gelateria. We enjoyed the outside seating and tables overlooking the Portofino Bay. There is complimentary baggage service at the entrance to the Portofino Bay for arrivals and departures. During our stay, the hotel was decorated for the Holidays. There was also a New Years Eve event that you could register for, private event. There are plenty of shops to stop by for any type of Universal Studio's Merchandise or Loews Portofino Bay merchandise. Two of the days, we ended up stopping by the pool. During our visit, the weather was mid-80s with no rain. The pool is surrounded by sand and has a nice slide. There is also a dining area situated next to the pool area. Outside games such as a large connect 4 are also available to play. Complimentary towels and water are provided. It was a lot of fun! The views are absolutely stunning and we loved the Portofino Bay environment. It was nice and relaxing. It was cool seeing all of the Vespa on display. The team at Loews Portofino Bay hotel were quite helpful. Also staying at this property allows you to have access to the Universal Express Pass Unlimited, allowing you to ride Express Pass rides that have the option, unlimited. There is also a Universal Vacation area on-site at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel to assist you on a package if you purchased one. They're able to print out your Universal tickets. It was so much fun and I would go back to this hotel in the future!

Great hotel. Loved the location. Really felt like I was transported to somewhere in Italy - some Italian music piped through the hotel would have been great to give a little more atmosphere. The valet was amazing however Lobby staff wasn't as welcoming as I would have expected for the caliber of hotel. Not a lot of restaurant options during the day so that was a little disappointing. Little bit of construction - not bothered by it but room pricing should have reflected. The Thirsty Fish was a great option late in the evening to hang out and relax after a long day at the park! Water taxis were very convenient and timely - never had to wait long. Tried to find the gelato but was unsuccessful. Rooms were great, bed was very comfortable, pillows too. Loved the in-room coffee machine. Would have preferred a room with a balcony but settled for a first floor with outside seating, right out to the lake which also was nice. Only downside was the rooms are not sound proof which was unfortunate as we could hear everything our neighbors were saying. Also for the amount of money spent for room prices, a couple of complimentary waters would have been a nice touch.

DIRTY HOTEL.... DO NOT STAY HERE The customer experience is awful. The rooms are dated, and dirty. Our shower had hairs is it, the headboard on the bed was stained. You can't get a luggage cart to transport your own luggage because it's a "liability issue". And the staff really doesn't care about your experience. This was by far our worst experience of our trip. We did not even use our two free days at the park because of our experience at the hotel. My recommendation is DO NOT STAY HERE!!!

Lipstick on a pig... Old run down hotel that looks a lot better in pictures. All the beautiful details are fake flat / painted on. Hotel is musky and interior feels like an old Vegas motel.

During our stay in Dec 2021, we drove in and parked on property. Drove up to the valet area in front, staff moved our bags onto a cart, gave us a receipt and told us to contact baggage when we had a room assignment. Self parking is about ten dollars less than valet per day, and a room key is needed to enter and exit the underground garage. An elevator goes from the garage, up to ground level behind the valet. We were early and a room was not available but we were given keys and a hold of two hundred dollars per day was put on our credit card for incidentals such as in park purchases and restaurants which could all be billed to our room via the key. Keep that key safe people. There is a kiosk off the lobby to retrieve your pre-booked park tickets which was not working however there is a customer service desk near by and the staff member there happily printed our tickets for us. Our room key served as our express pass. The concierge area was not available as it was during our last visit. We stayed in a King room this visit and it was located at the very end of the hall in the 'west wing'. Our previous visit was in the 'east wing' across the piazza. A porter thankfully walked us and our luggage to our room which was down an elevator from the lobby, across the piazza, up and elevator in the west wing and down the very long hall way. Not sure we would have located the room without his help to be honest. There was a small fridge and keurig machine in the room and an ice machine halfway down the hall. The lobby bar is no longer available and instead the hotel is offering a dining and drink service for about one hundred dollars per day, per guest that includes three meals, snacks and beverages throughout the day. This could work out well for a family if you come back to the hotel for each meal. For us, that was a lot of 'back and forth' and we chose to remain in the park all day. It is sad they no longer have that lovely lounge bar. The room was quite large, very clean and had a view of the water, away from the main piazza. We could exit through two stairways, but could only enter via the elevator. Not sure why they don't have locks that recognize your key card and allow access instead of making you walk all the way past the room outside to the elevator, and all the way back again once inside. After seven miles of walking in the park, that was annoying and easily avoided. Same lovely restaurants on site and we had an amazing meal at one on our last day. The coffee shop is still open, and they have a number of gift shops throughout the resort. They hid the laundry, but it is there if you are willing to do a bit of hunting. At least four public restrooms are located in the main piazza and another off the lobby. There are many shady spots for working or relaxing and there are three small pools on site. Each staff member we encountered was very polite and helpful and many expect a tip for their services.

