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The picturesque harborside village of Portofino, Italy
is the inspiration for the spectacular Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal
Orlando, a Loews Hotel. Designers and craftsmen painstakingly recreated
the unique ambience of the Italian fishing village in the midst
of Universal Orlando’s two theme parks in Orlando, Florida.
Design architects visited the village of Portofino
early in the design process and have succeeded in faithfully replicating
the perimeter of the harbor. Hotel guest rooms occupy buildings
patterned after the village’s waterfront homes and restaurants occupy
space along the harborside piazza just as they do in the original
village.
The hotel, as with the village of Portofino, features
elaborate trompe l’oeil painting of the building exteriors. Hundreds
of years ago the residents of the poor fishing village could not
afford the detailed marble columns, window surrounds and moldings
found in Rome and Venice. To emulate the look of more elaborate
architecture, talented local artisans realistically painted columns,
pilasters and moldings that create a feast for the eyes. One must
look closely to realize that the building facades are flat and the
ornament only painted on the surface. Trompe l’oeil artists from
Portofino, Italy recreated the colorful and magical illusion created
by the centuries-old painting technique.
"Visitors from around the world are enchanted
by the village of Portofino, Italy. Loews Hotels and Universal Orlando
have brought that same sense of enchantment to this hotel,” said
Jonathan Tisch, president and CEO of Loews Hotels. “Loews is committed
to providing the utmost in personal service and state-of-the-art
conveniences along with the opportunity to step into the village
of Portofino, all without leaving the country.”
Guests arriving at the Portofino Bay Hotel are transported
to northern Italy as they navigate the 1/4-mile long winding drive
around the harbor adorned with native Italian cypress and olive
trees and thousands of other plants and shrubs. Upon first sight
of the hotel and harbor, guests familiar with the real village of
Portofino will notice the painstaking attention to detail that completes
the illusion. From the fishing boats in the harbor to the brightly
painted buildings and the open piazza, the scene captures the essence
of Portofino, Italy.
The Portofino Coat of Arms on one of the piazza walls
was painted by hand and took one week to complete. Artwork for interior
walls of the hotel’s common spaces and restaurants was commissioned
by Loews Hotels from the Studio Lucifero school of the arts in Rome,
Italy.
Wilson & Associates of Beverly Hills provided interior
design services with specialty interiors by Arnold Syrop Associates
of New York. Rooms are painted in soothing colors and all bed linens
including duvet covers are white, representing those used in the
old country.
Four-poster beds and antique-looking armoires also
grace each room. Decorative tiling used in the bathrooms were handmade
in Italy specifically for the Portofino Bay Hotel. The bathrooms
are some of the largest in the hotel industry with extra surface
space for storing toiletries, and separate tubs and showers are
featured in select rooms and suites.
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