Florida: Orlando, New Dr. Seuss-themed Kids' Suites Debut at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel.
It's as if you have stepped right into one of the beloved Dr. Seuss stories. With the Cat in the Hat, Horton, the Grinch and the Sneetches smiling back at you, the Seuss stories come to life in three dimensions. Indeed, designers created the new Dr. Seuss kids' suites at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando to be an immersive, larger-than-life experience that integrates the adventures of Seuss landing at Islands of Adventure into the hotel.
"These suites are sure to evoke the spirit and creativity that is Dr. Seuss," says Kimberly Bewley, principal designer. "Every design element was purposefully chosen to reflect our vision of the books coming to life all around you."
The suites capture the Seussian spirit in a montage of characters, colors and patterns. Furniture and shapes in the suite take on their own Seussian form with an off kilter and wacky appearance in form and color. Upon entering the suite, colors and patterns are everywhere, from the vibrant blue carpet that is sprinkled with a pattern of lighter blue dots to the beds, which appear to be part of "Who-ville" with Seussian forms inspired from the Horton Hears a Who book. Buildings teeter, trees droop and machines work in impossible ways. The wacky, off-kilter perspective to life is distinctive, fun and undeniably Seuss. What is Seussian style? It is the unexpected mix of fabrics and colors, of designs that seem to defy gravity and logic, of messages meant to stimulate and teach through characters who have captivated generations.
"Every child who has walked into one of these suites is completely captivated by what we have created," says General Manager Paul Leclerc. "Their stamp of approval means we hit the mark."
The two-room suites offer ample space for traveling families, with a king bedroom for the adults and two twin-sized beds in the children's portion of the suite. Parents appreciate the added feature that only allows access from the children's room into the adult's room and not into the hallway. Kids love the added feature of a flat panel TV that floats on the wall of their room. Special kids' suites accommodations are also available at the other on-site hotels including new Jurassic Park-themed suites at Loews Royal Pacific Resort and music-inspired kids' suites at Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando.
A re-creation of the famed Mediterranean seaside resort village, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is the premier luxury resort at Universal Orlando. Complete with cobblestone piazzas, outdoor cafes, trompe l'oeil painting and a nightly opera performance, Portofino offers the utmost in European style and elegance. Featuring 750 rooms and suites, exceptional dining and a world-class spa, the hotel has been honored by Travel & Leisure magazine and Conde Nast Traveler as one of the finest hotels in the world. Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and its sister on-site properties - Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Hard Rock Hotel - are connected to both theme parks and CityWalk by a scenic waterway. On-site hotel guests enjoy a variety of exclusive privileges including complimentary Universal Express ride access. Just by showing their valid hotel room key card, on-site hotel guests can bypass the regular lines at rides and attractions in Universal Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure.
About Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando. As part of a joint venture with Universal Parks and Resorts and Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment, Loews Hotels co-owns and manages three distinctively themed on-site hotels located at Universal Orlando. The 750-room Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando opened in September 1999 and is a re-creation of the famed Mediterranean seaside resort village of Portofino, Italy. The 650-room Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort opened in January of 2001 and is a California mission-style estate designed as if it were the home of a sophisticated rock star. The 1,000-room Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando opened in June 2002 and is a South Pacific-themed property featuring brilliantly colored orchids, exotically shaped palm trees and hand-carved stone statues from remote island villages. All three hotels are connected to each other and to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and CityWalk by a scenic waterway. On-site hotel guests enjoy a variety of exclusive theme park privileges, including Universal Express ride access. Just by showing their valid hotel room key card, on-site hotel guests can bypass the regular attraction lines.
About Loews Hotels. Headquartered in New York City, Loews Hotels owns and/or operates 18 hotels and resorts in the U.S. and Canada. Located in major city centers and resort destinations from coast to coast, the Loews portfolio features one-of-a-kind properties that go beyond Four Diamond standards to delight guests with a supremely comfortable, uniquely local and vibrant travel experience. Loews boasts some of the industry's most innovative and successful travel programs, including Loews Loves Kids for families and Loews Loves Pets for discerning animals on the road. For reservations or more information on Loews Hotels, call 1-800-23-LOEWS or check
www.loewshotels.com
About Universal Orlando Resort. The Universal Orlando resort destination (
www.universalorlando.com) includes two dramatically distinct and adjacent theme parks, the Universal Studios motion picture and television theme park and Islands of Adventure, Orlando's most thrilling and exhilarating theme park. Universal Orlando also includes CityWalk, a 30-acre dining, shopping, club and live-entertainment venue as well as premier on-site Loews Hotels and world-class film and television production facilities.
Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando 6800 Lakewood Plaza Drive, Orlando, Florida 32819.
www.loewshotels.com or
www.universalorlando.com
Get Into Pages of Dr. Seuss’ Classics. At Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park it is possible to immerse yourself in the world of Dr. Seuss and his famous stories on the “High In The Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride” located in – and above – Seuss Landing. It is the only place in the world where visitors can experience a whimsical world in which Dr. Seuss’ classics come to life on an entire island dedicated to Dr. Seuss and his beloved stories and characters.
Enjoy Dr. Seuss night and day.
To experience the DR. Seuss - the attraction, guests board trains created to resemble something straight from a Seuss book. They coast along tracks rising 20 feet in the air and wind their way through seven specially-created scenes based on Dr. Seuss stories. Featured stories include, “Dr. Seuss’ ABCs,” “If I Ran the Zoo” and “The Sneetches and Other Stories.” Riders get a bird’s eye view of Seuss Landing while passing above attractions as the Caro-Seuss-el, The Cat In The Hat, and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. They’ll see Sneetch Beach and they’ll actually ride through the popular Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-Pendous restaurant, becoming part of the view for diners below.
The Seuss Sky Trolley was designed to embody the signature style of Dr. Seuss’ illustrations. The attraction is composed of a myriad of colors (more than 200) that help it blend into the Seuss landscape. References to classic Seuss characters and moments are hidden throughout the ride. Drawing on more than 15 different books, true Seuss aficionados will be challenged to name “the walrus balancing on one whisker,” guess the number of Daves and even find the hidden likeness of Theodore Geisel, aka, Dr. Seuss as they ride high above Seuss Landing.
The attraction becomes part of the thrill of being in Seuss Landing itself – whether guests are riding on it or walking underneath. Designers added details such as special sounds that can only be appreciated beneath the train as it passes overhead.
“Seuss Landing was created to capture the whimsy and creativity of the legendary Dr. Seuss,” said Bob Gault, president and CEO of Universal Orlando Resort. “The Seuss Sky Trolley adds one more dimension to the Seuss experience and gives families a new way to share time together through the legacy of Dr. Seuss’ famous stories.”
The Universal Orlando resort destination includes two dramatically distinct and adjacent theme parks, the Universal Studios motion picture and television theme park and Islands of Adventure, Orlando's most thrilling and exhilarating theme park. Universal Orlando also includes CityWalk, a 30-acre dining, shopping, club and live-entertainment venue as well as premier on-site Loews hotels and world-class film and television production facilities. Get the details at
www.universalorlando.com
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