Relax on the Italian Riviera in Hotel Portofino, PBS’ newest period drama.
In this six-part escapist drama, Natascha McElhone stars as Bella Ainsworth, the proprietor of a villa-turned-hotel in the picturesque Riviera town of Portofino, Italy. Sudsy intrigue swirls through the sun-dappled scenery as Bella invites upper-crust British travelers to her hotel in 1926, including the young woman in line to be married to her wounded war-hero son (Oliver Dench, great-nephew of Dame Judi). Perfect for anyone looking for a comfortable respite this summer, and who couldn’t use that? Here’s everything else we know about the Hotel Portofino Season 1
What is the story of Hotel Portofino?
Hotel Portofino is set in the mid-twentieth century and follows the Ainsworth family as they travel from England to Portofino, Italy, to construct an elegant hotel. This period drama is set after World War I, when the world is in turmoil as a result of the conflict. The picturesque Italian beach town, with its pleasant temperature and enchanting culture and townsfolk, is ideal for the affluent British traveler.
When will Hotel Portofino Season 1 be released?
Hotel Portofino starts on PBS on Sunday, June 19 at 8 p.m. ET, with new episodes airing weekly at 8 p.m. ET. With a Passport subscription, you may watch Hotel Portofino on PBS or on the PBS app. On Thursday, January 27, 2022, Hotel Portofino premiered exclusively on BritBox UK. In 2023, it will air on ITV in the United Kingdom.
There are how many seasons of Hotel Portofino?
Hotel Portofino is now in its first season, although it has already been renewed for a second.
Where did the series Hotel Portofino take place?
Hotel Portofino was shot in both Portofino, Italy. But A large portion of the series was shot in Croatia.
Hotel Portofino Season 1 Episode Guide
Hotel Portofino Episode 1: Bella moves to Italy to set up a quintessentially British hotel in the town of Portofino.
Hotel Portofino Episode 2: Danioni worms his way into Ainsworth’s affairs.
Hotel Portofino Episode 3: The younger inhabitants of the hotel find ways to let their hair down.
Hotel Portofino Episode 4: Will Bella finally decide to stand up for herself?
Hotel Portofino Episode 5: Cecil finally confronts Bella over her compromising letter.
Hotel Portofino Episode 6: How will it all work out for Bella and her family?
Meet the actors of Hotel Portofino
Natascha McElhone (Bella Ainsworth)
Bella Ainsworth is the spirit behind the family’s Italian journey and co-owner of Hotel Portofino with her husband, Cecil. Bella had persuaded her father to lend Cecil and her the money to buy and remodel the hotel, hoping that the new beginning it represents will help her family recover from the traumas of WWI and offer her the opportunity to save her marriage. She is motivated to achieve, and the novelty of Italy’s climate, cuisine, and culture provides her and others with liberation. McElhone is most known for her roles in the television shows The Truman Show, Californication, and Designated Survivor. She now portrays Dr. Halsey in Halo, a Paramount+ television series based on the iconic video game.
Mark Umbers (Cecil Ainsworth)
Cecil Ainsworth, Bella’s husband and co-owner of Hotel Portofino, has been excused from active duty in WWI and has progressively lost patience and understanding for the scars the war has left on his children. Cecil’s primary preoccupation as the youngest son of an upper-class family is money, and he is always launching ill-advised schemes to fund his dilettante (“dabbler”) lifestyle.
Chancellor Anna (Lady Latchmere)
Lady Latchmere is a haughty, difficult-to-please Edwardian dowager who spends her summers in Italy to improve her health. Melissa de Vere (Imogen King), her niece and companion, comes from a poor family and, as a result, is constantly at her beck and call. Chancellor is best remembered for his role in Four Weddings and a Funeral as “Duckface.” In FX’s Trust, she played one of the main characters. She has been nominated for BAFTA and Golden Globe awards.
Adam James (Jack Turner)
Jack Turner is an American art dealer who specializes in Renaissance painting and makes a fortune by certifying and selling Old Master paintings to American collectors.
Assad Zaman (Anish ‘Nish’ Sengupta)
Anish Sengupta is a close buddy of Lucian’s who was instrumental in his post-war recuperation. He takes a break from his medical studies to immerse himself in all of Italy’s experiences as he considers whether he wants to be a doctor or pursue a more unconventional path.
Claude Scott-Mitchell (Rose Drummond-Ward)
In the shadow of her demanding mother, Rose Drummond-Ward is a beautiful young socialite attempting to find her way and develop a separate personality.
Oliver Dench (Lucian Ainsworth)
Bella and Cecil’s son, Lucian Ainsworth, enlisted at the age of 18 in the latter months of the war but was promptly injured and removed from the front lines. Lucian is slowly healing from his traumas, both physically and psychologically, under the benign influence of Italy. He is a gifted artist who offers guests painting classes and artistic trips. He wants to stay in Italy and make a livelihood as an artist, but Cecil is pressuring him to return to England, get a job, and agree to an opportune marriage.
Olivia Morris (Alice Mays-Smith)
Bella and Cecil’s daughter, Alice Mays-Smith, is the widowed mother of a six-year-old child named Lottie, whose father was killed in the war. Alice is well aware that her chances of marrying again are minimal, considering the scarcity of suitable men of the appropriate age and status. On the meager salary, her husband has left her, she is unable to support herself. She is religious and class-conscious, angry with her lot, and unsure about Italy, but she is eventually attracted by Italian culture’s charms.
Louisa Binder (Constance March)
Constance March is a young woman from a low-income family who comes to the hotel to work as Lottie’s nanny and general help. She is resolved to break free from her bleak beginnings with an open mind and rigorous self-improvement, fleeing personal catastrophe in search of excitement and a new starting in Italy.
Elizabeth Louis Healy Carling (Betty and Billy Scanlon)
Betty Scanlon is a no-nonsense northern Englishwoman who is suspicious of all things Italian. She is hardworking, fiercely proud of her roots and food, and soft-hearted beneath it all. Betty has worked in the service industry since she was a child and is Constance’s mother’s old acquaintance. Billy, Betty’s son and a hotel bellboy, immediately becomes involved with a group of local kids, leading to adventure and, eventually, danger.
Lucy Akhurst (Julia Drummond-Ward)
Julia Drummond-Ward, Cecil’s childhood sweetheart, arrives for an extended visit to assess the possibility of Lucian and her daughter, Rose, marrying.
Lily Frazer (Claudine Pascal)
Claudine Pascal, Jack’s lover, embodies modern women and is emancipated by the societal changes that the war has wrought, allowing her to take control of her fate.
Daniele Pecci (Count Carlo Albani)
Count Carlo Albani is an aristocratic Italian widower with an Oxford education who adores all things English. He is courtly, old-fashioned, and eager to go to great measures to aid if called upon.
Pasquale Esposito (Signor Danioni)
The Communal Council’s Deputy Chairman is Signor Dantoni. He makes it his business to know everyone connected to the hotel’s operations while attempting to profit from it.
