Hotel Portofino

*Hotel Portofino*
Hotel Portofino
	Hotel pic from the series
Genre	Period drama
Created by	Matt Baker
Written by	Matt Baker
Directed by	Adam Wimpenny
Starring	Natascha McElhone; Lucy Akhurst
Composer	Stefano Cabrera
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	3
No. of episodes	18
Production
Executive producers	Walter Iuzzolino; Jo McGrath;
Producer	Julie Bains
Production locations	Italy; Croatia;
Cinematography	Erol Zubcevic
Production company	Eagle Eye Drama
Original release
Network	BritBox
Release	27 January 2022 –; present

Hotel Portofino is a British period drama television series, created and written by Matt Baker. It is about a British family in the 1920s who own and operate a hotel for wealthy clients in an Italian resort town. The six-episode first season was released on BritBox in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2022 and began airing on ITV from 3 February 2023. It premiered on Sky Italia on 28 February 2022.^[1]

The series was renewed for a second season, which began broadcasting 12 February 2023.^[2] The show has been renewed for a third season.^[3]

Plot

Bella Ainsworth and her family run a hotel for wealthy holidaymakers in the resort town of Portofino on the Italian Riviera. However, as they deal with the problems of running the hotel while subjected to deception and rampant corruption, the nation of Italy is dealing with political turmoil brought on by the rise of the Fascist movement.

Cast

Main

Natascha McElhone as Bella Ainsworth, the owner of a British-style hotel in the Italian town of Portofino
Lucy Akhurst as Julia Drummond-Ward (series 1-2), Rose's mother and an old flame of Cecil
Louisa Binder as Constance March, the new nanny for Alice's daughter and a love interest of Lucian
Elizabeth Carling as Betty Scanlon, the British cook for the hotel
Oliver Dench as Lucian Ainsworth, Bella's son who is physically and emotionally wounded from the war
Pasquale Esposito as Signor Vincenzo Danioni, a local politician in Portofino of the Fascist party
Rocco Fasano as Gianluca Bruzzone (series 1-2), a local in the resistance against the Fascist party and a love interest for Anish
Lily Frazer as Claudine Pascal, a dancer-singer and movie star
Adam James as Jack Turner (main series 1; recurring series 3), Claudine's partner and an arts dealer
Imogen King as Melissa de Vere (series 1), Lady Latchmere's niece
Olivia Morris as Alice Mays-Smith, Bella's daughter and Lucian's sister
Daniele Pecci as Count Carlo Albani, an Italian man fond of all things British and a therefore a trusted advisor to Bella
Lorenzo Richelmy as Roberto Albani (series 1), Carlo's son
Claude Scott-Mitchell as Rose Drummond-Ward (series 1-2), Julia's daughter promised to Lucian becoming his wife
Mark Umbers as Cecil Ainsworth, Bella's husband and Lucian's father who is prone to dodgy dealings
Assad Zaman as Dr Anish Sengupta (series 1-2), Lucian's best friend who is secretly in love with him
Anna Chancellor as Lady Latchmere (series 1), a hotel guest
Carolina Gonnelli as Paola (main series 2; recurring series 1), a hotel worker who has an affair with Lucian
Louis Healy as Billy Scanlon (main series 2; recurring series 1), Betty's son and waiter for the hotel who gets in conflict with the Fascists
Joseph Balderrama as Luigi Farrino (series 2), an Italian-American gangster from Detroit who runs a casino in an Italian town nearby
Oscar Lloyd as Jonathan Bertram (series 2), a hotel guest and writer
Giorgio Marchesi as Marco Bonacini (series 2-present), an architect hired by Bella and love interest for her
Roby Schinasi as Victor Michel (series 2), Alice's fiancé
Camilla Rutherford as Amelia Jackson (series 3), Bella's sister
David Schofield as George Livesey (series 3), Bella and Amelia's father

Recurring

Petar Benčić as Francesco (series 1, 3), Cecil's assistant
Maya Ramadan (series 1) and Laura Radetić (series 3) as Lottie Mays-Smith, Alice's daughter
Henry Tomlinson as Viscount Heddon (series 1-2), Cecil's brother
Dominic Tighe as Pelham Wingfield (series 1), a hotel guest and professional tennis player
Bethan Cullinane as Lizzie Wingfield (series 1), Pelham's wife
Bruno Nacinovich as Salvatore (series 2-present), a worker for Marco and Betty's love interest
Marko Braic as Bruno (series 2-present), a worker for Marco and Paola's love interest
Melanie Gray as Jane Dodsworth (series 2), a hotel guest
Michele Moran as Patricia Dodsworth (series 2), a hotel guest
Antonio Scarpa as Sergeant Poretti (series 2), police chief in Portofino
Francesco Martino as Antonio Costa (series 3), a blackshirt working for Danioni
Shannon Tarbet as Nellie Gibson-White (series 3), Cecil's lover
Corey Johnson as Randall Gibson-White (series 3), Cecil's stock broker and Nellie's father
Leonardo Pazzagli as Vito (series 3), a friend of Bruno's and love interest for Constance
Gurjeet Singh as Virat Sengupta (series 3), Anish's brother

