Portofino Resort Hotel

, San Pedro, Belize
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Portofino Resort Hotel

, San Pedro
4 star

Rooms: 11

6 Miles North - San Pedro - Belize Hotel Website | | 220/5096
237 Traveller

Reviews - Portofino Resort Hotel

10/10
Wonderful staff and service
Submitted by: Teri in 21/04/07
  • Age Group: 31 - 40
  • From: United States
  • Traveller type: Young Couple
We had a wonderful time at the Portofino Resort. Everyone was nice and went the "extra mile" to make sure we had a great time. Belize was our favorite vaction spot and we plan on returning soon.
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10/10
Loved Belize and Portofino
Submitted by: Sandra in 06/03/07
  • Age Group: 26 - 30
  • From: United States
  • Traveller type: Honeymooners
First time to Belize and loved it. Portofino is a very small resort, but then again all resorts I've seen in Belize are. When you are used to big hotels and mass-tourism this is not the place to be.

Portofino is definitely one of the most beautiful resorts on the island - and I've walked the entire beach!! The staff is the friendliest I've ever seen and the restaurant is great!

Thank you friends at Portofino, and we will be back soon!
10/10
Marvelous stay, beautiful resort
Submitted by: Hilde in 11/03/07
  • Age Group: 51 - 60
  • From: Belgium
  • Traveller type: Mature Couple
Two visitors from Belgium / EU. We stayed for two weeks at the new mansion (first floor). The accomodation was just perfect : clean, comfortable , peacefull, cosy and well situated. The view from the covered terras on the seasite was breathtaking! We really enjoyed the breakfast and several meals at the restaurant. The bar, recently extended with an outdoor bar was just the thing for having a nice Belikin beer, a cocoloco or any of the many coctails !
We would like to congratulate owners and staff for the efforts they make every day to indulge their guests! We felt like being in paradise! We will certainly visit Portofino again!

Historical Traveller Reviews of Portofino Resort Hotel

portofino so-so

from A TripAdvisor Member
We just returned from our first trip to san pedro and portofino. we read the reviews and completely agree. portofino was overpriced for the quality. the scenery was awesome- yes you are secluded on a beach which is great, however we are not the type of people to lay on a beach all day. getting a ride into town and back is a hassle. there are not nearly enough times available. most nights mo would go into town at 4 and pick up at 6:30. we do not eat dinner at 4 and can barely finish eating by 6:30 to go back. we did not want to stay in town late but could not even stay to watch a little of a band that started at 8 if we wanted to catch mo for a ride back after dinner. so we ended up taking the ferry home almost every night which is not fun since portofino is almost the last resort on the north end the ride turns out to be about 45 minutes. we will definately return to san pedro but not to portofino.

Home away from Home

from momsinmexico
Wonderful hotel right on the beach. The staff are very friendly, always asking if we needed anything. Bartender (Butch) is the greatest. Super, roped-off, swimming area in the ocean. THe sea grass is NOT a problem in Ambergris Caye--put on some shoes if you are concerned with a little grass. Smooth beach and sand--no coral or rocks. We swam everyday, as did most people. There is a pool at this hotel as well. Daily FULL breakfast. Hammocks right out on the dock over the ocean. Clean rooms with bathtubs and air-conditioning. Overall just a fantastic little hotel. Rooms on the 3rd floor get the best views and the best breezes. We will be back !!

Loved Portofino

from csbaug
We recently stayed 8 nights at Portofino and thoroughly enjoyed the stay.

FOOD: Food was fresh and tasty. We would rate it a 4 out of 5. We saw several parties from other resorts return for other meals over the course of our stay. We ate about 50% of our meals at the resort and the rest in San Pedro and other resorts such as Rojo.

ROOMS: Rooms were clean, comfortable, and pleasant. We were a little surprised to learn that 3 of the cabanas were duplexes rather than single cabanas. Privacy was still adequate. Showers were slightly salty but not a problem. Hammock and chair on porch were a great place to relax.

BEACH/OTHER: We did not find the lack of a pool a problem. Kayak and snorkeling gear were available for guests. We took the kayak out to the reef but did not snorkel this time. Portofino is located just off Mexico Rocks which is where tour companies take you to snorkel! Beach was private and manicured daily.

