Universal Orlando Resort is home to 8 hotels and by far the most luxurious is Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. The hotel is designed to mimic the charm and beauty of Portofino, Italy and it does an amazing job of doing so. Lovely cafés and shops serving authentic Italian food surround the quaint piazza and serene harbour, 3 enticing pools and an incredible spa offer total relaxation for guests and the large family rooms are perfect for those longer 2-week holidays to Orlando, Florida as everyone has enough space.
The hotel’s architecture is totally unique and leaves you with tons of little areas to explore and see during the days you’re not off have an adventure at the theme parks. While staying at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel you truly feel a world away from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks and even Orlando itself. Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is transportive – the quiet cobbled streets, the relaxing pools and harbour, and delightful food is almost enough to make you forget you are even at Universal! Though, after a 15–20-minute walk you will be right at CityWalk! The walk to CityWalk is gorgeous – large bamboo and palm trees line the path along the waterfront making for a beautiful start to your day. There is also the option to take the complimentary water taxi to CityWalk that docks in the harbour, or the complimentary shuttle bus (which also runs to Volcano Bay).
The main pool at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is the Beach Pool and features an array of amenities including a bar and grill, 2 hot tubs, waterslide, white sand beach, cabanas for rent, day-time poolside activities and dive-in movie nights! Loews Portofino Bay Hotel’s second pool, the Villa Pool, is set within the hotel and faces what looks like an Italian mansion. The pool has cabana rentals, hot and cold plunge pools, and lawn games for hours of fun! This pool was often much quieter and secluded. The third pool, the Hillside pool, is much smaller and offers a quitter place for relaxation and privacy.
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel also boasts an impressive restaurant line up. The elegant Bice Restaurant is a fantastic choice for more formal table-service dining. Mama Della’s Ristorante offers authentic Tuscan and Neapolitan food – and Mama will sometimes even make an appearance! Trattoria del Porto is a more casual option for breakfast and dinner. For on-the-go dining, Sal’s Market Deli is great for pizza, sandwiches and salads and Splendido Bar and Grill offers great poolside dining. Don’t forget to finish off with some amazing gelato from the Gelateria! The Harbour Piazza is also home to a Starbucks and the always popular Thirsty Fish.
A second unique feature of Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is its balconies. Balconies are not common when staying at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and guests cannot select a room with a balcony – it is simply potluck who gets one. They can sometimes be requested upon check in, but only if there is space. There is a reason for this however: the architects of the hotel travelled to Portofino, Italy and spent a long time studying how the Mediterranean village really looked. When it came to designing the hotel they realised that barely any of the Italian homes had balconies and to keep the theming as authentic as possible, they translated this to the design of the hotel.
The major benefit of staying at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel for most guests is of course access to Express Passes for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure (with valid theme park admission). This can result in a saving of hundreds of pounds for larger parties so certainly worth every penny of staying at one of Universal’s best resorts. Express Passes are extremely useful in busier periods, such as School Holiday periods, Christmas and Summer time, as wait times can reach over 120 minutes per ride. When using Express Passes before, even during peak periods, we have never waited longer than 30 minutes at Universal! Loews Portofino Bay Hotel also offers guests Early Park Admission to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure so you can head over to your favourite lands and begin riding the rides before the public are let into the parks. This is particularly useful for Volcano Bay as you can get ahead of the lines and crowds for your favourite water slides!
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is Universal’s best when it comes to theming and I don’t think any other Orlando hotel, including at Walt Disney World, can top it! if you want to make your stay as immersive as possible whilst in Orlando, then Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is for you. Though pricier than the others, we think it’s worth it – especially with the Express Passes and Early Admission access.