Episodes

Series 1

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.K. viewers (millions)
1	"First Impressions"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	27 January 2022 (2022-01-27)	N/A
Bella Ainsworth and her husband, Cecil, along with their grown children, Lucian and Alice, are navigating the difficulties of running an English centric hotel in the Italian coastal town of Portofino. Rose and her mother, Julia, arrive at the hotel to evaluate marriage prospects with Lucian. Lady Latchmere and her niece, Melissa, Anish Sengupta, a friend of Lucian, an Italian Count and his son, along with American Jack Turner and his wife Claudine, round out the rest of the guests. Constance March arrives and is the new nanny hired to care for the child of Alice. Cecil has a prior relationship with Julia and isn't above stealing from the business to maintain his lifestyle. Bella also has to contend with a local Fascist politician, Danioni.
2	"Lessons"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	3 February 2022 (2022-02-03)	N/A
Bella refuses Cecil's demands to ask her father for more money for the hotel. Cecil arranges for a family heirloom to be sent from England for authentication by Jack Turner, who claims to be connected to the art society of Europe and America. Danioni ingratiates himself with Cecil and earns an invitation to tea, much to Bella's horror. Lucian gives Rose a painting lesson ending in an unfortunate accident. New guests, Pelham Wingfield, a tennis pro, and his wife, Lizzie arrive. Bella realizes how serious Danioni is about his blackmail threat.
3	"Invitations"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	10 February 2022 (2022-02-10)	N/A
Lucian and Anish, run afoul of Danioni's Blackshirts but are rescued by a charismatic local, Gianluca Bruzzone. Claudine begins a fling with Roberto Albani, while Cecil and Jack shake on a shady deal for the sale of his family heirloom, a possible painting by artist Paul Rubens, while Wingfield listens in. Bella and Lady Latchmere bond over a family tragedy and later, Bella throws a tea party for the locals to try and earn more money. Some of the hotel guests are invited to the home of a local aristocrat but Rose instead attends a party some of the younger set have at the hotel, where she lets her hair down to the disgust of her mother Julia. Anish decides to become more involved in the anti-fascist movement, to Lucians dismay and they must make a quick escape from the Blackshirts and Danioni at their first meeting.
4	"Uncoverings"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	17 February 2022 (2022-02-17)	N/A
5	"Discoveries"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	24 February 2022 (2022-02-24)	N/A
6	"Denouements"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	3 March 2022 (2022-03-03)	N/A

Series 2

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
1	"Returns"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	12 February 2023 (2023-02-12) (AUS)	N/A
1	"Returns"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	17 March 2023 (2023-03-17) (UK)	N/A
2	"Alliances"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	19 February 2023 (2023-02-19) (AUS)	N/A
2	"Alliances"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	24 March 2023 (2023-03-24) (UK)	N/A
3	"Coming Together"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	26 February 2023 (2023-02-26) (AUS)	N/A
3	"Coming Together"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	31 March 2023 (2023-03-31) (UK)	N/A
4	"Contortions"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	5 March 2023 (2023-03-05) (AUS)	N/A
4	"Contortions"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	7 April 2023 (2023-04-07) (UK)	N/A
5	"Subterfuges"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	12 March 2023 (2023-03-12) (AUS)	N/A
5	"Subterfuges"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	14 April 2023 (2023-04-14) (UK)	N/A
6	"Farewells"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	19 March 2023 (2023-03-19) (AUS)	N/A
6	"Farewells"	Adam Wimpenny	Matt Baker	21 April 2023 (2023-04-21) (UK)	N/A

Series 3

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
1	"Entitled"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	25 April 2024 (2024-04-25)	N/A
1	"Entitled"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	N/A	N/A
2	"Proposals"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	2 May 2024 (2024-05-02)	N/A
2	"Proposals"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	N/A	N/A
3	"Realizations"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	9 May 2024 (2024-05-09)	N/A
3	"Realizations"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	N/A	N/A
4	"Experiments"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	16 May 2024 (2024-05-16)	N/A
4	"Experiments"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	N/A	N/A
5	"Revelations"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	23 May 2024 (2024-05-23)	N/A
5	"Revelations"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	N/A	N/A
6	"Masquerades"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	30 May 2024 (2024-05-30)	N/A
6	"Masquerades"	Jon Jones	Matt Baker	N/A	N/A

Production

Baker created and wrote the first series in 2020. Principal photography took place on location in Rijeka, Lovran, and Rovinj, Croatia. A minor part was filmed in Portofino, Italy in 2021.^[4]^[5]