We booked a tour to ATM cave and it was a true adventure but also somewhat physically challenging.

The entire staff was very caring and responsive to our needs. Special thanks to Lorraine (Manager), Stacy (Reception), Rafael and Armando (Bar), Waitresses (Karen & Jessie), Mo (Boat Captain) and Tyrell (Security).

My husband and I were looking for a resort to get away from our stressful lives and we found it at Portofino. Thanks for a great stay!

Dream vacation in paradise

from A TripAdvisor Member
We had our best vacation ever at Portofino! It was everything we dreamt of; relaxing, laid back, great food, beautiful secluded beach, and not to forget great service. We will probably go back again next year. This was our second vacation in Belize, and it beat everything!

The resort is 6 miles north, so we used the complementary speedboat service a lot, Mo, the captain is the best!! We rented a golf cart once, and went sightseeing, which is great fun; don’t use it for transportation to town though because you can’t drive very fast because of the condition of the road.

The rooms are right on the beach (we stayed in beach front cabana #6), approx 50 feet from the ocean, with an incredible view. I was curious whether the AC would work with the thatch roof (ac is a requirement for my husband), but it did; we even had to switch it off several times, because it was getting to cold.

The view from the restaurant is even better because that is on the second floor in the main building. Loved the food; they have a fixed menu, and a different special every day. Lunch is excellent, and they serve the best French fries in Belize, or anywhere else.

We went fishing, which was great fun, and Ramon, the fishing guide cooked us lunch on the beach! When we got back, we had the chef cook us dinner with our catch. We gave the rest to the staff.

Other trips we did were: Snorkeling at shark & ray alley, and we visited the ATM cave with Gonzo which is expensive but definitely worth it! When you want to go snorkeling at Mexico rocks, you can use the free sea kayaks at the resort.

Thank you so much, everybody at Portofino..

t wait to return

from A TripAdvisor Member
Unfortunately, I did not write a review after our stay last March… wish I had though… my husband and I are about to re-book a one week stay for a relaxing getaway in Belize. We spent a fabulous week at Portofino and have great memories of the food, excellent staff and best of all… worry free vacation. Although we like San Pedro it is nice to be away from town. We had no problem with the food and enjoyed meals at the resort. We dinned out a few times and the front desk staff were happy to assist with reservations and transportation.
We can’t wait to return!

Loved Belize... Portofino just OK

from A TripAdvisor Member
Belize was amazing and we had a great time. Portofino was just not what we had expected or hoped for. The staff is wonderful and helpful, especially Lorraine, Mo and Raphael. Our room was clean and well taken care of during our stay. I guess our overall experience at Portofino was just disapppointing. We were there for 8 days to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary as well as my birthday. It is a very remote resort (we liked that), but being so remote, you almost have to dine there in the evening your entire stay and the menu if fairly limited and the restaurant is just not that great. During our stay, the resort owners were on the premises; yet did not even acknowledge us. We saw them occasionally, yet they never once welcomed us or even said a polite "hello". I was a bit surprised when I took a shower and the water was very salty. I was very ready for a fresh water shower after 8 days. Oh, an important bit of info if you plan to stay at Portofino - if you use the air conditioner, turn OFF the ceiling fans - or your room will not get cool. We stayed in the Sunflower Suite and the AC unit worked great, but you can't use the fans at the same time. Another bothersome thing was that they were dredging right off the dock the entire time we were there. We understood that we were there in the off season, but we saved $$ for 6 years to take our dream vacation, and we were greeted every morning and all day long to the noise pollution of dredging. It was someone of an eyesore as well as just noisy. Also, do note that you cannot swim off the beach due to excessive sea grass. I understand that this is an issue for most of Ambergris Caye, just wantting you to know this. Portofino does have kayaks and snorkeling equip for your use that is complimentary - you will make good use of them if you want to enjoy the water.

We really loved Belize and plan to return, but we will not return to Portofino.

t (Mixed Review)

from A TripAdvisor Member
Four days previous to staying at the Portofino, we stayed at the Victoria House. It was the difference between night and day. I agree with the other posts in that the staff was fantastic. Very friendly and hospitable. The cabanas are charming and the scenery is beautiful.

