Weddings and rehearsal dinners at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel offers multiple wedding and rehearsal-dinner venues ranging from intimate private rooms to large ballrooms and outdoor piazzas, plus on-site Italian restaurants that can host rehearsal dinners. The hotel provides wedding packages with standard inclusions (hosted bars, hors d’oeuvres, cake, linens, and a tasting) and can support room blocks in its Room, Bay View; Room, Garden View; Club Room; Deluxe Room; and Suite (Despicable Me Kids Suite) categories.
In this guide
Venues and capacities
The hotel has a range of indoor and outdoor event spaces that suit small gatherings up to large receptions. Ballroom options include the Venetian Ballroom, Ligurian Ballroom, and the large Tuscan Ballroom.
Capacities and some measurements are published by the hotel; the Venetian Ballroom is 7,670 sq ft and listed for up to 400 guests, while the Tuscan Ballroom is the largest meeting space at 15,040 sq ft with capacities listed for large banquets and receptions.
- Tuscan Ballroom: largest indoor space (15,040 sq ft) — divisible into Tuscan I–IV.
- Venetian Ballroom: 7,670 sq ft — up to 400 guests; divisible into five sections.
- Ligurian Ballroom: smaller ballroom suitable for up to 150 guests.
- Indoor Gazebo: suitable for intimate ceremonies (up to 30 guests).
| Venue | Published capacity (banquet/reception where listed) |
|---|---|
| Tuscan Ballroom | Large-scale banquets/receptions (published capacities up to 1,248 banquet / 1,504 reception in meeting charts) |
| Venetian Ballroom | Up to 400 guests (7,670 sq ft; divisible) |
| Ligurian Ballroom | Intimate ballroom up to 150 guests |
Outdoor ceremony locations
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel lists several outdoor ceremony spots around its Portofino-style harbor. Popular choices named by the hotel include the Citrus Piazza, Villa Piazza, Piazza Centrale and the Vista Balcony.
Outdoor options come with an indoor rain-backup plan included for smaller site-fee bookings; for very small ceremonies the Indoor Gazebo by the Bernini event space is an option for up to 30 guests.
- Citrus Piazza — central harbor plaza area near waterfront dining.
- Villa Piazza — courtyard-style location near the Villa wing.
- Piazza Centrale and Vista Balcony — harbor-facing settings for photos and ceremonies.
- Indoor Gazebo — indoor alternative for up to 30 guests.
| Outdoor site | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Citrus Piazza | Ceremonies and cocktail receptions overlooking the harbor |
| Villa Piazza | Smaller outdoor ceremonies and photo opportunities |
| Piazza Centrale | Harbor-front ceremonies with evening lighting options |
Rehearsal dinners and restaurant options
Several on-site restaurants are commonly used for rehearsal dinners, ranging from casual to white-tablecloth dining. Bice Ristorante and Mama Della's Ristorante are two of the hotel's primary outlets for private dining or group meals.
Bice Ristorante offers two private dining rooms that can host rehearsal dinners (private rooms combined with the main dining room can seat larger groups). The hotel's published materials list private dining capacity in those rooms and note private-dining pricing for events such as rehearsal dinners.
- Bice Ristorante: fine-dining venue with two private rooms (private dining for up to 66 guests in those rooms); private-dining pricing cited in hotel materials.
- Mama Della's Ristorante: family-style Italian dining suitable for relaxed rehearsal dinners; reservations recommended.
- Trattoria del Porto: bright, casual option with indoor/outdoor seating overlooking the Harbor Piazza.
| Restaurant | Private-dining notes |
|---|---|
| Bice Ristorante | Two private rooms; private dining for up to 66 guests in private rooms; private-event pricing listed by hotel |
| Mama Della's Ristorante | Family-style group dining; reservations recommended |
| Trattoria del Porto | Casual buffet or à la carte options; outdoor harbor-facing seating |
Wedding packages and what’s included
The hotel offers reception packages that list specific inclusions: a one-hour hosted cocktail bar with four passed hors d’oeuvres, a three-hour hosted bar during the reception, a choice of plated, station, or brunch menus, a custom wedding cake, floor-length linens, and a pre-event tasting for up to four guests.
There is a standard wedding site fee for smaller bookings (the hotel’s standard site fee accommodates up to 50 guests and includes a guaranteed indoor rain-backup location). A food and beverage minimum applies to all booked events.
- One-hour hosted cocktail and four passed hors d’oeuvres included in standard reception package.
- Three-hour hosted reception bar included in the published package.
- Pre-event tasting for up to four guests and custom wedding cake included.
| Sample inclusion | Notes |
|---|---|
| Hosted cocktail hour | One hour with four passed hors d’oeuvres (published package) |
| Hosted reception bar | Three hours included in reception package |
| Tasting | Pre-event tasting for up to four guests |
Guest rooms and blocks for wedding parties
The hotel can block rooms for wedding guests across its published room types. Exact room-type names used for blocks and booking include Room, Bay View; Room, Garden View; Club Room; Deluxe Room; and Suite (Despicable Me Kids Suite).
Portofino Bay Hotel lists 750 guest rooms and 45 suites total; when planning a room block, coordinate with the hotel’s wedding sales or the concierge to confirm rates, availability, and any room-block benefits.
- Room, Bay View (Universal Express Unlimited included) — 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds.
- Room, Garden View (Universal Express Unlimited included) — 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds.
- Club Room, Deluxe Room, Suite (Despicable Me Kids Suite) — discuss suite upgrades or family-room needs when contracting a block.
| Room type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Room, Bay View | Universal Express Unlimited included; fits up to 5 guests (1 King or 2 Queens) |
| Room, Garden View | Universal Express Unlimited included; fits up to 5 guests (1 King or 2 Queens) |
| Suite (Despicable Me Kids Suite) | Family-themed suite; Universal Express Unlimited included |
Logistics, guest perks and vendor access
Guests at the hotel receive Universal Orlando guest benefits noted by the property, including Universal Express Unlimited ride access (where included with certain room types) and early theme park admission; complimentary water-taxi, shuttle bus and walking-path access connect the resort to Universal CityWalk and the parks.
Practical items to confirm with the hotel when planning: check-in begins at 4:00 PM and check-out is before 11:00 AM; parking is available (self and valet for an additional fee); there is no resort fee but parking and some amenities carry separate charges.
- Transport to the parks: complimentary water taxi to CityWalk/parks, shuttle buses, and walking paths.
- Check-in/out: check-in starts at 4:00 PM; check-out before 11:00 AM.
- Parking: self and valet parking available for additional fees (published rates vary).
- Pools and amenities: three outdoor pools (Beach Pool, Villa Pool, Hillside Pool); Beach Pool is the primary family pool with waterslide and lifeguards on duty when the slide operates.
| Logistic item | Published detail |
|---|---|
| Check-in / Check-out | Check-in begins at 4:00 PM; check-out before 11:00 AM |
| Theme-park transport | Complimentary water taxi, shuttle buses, and walking paths to Universal areas |
| Pools | Three outdoor pools; Beach Pool includes waterslide, sandy beach, children’s pool, jacuzzis and cabanas |
