Hotel Portofino is a visually appealing series that will certainly appeal to fans of historical dramas. The series follows Bella Ainsworth (Natascha McElhone), a British woman running a luxury hotel during a time of political unrest and personal dramas. The series is visually stunning but receives mixed reactions.
The series excels in cinematography. The breathtaking landscapes of the Ligurian coast (although partly filmed in Croatia) give a vacation feel and make watching enjoyable. The period is well-represented with stylish costumes and a jazz-inspired soundtrack that evokes the atmosphere of the roaring twenties.
Many reviewers feel that Hotel Portofino tries too hard to resemble series like Downton Abbey and The Durrells but doesn't quite measure up. It feels like an imitation of those classics. The series includes classic drama elements such as secrets, romance, and intrigue but sometimes lacks originality.
The first season is the most enjoyable. In it, we follow Bella Ainsworth, a British woman running a luxury hotel in picturesque Portofino with her aristocratic yet distant husband Cecil. Bella is determined to make the hotel a success, but it proves more challenging than she anticipated. She has to deal with demanding guests, financial worries, and a corrupt local politician trying to blackmail her.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes of the hotel, a complex web of personal dramas unfolds. Bella’s son Lucian is under pressure to marry the wealthy and cold Rose, while he develops feelings for Constance, the modest nanny. Their forbidden love is a central theme throughout the season. The threat of rising fascism in Italy looms over the story. While the guests enjoy prosecco and sea views, much is simmering beneath the surface.
The second season
The second season of Hotel Portofino builds on the visual splendor and historical atmosphere of the first season but adds more intrigue and tension to the story. Bella Ainsworth finally seems to be succeeding with her hotel on the Italian Riviera. The guests are satisfied, the staff is performing well, and her dream is taking shape. Yet, underlying tensions linger. A mysterious guest arrives—possibly a reviewer from a prestigious travel magazine—and his presence causes anxiety and increased pressure on the staff.
Simultaneously, Bella harbors an ambitious plan: she wants to open a luxury spa in the hotel's basement. It would elevate her business to a higher level, but the financial risks are significant. Her husband Cecil offers to invest, seemingly out of support, but his motives are far from pure. He becomes entangled in an illegal whiskey trade with a mafia boss and the corrupt politician Danioni—a dangerous endeavor in the emerging fascist Italy.
The third season
In the third season, Bella Ainsworth returns with new challenges. While her hotel thrives, her personal life is shaken by the unexpected return of her husband Cecil, who wants a divorce. This strains her relationship with her lover Marco. Simultaneously, her son Lucian also returns, rekindling old tensions, especially with Constance, the mother of his child.
New guests bring romance and intrigues, while the political threat in fascist Italy increases. The local leader Danioni continues to exert a dangerous influence, and ties with the American mafia emerge through Cecil’s whiskey trade. The season concludes with a masked ball that descends into chaos, revelations, and decisions that determine the fate of multiple characters.
There is no official confirmation for a fourth season of Hotel Portofino. However, there are indications that the creative team is open to a continuation. The screenwriter has hinted multiple times that there are unresolved storylines from season 3 that he would like to further develop.
Personally, although I found the third season less strong—some storylines seemed a bit far-fetched—I still hope for a conclusive fourth season. It would be nice for the series to receive a worthy conclusion.
About the writer, Karzal
Mike (1995) has been a member of MySeries since 2016 and is mainly active on the English version of the site. Since 2018, he has been actively translating news articles, columns, reviews and basically everything that ends up on the Dutch site. The original articles, columns and reviews were actually written by others. During the week Mike can be found at IKEA, where he is a national systems specialist and occasionally also in the classroom to teach an English lesson. In addition, Mike logically enjoys watching series and has actually been spoon-fed this from an early age. The genre doesn't matter, there is a place for everything in the otherwise busy life.
