During our vacation to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida we chose to stay on the Universal property at one of their resorts: The Loews Portofino Bay Hotel.
I can’t say enough good things about this hotel. Everything was gorgeous and visually appealing…and we truly did feel transported to Italy. Well, as close to Italy as you can get at a resort, lol! They stuck to this theme to a T and everything added to the charm. They even have little Vespas all around the hotel. 🙂 The little kids seemed to enjoy playing on them…and I guess I did too!
The staff was nicely dressed, very pleasant and willing to help you with any questions or anything else you might need. AND our room was upgraded for free when we checked in! We went from a standard king room to a deluxe king room. This was probably due to the hotel not being booked…if you’re looking for a good time to visit Universal, the first two weeks in November are perfect. The hotel staff said this is the slowest time of the year and once the holidays approach, they will be packed again until March…and then of course all summer long.
Here are some photos of our room/bathroom (I was in love with the bathroom!)
I’ll flat out tell you it would have been cheaper to stay off of the Universal property at one of the surrounding hotels in Orlando but in my opinion, there are way more perks when you stay at one of the three hotels on Universal (Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific, and Loews Portofino). You get free transportation (shuttle bus or my favorite, by boat) to the other hotels on the park and to the City Walk/Islands of Adventure/Universal Studios. You also get an Express Pass included with your stay that allows you to skip the lines or at least not wait as long for the rides. Lastly, you get to enter Islands of Adventure an hour earlier than everyone else! Well worth the extra money to stay at one of the Universal hotels.
Oh and I almost forgot! They have several restaurants and bars at the hotel…all of which were very tasty! These restaurants ranged from casual to fancy and were a great option if you didn’t feel like leaving the hotel to go somewhere else.
It was a great trip and we really enjoyed our hotel choice! I would love to hear from you in the comment section if you’ve stayed at The Portofino, the Hard Rock, or the Royal Pacific and tell me what your thoughts were! 🙂
*We’re back up to the 20’s! Click below to vote for Modern Mommyhood!*
FOUR DOLLARS FOR A CAN OF SPRITE?? AND A SNICKERS?! What the crap. That should be illegal. haha.
Pingback: Our Yearly Vacation...
I had no idea you were a loyal Vera Bradley fan!! I just discovered her line earlier this year and there’s currently a big Vera Bradley box nestled under our Christmas tree waiting for me to tear into on Christmas morning! I love her stuff! 🙂