One thing I was disappointed in at the Portofino was the A/C. There is a window A/C, but unless you are right in front of it, it was a bit of a waste. The GM provided us with an extra fan which made things a lot more bearable. Food was presented beautfully, but it was nothing to write home to mom about. My husband and I ate in town as much as possible mainly because we wanted to try new dishes, but also, Portofino prices were almost as much as Victoria House without the same quality. You can save on the cost of the Island Ferry by catching a ride into town on the Portofino boat. Mo (the Captain) was great, easy going and flexible (not to mention, free!). Lastly, I was very disappointed that I did not get a fresh shower in the 6 days that we stayed there. The water is salty so even after a shower, you are still sticky. I used the bottled water when possible to wash my face and brush my teeth. Other than that, my hair almost turned into dreadlocks. As mentioned, no pool. The beach is shallow so a pool would have been a nice alternative. There is a jaccuzzi, but it stays covered so it is not very inviting. One positive for families that I noticed was kids there had a great time during the day, so even though it is remote, I think adventerous kids will find plenty to entertain them.

The staff is what makes the resort feel comfortable. My husband booked this trip as a surprise so I'm not sure exactly how much we paid. If there is not much difference in the price, I would recommend The Victoria House hands down. Sorry Portofino, I think VH is just a tough act to follow.

So-So

from A TripAdvisor Member
My husband and I stayed at Portofino for our honeymoon 3/20-3/24. Although the staff did what they could to make our stay pleasant, if we were to return to Belize in the future we would stay closer in to town. For the steep prices, the food is mediocre, and so is the service. The hotel's remote location made it difficult to go into town for meal alternatives. Our beachside cabana was very nice however the lack of fresh water for bathing was very inconvenient (you bathe in salt water). Also, the snorkeling was great, absolutely beautiful, but we would have liked to spend more time in the water. I would do more research in the future for snorkeling and diving tours rather than go with the tours booked by the hotel.

Relaxing!

from JK4
My wife and I went there after our wedding last year and loved it. It is totally layed back and very relaxed atmosphere. If you are looking to be able to walk into town or if you want to lay by a pool I would not recommend this place. But if you want a great place to get away from it all them I would recommend Portofino.
We found the food to be decent and very fresh. We took a lot of day tours so we would usually eat in town since the food in town was great and very affordable. The tour will pick you up right at the Portofino and take you to your destinations.
The beach at Portofino is very nice but it's not so great to swim. My only complaint was that I'd love a pool or a better area to swim in.
Feel free to email me if you have any other questions about the Portofino, or day trips.

Horrible

from HaddonTraveler
No pool!!!!! ... this is in an incredibly remote location with actually nothing around ... no restaurants ... no shops. This was my fourth time to Belize. I have stayed at the magnificent Victoria House and the wonderful Belizean Shores - this was the most upsetting experience. The price was outrageous especially considering the lack of amenities. To get back into town takes at least 20 minutes by boat and the road back into town is horrendous if you choose to go by golf cart.

We spoke to numerous guests complaining about the place and unfortunately complaining about Belize. Very unfortunate because Portofino is NOT Belize ... thankfully!

Top Local Tips for San Pedro

The ocean is King Take advantage of the many water activities such as swimming, snorkeling, kayaking,and diving right a t Mexico Rocks close to Portofino. The most beautiful water in the world is right there.

Bring USD USD is accepted everywhere at a 2 to 1 exchange rate. Bring cash with you because you won't do any better by using your credit card or ATM. Bring a lot of singles as well as they are great for tipping.

Be careful when you choose your location in San Pedro Portofino resort is miles away from anywhere however, you don't feel more private there than anywhere else, you'll end up paying a hefty fee for water taxis more than anything else. Get a hotel closer to the village and you will still feel secluded as the property are usually relatively far between and if you need to take a water taxi, and believe me, you will - then it is not going to cost you so much.

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Other names for Portofino Resort Hotel

  • portofino san pedro
  • portofino hotel san pedro
  • Address: 6 Miles North - San Pedro - Belize
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