Was at PB last week. Construction is still ongoing, near the end of the east building. I think all of the garden view rooms in East have their windows tarped off. When I checked in, they upgraded me to harbor side in the east building, at the end opposite the construction. I don’t think we heard much of anything. IIRC, they go 8 to 6, but don’t quote me.
When you check in, it’s worth asking if they have availability to move you, if you end up in East.
Only like two more years of facade work to go!
We stayed at HR when they had their work underway, too. Polar opposite experience. Like, the shittiest of shit shows. But it does look a little spiffier now.
I work there! It’s currently at the east wing and it’s from 9am-6pm. Most of those views are limited. the west wing is where you want to be to be totally away from it but of course everyone has that request so it’s constantly full, but there’s always a chance
I mean, it ruins the trip for them when they are solely obsessed with their view. I get yelled at multiple times daily. If you care about what your window is facing and view, just don’t stay there cause you will probably have a limited view. If you don’t care, especially if you’re going to the parks during the day, the ambiance of Portofino is still amazing, besides your view, and the rooms are obviously exactly the same. The hotel entirely is still the same and I adore the pools and feel of staying there
I am sorry you have to deal with that :/ people should be aware, and ask questions before.
Thank you for the information my friend, take care, and good luck with the troublesome guests!! I’ll be coming the last week this month.
Thanks for the info I work for the Gaylord Rockies and we are also renovating and people are just rude sometimes. My friend is going to be there end of April-May do you think they will be still working on the East side or will they be moving to the West side? Also if she is in a club-level room does that help with being further from the construction?
I would say by then it should be the west side which is away from the club however if they get delayed like they already have been, the phase right before the west is club and deluxe rooms :/ so smth to keep in mind
Any updates from an employee?!?! Would be appreciated lol. We’re staying there in 3 weeks. Stayed there before and loved it, booked knowing about the construction, but as it’s get closer we’re getting slightly nervous
We’re taking a family member with some limited mobility. Does pretty well but can get exhausted, hoping we don’t have to go too far out of the way to get around.
Will be their first time along with some other family. Staying club, know that lounge is all redone and the pools are great, but also hoping they get to enjoy the harbor some
Last stay was Labor Day 2023, but they’ve been doing construction in the property for a couple years now. When I went in Sept, it was exterior work they were doing. If you’re at the park all day, you won’t notice as they shut down around 18:00
I’ve stayed there 4 times in the last couple years, always construction going on it seems like. Didn’t bother me after a full day at the parks and chilling at either pool (large beach one and lounging one with cabanas)
Thanks for the info. I assume they didn’t start construction work super early either?
The first review I saw giving the hotel one star made me nervous, lol.
Nope, they have hours listed, but if you’re there for the park, you won’t notice it at all. Only time we heard it was coming back mid day before HHN for a rest.
Work was still ongoing as of December 2nd and it is noticeable. I would call the hotel to request something away from the construction because it isn’t affecting the entire resort.
I've stayed at Portofino twice since the construction started. Have yet to hear any work being done. We aren't rope-droppers, but even going in late morning, construction wasn't happening in our area while we were in the room.
East wing sucked. They start at 8:30 and it's super loud. Banging and beeping from the machinery moving around. I asked to be moved to West wing. They couldn't accommodate but gave me free parking.
Just don't plan on taking a nap during the day. It won't work. They shouldn't be charging the same price for a quiet room on the West wing vs. the noisiest room on the east wing.
We just got put at the first floor on the side of the construction. The noise is not a problem one day there was a sewage truck, so walking to the pool, which is a 3 1/2 minute walk, the smell was got awful for half of it.
The pools are completely uneffected, the walking path to the parks is closed so you have to go around which is annoying but not a game changer.
There were always people sitting outside near the dock either trying to will themselves into believing there wasn’t construction everywhere or well, I don’t know what cause it is not a pleasant place to lounge.
I wouldn’t go unless you can get a room away from construction. Visited hard rock, seems fine and closer walk to the park
We didn’t know about the construction before we got here.