We enjoyed our stay at Portofino but the part we enjoyed was the convenience to the park. At the price we paid, the hotel has a lot of work to do. The rooms are dated and small. For years I've heard how beautiful Portofino was, how great the rooms are and how immersive it is. The hotel is nice but it is too big and it feels almost like a caricature of what a Vegas style Italian village would be. It lacked charm. Our room was old and when paying close to $1000 a night for a standard it just didn't feel worthwhile. The only reason we would come back is for the express pass and the convenience to the park but other hotels have that and we would try those first. The other thing that bothered me was the better restaurants didn't have outdoor seating. I know Florida gets hot in the summer but part of the Mediterranean life is to eat outdoors!

The hotel is under MAJOR construction. We were told 'occasional bustling activity'. This was not occasional. It was all day long. We should have been properly warned. There was scaffolding, construction fencing, and plastic blocking views from windows and doors. The entire outside area was blocked off by fencing. We heard banging and drilling when we were by the pool. This was definitely not what we paid for. While I understand that construction is necessary at times, this was beyond the extent that we were told to expect. I would not stay here until the construction is completely done.

I was ready to give this resort a glowing review, but unfortunately we had a couple weird experiences with housekeeping towards the end of our stay. But before that, they were absolutely lovely. We got in early in the morning, got our room keys/fast passes and left our bags in their bag check room. Spent a while in the parks and returned a couple hours after they said our room would be ready. It wasn't ready, but after talking to the front desk they prepared it in a jiffy and even got us a reservation at the booked restaurant we wanted to go to that night. Later, they stopped by with a bowl of chilled fruit as a welcome offering which was a nice gesture. For dinner, we ate at Mama Dellas which was delicious. We were lucky enough to get serenaded as well. It was after all this that things went a bit south. My sister had been smelling bleach on her bed and at night when she got under the covers she realized there was a wet spot! Pretty gross. We called and asked for new sheets and said we'd just replace them ourselves. They brought them, but then much later, after already falling asleep, we were awoken to another knock..... housekeeping again... with sheets.... obviously an unfortunate delayed communication. The next day after we returned from the park, we realized that housekeeping had been in our room... and taken back the welcome plate of fruit?? They did absolutely nothing else but take the fruit? Which was especially weird considering the dirty sheets with the wet spot were laying directly in front of it.... just so odd. So it was almost a perfect stay until it got a little weird.

We stayed at Portofino from September 12 - 19. We loved this resort. Beautiful hotel with lovely grounds and a convenient water taxi to take you back and forth to the parks. Longest waits for the water taxi were less than 5 minutes. Rooms are large and clean, albeit a little dated. We booked a King Room with bay view. Unbelievably gorgeous view! The staff was incredibly kind and helpful. Bell staff, restaurant crews and housekeeping were all amazing. A special shoutout to Venicia (Venii) who works out front as a Lobby Ambassador. This young lady made us feel so special from the day we arrived until the day we left. We had a very early flight on arrival day and were tired. Like a ray of sunshine, Venii spotted us sitting in the lobby area for a bit and approached us with an offer of a cool drink or anything else we needed. She is so vivacious, upbeat and has a sincere smile that won't quit. Venii took care of EVERYTHING for us and got us on our way. We had the pleasure of seeing her several times during our trip, including the day we left. Truly treated us like family. I hope management realizes what an amazing star she is and how well she represents Portofino Bay. We also want to recognize Leilani from Memorie Gift Shop and a manager named Seth we had the pleasure of speaking with at the front desk area. He's a true gentleman. We can't wait to return to Portofino Bay Resort!

Not impressed. I wanted to like this hotel but not the case. We dropped off our luggage early in the morning and went on about our day. When our room was ready we came back and it took maybe 20 minutes to find our room. Walking around aimlessly trying to find the West Wing. We saw one sign pointing to the West Wind area....but there was no West Wing to be found. Finally found it by accident. Just terrible laid out hotel. We also couldn't find Momma's restaurant. Too much confusion, will never stay here again. Also....the rooms were dingy. I'll try the Hard Rock next time. I gave three stars because Momma's food was super delicious.

My husband and I are having a FANTASTIC stay at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. Upon check in, we were upgraded to a bay facing room with a balcony. The room is large and the bed is incredibly comfortable! The bathroom is nice and spacious as well. We found ourselves returning to the room as a respite during the day - the water taxis and proximity to Universal/Island of Adventure truly make this hotel even more of a gem. As others have mentioned, guests at this hotel have access to the park at 8 AM (as opposed to 9 AM) which let us begin queueing for non-Express Pass rides a bit earlier than the general public. In addition to the accommodations themselves, the staff are wonderful. I have to give a special thank you to Phillip, the VIP Manager for greeting us personally and to his team for following up throughout to make sure we were taken care of. They even included a sweet treat upon check in as we were celebrating a special occasion. The entire staff is very friendly and always greets guests when walking in the hallways. We ordered room service and had breakfast at the Trattoria during our stay. During both meals, the food tasted fresh and delicious! Next time we want to go to the parks, we will be booking our stay at the Loews Portofino!

