Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is modeled after a picturesque Italian village on Universal Orlando’s grounds. It suits travelers who want some luxury mixed in with their theme park days. Every evening, the hotel’s Harbor Piazza comes alive with Musica della Notte, a live music celebration that is a delightful departure from the Orlando theme park scene’s hustle and bustle.
The lavishly appointed lobby and striking grounds make this resort popular with families and adult travelers alike. It is also one of only three Universal Orlando hotels where Universal Express Unlimited comes free with your room. The review below walks through the rooms, the club level, and exactly what the on-site benefits get you, so you can decide whether it is right for your trip.
What I Love
- Free Universal Express Unlimited at Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure, one of only three Universal hotels that include it
- Early Park Admission, up to an hour before a park opens, at select attractions
- Three pools, including the Beach Pool with its Roman aqueduct water slide, sandy beach, and children’s pool
- Club Level rooms and suites with a private lounge, continental breakfast, and evening hors d’oeuvres
- Complimentary water taxi and shuttle buses to the parks and CityWalk, plus walking paths from the hotel
- On-site gelateria and Italian specialties
Good to Know
- Universal Express Unlimited is not valid at Universal Volcano Bay or Universal Epic Universe, and the water taxi does not serve those two parks
- None of the three pools is adults-only. The Hillside Pool on the east side is the quiet one
- Loews does not list a refrigerator among the standard in-room amenities, so ask when you book if you need one
- Pets are welcome through the Loews Loves Pets program, for a one-time fee per stay
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The resort balances the needs of families with those of adult travelers. If you want a quieter stay, book the club level and use the Hillside Pool, which Loews describes as the more private of the three.
Guest Rooms and Suites
Standard rooms are well-appointed. Flat-panel televisions with HD channels, Intelliblend coffee makers with gourmet coffee and assorted teas, and complimentary wireless internet come in every room. Loews describes all 750 guestrooms and 45 suites as newly renovated.
Occupancy is the thing to check before you book, because the two entry-level rooms are the same size but sleep different numbers. Here is what Loews publishes for the main categories.
- Garden View King Room – 450 sq. ft., one king, sleeps 3
- Garden View 2 Queen Room – 450 sq. ft., two queens, sleeps 5
- Club 2 Queen Room – 490 sq. ft., two queens, sleeps 5, with Club Lounge access
- Despicable Me Kid’s Suite – 650 sq. ft., one king plus two twins, sleeps 5
Loews also sells larger Presidente and Villa suites, sold in several configurations whose size and occupancy differ, so check the specific one you are booking. Garden and bay view rooms both offer luxurious textiles, themed furniture and artwork, and high-end toiletries. It is difficult to find a room with a poor view, since most overlook the pool, gardens, or bay. Ask for a bay room overlooking the piazza, which is where Musica della Notte plays each evening.
Club Level rooms and suites come with access to a private lounge, continental breakfast, evening hors d’oeuvres, and a personal concierge. We chose club level during our last stay. Evening canapes and adult beverages were a fantastic way to unwind at the end of a long day of theme park walking. On one recent visit, there were more staffers in the club level lounge than guests.
Families with young kids can book a Despicable Me Kid’s Suite, a brightly colored space designed with the under-12 crowd in mind. There are a limited number of them, so book early if you want one.
Loews lists a supervised children’s activity center at the hotel, along with lending libraries of games and childproofing kits on request. It does not currently publish the hours, ages, or pricing for the activity center, so ask when you book if you are counting on it for an evening out.
Perks at Universal Orlando Theme Parks
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is located on Universal Orlando property, and the parks are a short trip away by water taxi or shuttle bus.
Universal Express Unlimited comes free with your room. Portofino Bay is one of only three Universal hotels that include it, along with Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort. Universal describes the benefit as shorter wait times at participating rides and attractions at Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure.
Express access matters most during the busiest weeks of the year. I can vouch for this, having recently stayed during winter break, but you should know that during peak season, even the Universal Express lines can be long, so you can only imagine what the regular lines are like.
Early Park Admission is the other on-site benefit. Universal lets hotel guests into one of its theme parks up to an hour before it opens, at select attractions, with valid theme park admission. Universal decides which park gets it each day, and it can include Volcano Bay and Epic Universe, which Express does not cover.
Staying on site carries two smaller benefits worth knowing about:
- Charging purchases across the resort to your room key card
- Priority seating at select restaurants in the parks and CityWalk
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is also close to other Orlando theme parks and things to do in Orlando with kids. This includes the Walt Disney World theme parks and the SeaWorld Orlando entertainment complex. LEGOLAND Florida is a longer drive southwest, in Winter Haven.
Don’t forget that you can buy discount Universal Orlando tickets to use alongside your complimentary Universal Express Unlimited access.
Dining and Shopping Options
The dining lineup runs from Bice Ristorante and Mama Della’s Ristorante to Trattoria del Porto, Splendido Bar and Grill, Sal’s Market Deli, The Thirsty Fish, and the Gelateria, which handles the afternoon gelato run.
Harbor Nights is the event worth timing a stay around. Loews runs it quarterly in the Harbor Piazza with wine, food samples, and live jazz. It is not part of your room rate, and the hotel sells tickets to each edition separately, so check its schedule before you plan around it.
If you make purchases in the Universal Orlando theme parks, you can have those items delivered to your hotel, so you don’t have to carry them around for the rest of the day.
Special Accommodations and Travelers
Service animals are welcome, as they must be at any U.S. hotel. Loews does not publish the accessibility equipment at its pools, so call the hotel directly if you need a lift or a particular life vest size.
Noting any accessibility needs at the time of reservation gives the on-site team time to prepare for your arrival.
Traveling with a pet? Loews Loves Pets is the hotel’s pet program. Pets are greeted with their own gifts, including a pet tag, a bowl, and a treat, and the hotel charges a one-time fee per stay.
Ways to Book
How to Book Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
You can book this one two ways. The button below goes to Expedia, which is useful if you are comparing dates or already collect One Key rewards. If you would rather book with the hotel, the Loews link sits just underneath it.
Prefer to book with the hotel? Check rates at Loews Hotels.
Either way, your room key card is your Universal Express Unlimited pass, for everyone in the room, for the length of your stay. Check in on the Universal app and the passes also land in your Universal account automatically.