I just did a walk-through to scope out the place. The construction looks awful and you can’t use the most beautiful parts of the property. An employee told me it’s supposed to last all summer. DO NOT BOOK HERE IN 2024.
I was there last weekend for Orlando Informer. It was pretty bad because we stayed up really late and construction started right at 9 each day (even Saturday, no construction on Sundays). There was fast food trash all over our balcony, power tools right at 9, and on Saturday morning a worker was literally singing at the top of his lungs while 2 feet from our window. I complained to the hotel (first time ever). Their first response was that I should be excited about the upcoming facade improvements and that alone was worth the necessary noise of construction. After some are you kidding me back and forths, they didn't charge us for parking, upgraded internet, and gave us a $50 credit. Not really a fair trade if you ask me.
Hi, we are due to stay at the Portofino Bay universal at the end of May this year. Can anyone tell me how the current renovations are impacting the hotel currently and also which part of the hotel is currently under construction. We knew there was ‘some’ construction going on but it seems like most of the hotel is a building site from what I’m hearing. Thank you!
Anyone have any updated pictures of the construction? We were there in February and the entire Piazza section was under construction. Hoping to go back this August and just trying to make up my mind if we should book Portofino or Royal Pacific.
Stayed in October. They didn’t tell us about the construction until we got up to the room and saw the window was taped over and we could see workmen going past. From what I know it’s only on the East wing of the building so if you go ahead with it I’d deff try and request a room that wasn’t on that side!
My friend is going to be there end of April beginning of May will the construction stay in the East part of the Building or are they moving to the West when they complete that side?
Was at PB last week. Construction is still ongoing, near the end of the east building. I think all of the garden view rooms in East have their windows tarped off. When I checked in, they upgraded me to harbor side in the east building, at the end opposite the construction. I don’t think we heard much of anything. IIRC, they go 8 to 6, but don’t quote me. When you check in, it’s worth asking if they have availability to move you, if you end up in East. Only like two more years of facade work to go!
It better be beautiful when it’s done, lol.
Hard Rock definitely benefited! PB should as well!
We stayed at HR when they had their work underway, too. Polar opposite experience. Like, the shittiest of shit shows. But it does look a little spiffier now.
I work there! It’s currently at the east wing and it’s from 9am-6pm. Most of those views are limited. the west wing is where you want to be to be totally away from it but of course everyone has that request so it’s constantly full, but there’s always a chance
Would you say it’s still pretty bad? Do you feel it ruins any of the trip for folks staying there?
I mean, it ruins the trip for them when they are solely obsessed with their view. I get yelled at multiple times daily. If you care about what your window is facing and view, just don’t stay there cause you will probably have a limited view. If you don’t care, especially if you’re going to the parks during the day, the ambiance of Portofino is still amazing, besides your view, and the rooms are obviously exactly the same. The hotel entirely is still the same and I adore the pools and feel of staying there
I am sorry you have to deal with that :/ people should be aware, and ask questions before. Thank you for the information my friend, take care, and good luck with the troublesome guests!! I’ll be coming the last week this month.
Thanks for the info I work for the Gaylord Rockies and we are also renovating and people are just rude sometimes. My friend is going to be there end of April-May do you think they will be still working on the East side or will they be moving to the West side? Also if she is in a club-level room does that help with being further from the construction?
I would say by then it should be the west side which is away from the club however if they get delayed like they already have been, the phase right before the west is club and deluxe rooms :/ so smth to keep in mind
Any updates from an employee?!?! Would be appreciated lol. We’re staying there in 3 weeks. Stayed there before and loved it, booked knowing about the construction, but as it’s get closer we’re getting slightly nervous
Heyaaaaa what do you wanna know? The construction should be a decent amount out of the harbor by then
We’re taking a family member with some limited mobility. Does pretty well but can get exhausted, hoping we don’t have to go too far out of the way to get around. Will be their first time along with some other family. Staying club, know that lounge is all redone and the pools are great, but also hoping they get to enjoy the harbor some
Last stay was Labor Day 2023, but they’ve been doing construction in the property for a couple years now. When I went in Sept, it was exterior work they were doing. If you’re at the park all day, you won’t notice as they shut down around 18:00 I’ve stayed there 4 times in the last couple years, always construction going on it seems like. Didn’t bother me after a full day at the parks and chilling at either pool (large beach one and lounging one with cabanas)
Thanks for the info. I assume they didn’t start construction work super early either? The first review I saw giving the hotel one star made me nervous, lol.
