Posted on 1/26/2012 by An Eventective User from Carson, CA

I highly recommend the Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club for a wedding and reception venue. It is very accommodating for different types of weddings, offering both indoor and outdoor ceremonies, both large or intimate. The hotel and meeting rooms themselves were magnificently designed and it is all set directly on the coast of the Pacific, which provides beautiful scenery in the background.

My husband and I chose the Wedding Garden for our ceremony. It is a cozy, grassy area located between the hotel and the canal leading out from the marina, lined with huge palm trees and facing a mountainscape across the water.

For our reception, we chose the Ocean Room, which is the smallest of the ballrooms, but has the best view of the ocean. Our guests were very pleased with the layout of the tables and dance area, never once complaining about tripping over each other or being crammed together during the meal.

The staff was wonderful. They were laid-back and did their jobs well without imposing on the leisureliness of the reception celebration. I can't speak highlier of the caterers who provided a spectacular selection of delicious food served fresh and hot.

While the Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club is a bit more expensive than other venues we looked into, the experience is well worth the cost. You can't put a price on the view of a beautiful sunset over the ocean and the occasional sighting of a sea lion frolicking in the waves as you commit your love to your soul-mate.