When I opens the bathroom an old man walk out and told me not to go in there. So I went in and saw poop smeared all over the wall.

One of the most clean and fun parks in Orlando! Great food all around the park. Bathrooms are convenient in most locations in the park.

Beautiful hotel! One of my favorites on Universal property. Now the reason for 4 stars is mainly food related. I am a big fan of Italian and this just doesn't do it for me, but it does have its spots like the Gelateria, which was a delicious snack. Regardless of food you can always take a water taxi down to City Walk and enjoy some fine dining there, or even have a quick burger. Perks for this hotel are amazing, the unlimited express passes for Universal & Islands, and honestly the best hotel hands down when it comes to transportation. The water taxi was my favorite, we never waited for more then a couple minutes for one to show up, they run every 15 minutes and run up till very late at night. I would definitely recommend going at night for a stroll since the view of the hotel coming in with all the lights on are immaculate. The hotel itself has a very relaxing feel to it and definitely not over crowded so if you're looking for a romantic get away, this is the spot! The pool options were great as well. They have 3 pools to pick from. If you're in the mood for music and fun your best bet is the beach pool, nice music playing and even movie nights on the water for the kiddos and fun games they can play with the staff, they have a bar and grill called Splendido's which has great drink choices and wonderful snack options. Do yourself a favor and try the frozen Riviera drink. They also have a very laid back pool called the villa pool, which is less crowded and has beautiful greenery all around and you can mobile order from Splendido's and they'll bring it right to you. Now the last pool, hillside pool, wasn't a favorite, definitely no crowd what so ever but looked like a basic apartment complex pool. No staff on duty there so be mindful with children. Now, entertainment wise.. my favorite part of the night was listening to the Italian opera singers on the balcony facing the piazza. It's called musica della notte, and it's hosted every night at 8:30pm. Definitely a beautiful experience. Room options are great here! They have many options with my favorite being the BAY VIEW. The view you get is MARVELOUS. You see the water taxi coming in and out and all the little boats lit up at night. The beds themselves are super comfortable and the bathrooms spacious, be mindful these rooms do not come with a microwave. We learned the hard way lol. Regardless the hotel gave us an incredible stay and the staff was wonderful. We left wanting to stay a lot longer. We will definitely be returning again.

This review is more about the Italian restaurant. Greeted by a friendly host and seated promptly. Ordered and enjoyed the heirloom bruschetta a lot. The custom pasta station was a pretty nice feature here too (spicy Italian sausage was the best!). The salad bar was simple, but fresh and delicious. Also, our waitress, Brianna was really amiable and easy to talk to. We'll definitely be back and hope to see her and the rest of the staff again soon!

Wonderful hotel on Universal Orlando property. It's is very beautiful and has several very nice pools. One pool has drink/service right from your lounger poolside. Room was very clean, as was rest of the property. All staff I interacted with was very nice. Including the quick/prompt valet service . You can walk to the parks or take the boat that seemed to be always pulling in after another left. Plus unlimited express pass for rides in the parks. All well worth the money spent.

I attended Harbor Nights 2023 I had a wonderful time! The venue was everything!!! Absolutely stunning resort I felt as if I had been instantly transported to Italy. Wonderful vibe you can definitely tell everyone had a wonderful time. I would like to make some suggestions. The food options were slim, I would have lot a few more dishes. There were really only 2 meat options veal and pork. I don't eat pork so could only get the veal. If I didn't like veal than I would not been able to have a meat option. I would have loved to have seen chicken and seafood (shrimp or fish) on the menu. There was a crab biscuit but I really wouldn't consider it a biscuit but instead more of a casserole. I believe there were only 6 food items so I had 5 out of the 6. The portions were smaller than what I had seen on YouTube videos from previous years. There seemed to be more wine than food. The other suggestion would be to have enough tables for those individuals would purchased the standing non VIP ticket. I purchased the non VIP ticket and could not find a table to stand and eat for about 2 hours. I was only have to get the table because people had finished eating and were dancing. I attended the Food & Wine Event at Disney's Swan & Dolphin resort and there were plenty of tables. There was complimentary parking in the parking garage, but it was a little walk. There was also valet parking for an additional fee. Over all this event was good event. I would definitely recommend this event as date night, girls night, or just because night. It is a 21+ event so it's not a family event.