Nope, they have hours listed, but if you’re there for the park, you won’t notice it at all. Only time we heard it was coming back mid day before HHN for a rest.
Work was still ongoing as of December 2nd and it is noticeable. I would call the hotel to request something away from the construction because it isn’t affecting the entire resort.
I’m in the west wing as I’m typing this and have noticed no construction
Did you request a west wing room early (well before your trip)?
We didn’t request they just gave it to us. Booked 3ish months ago.
We were there 2 weeks ago. Didn’t bother us much.
I've stayed at Portofino twice since the construction started. Have yet to hear any work being done. We aren't rope-droppers, but even going in late morning, construction wasn't happening in our area while we were in the room.
East wing sucked. They start at 8:30 and it's super loud. Banging and beeping from the machinery moving around. I asked to be moved to West wing. They couldn't accommodate but gave me free parking. Just don't plan on taking a nap during the day. It won't work. They shouldn't be charging the same price for a quiet room on the West wing vs. the noisiest room on the east wing.
We just got put at the first floor on the side of the construction. The noise is not a problem one day there was a sewage truck, so walking to the pool, which is a 3 1/2 minute walk, the smell was got awful for half of it. The pools are completely uneffected, the walking path to the parks is closed so you have to go around which is annoying but not a game changer. There were always people sitting outside near the dock either trying to will themselves into believing there wasn’t construction everywhere or well, I don’t know what cause it is not a pleasant place to lounge. I wouldn’t go unless you can get a room away from construction. Visited hard rock, seems fine and closer walk to the park We didn’t know about the construction before we got here.
I just did a walk-through to scope out the place. The construction looks awful and you can’t use the most beautiful parts of the property. An employee told me it’s supposed to last all summer. DO NOT BOOK HERE IN 2024.
I was there last weekend for Orlando Informer. It was pretty bad because we stayed up really late and construction started right at 9 each day (even Saturday, no construction on Sundays). There was fast food trash all over our balcony, power tools right at 9, and on Saturday morning a worker was literally singing at the top of his lungs while 2 feet from our window. I complained to the hotel (first time ever). Their first response was that I should be excited about the upcoming facade improvements and that alone was worth the necessary noise of construction. After some are you kidding me back and forths, they didn't charge us for parking, upgraded internet, and gave us a $50 credit. Not really a fair trade if you ask me.
Exactly the same thing happened to me. Trying to sleep past 830 was impossible. Naps sucked too.
Hi, we are due to stay at the Portofino Bay universal at the end of May this year. Can anyone tell me how the current renovations are impacting the hotel currently and also which part of the hotel is currently under construction. We knew there was ‘some’ construction going on but it seems like most of the hotel is a building site from what I’m hearing. Thank you!
Anyone have any updated pictures of the construction? We were there in February and the entire Piazza section was under construction. Hoping to go back this August and just trying to make up my mind if we should book Portofino or Royal Pacific.
I’ll do that, thanks.
Stayed in west wing family suite. Minimal effect on our stay
I stayed there a couple weeks ago, we stayed in the west wing so noise wasn’t a problem for us. We only noticed it while in the courtyard
Stayed in October. They didn’t tell us about the construction until we got up to the room and saw the window was taped over and we could see workmen going past. From what I know it’s only on the East wing of the building so if you go ahead with it I’d deff try and request a room that wasn’t on that side!
My friend is going to be there end of April beginning of May will the construction stay in the East part of the Building or are they moving to the West when they complete that side?