The second series began filming in July 2022. It was Croatia's largest television production of that year. The production employed 135 Croatian crew, including 13 out of 14 heads of departments, and more than 800 extras.^[6]

Release

BetaFilm Group is handling international distribution of the series. In June 2021, it was announced the first series of Hotel Portofino had sold to BritBox and ITV, Sky Italia, Foxtel in Australia and the American broadcaster PBS.^[7] Sales expanded to DR in Denmark, Sveriges Television, Norway’s NRK, Yle in Finland, Icelandic broadcaster Sýn and NPO in the Netherlands by October.^[4]

BritBox released a trailer for the first series on 5 January 2022.^[8]

A novelisation of the series, written by J.P. O'Connell, was published in December 2021 ahead of the series launch on BritBox. A follow-up novel, Hotel Portofino: Lovers and Liars, was published on February 15, 2024.

Reception

Radio Times consistently complimented the first series, awarding Hotel Portofino a glowing front cover and countless Pick of the Days. Jane Rackham also boasted the 'sumptuous period drama' as 'enjoyable escapism' in the magazine.

In more critical reviews, Anita Singh in The Telegraph gave the first series two out of five stars, praising the production values but unimpressed by the writing. Singh remarked, 'It is a drama serial which draws so heavily from The Durrells and Downton Abbey that it could have been assembled from an ITV kit, although it is a pale imitation of both.^[9]

Barbara Ellen of The Observer awarded the second series two out of five stars, summarizing it as 'so silly you may just enjoy it.'^[10]

References

^ Ugolini, Chiara (27 January 2022). "I love Italy, da 'Hotel Portofino' a 'White Lotus' passando per 'The morning show': tutti amano l'Italia (vera e falsa)". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 28 January 2022.
^ "MIPTV: 'Hotel Portofino' Gets Season 2 Order, 'Professor T' Sells Wide". The Hollywood Reporter. 4 April 2022.
^ https://www.televisual.com/news/hotel-portofino-opens-its-doors-for-a-third-season/ ^{[bare URL]}
^ ^a ^b Bałaga, Marta (26 October 2021). "Beta Film pre-sells historical family saga Hotel Portofino in the Nordics and the Netherlands". CinEuropa. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
^ "ITV and BritBox will feature Opatija on a new drama series". Brit Flix. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
^ Zajović, Milena (30 August 2022). "Second Season of 'Hotel Portofino,' starring Natascha McElhone, Is Croatia's Biggest Shoot This Year". Variety. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
^ Kanter, Jake (9 June 2021). "'Hotel Portofino': Natascha McElhone Period Drama Series Sells To ITV/BritBox, Sky Italia, Foxtel". Deadline.
^ Cremona, Patrick (5 January 2022). "Natascha McElhone stars in first trailer for Hotel Portofino". Radio Times. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
^ Singh, Anita (27 January 2022). "Hotel Portofino, review: 1920s period drama tries, and fails, to copy Downton and The Durrells". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
^ Ellen, Barbara (5 February 2023). "This week in TV: Nolly; Putin vs the West; Emily Atack: Asking for it?; Hotel Portofino". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 February 2023.

External links

[1] Ugolini, Chiara (27 January 2022). "I love Italy, da 'Hotel Portofino' a 'White Lotus' passando per 'The morning show': tutti amano l'Italia (vera e falsa)". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 28 January 2022.

[2] "MIPTV: 'Hotel Portofino' Gets Season 2 Order, 'Professor T' Sells Wide". The Hollywood Reporter. 4 April 2022.

[3] ttps://www.televisual.com/news/hotel-portofino-opens-its-doors-for-a-third-season/ ^{[bare URL]}

[ce_nordics-4] Bałaga, Marta (26 October 2021). "Beta Film pre-sells historical family saga Hotel Portofino in the Nordics and the Netherlands". CinEuropa. Retrieved 28 January 2022.

[5] "ITV and BritBox will feature Opatija on a new drama series". Brit Flix. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2022.

[6] Zajović, Milena (30 August 2022). "Second Season of 'Hotel Portofino,' starring Natascha McElhone, Is Croatia's Biggest Shoot This Year". Variety. Retrieved 15 February 2023.

[7] Kanter, Jake (9 June 2021). "'Hotel Portofino': Natascha McElhone Period Drama Series Sells To ITV/BritBox, Sky Italia, Foxtel". Deadline.

[8] Cremona, Patrick (5 January 2022). "Natascha McElhone stars in first trailer for Hotel Portofino". Radio Times. Retrieved 28 January 2022.

[9] Singh, Anita (27 January 2022). "Hotel Portofino, review: 1920s period drama tries, and fails, to copy Downton and The Durrells". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 15 February 2023.

[10] Ellen, Barbara (5 February 2023). "This week in TV: Nolly; Putin vs the West; Emily Atack: Asking for it?; Hotel Portofino". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 February 2023.

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