Hotel Portofino

Hotel Portofino is a British period drama television series set in 1920s Italy.

Hotel Portofino is a British period drama television series set in the late 1920s on the Italian Riviera. It follows Bella Ainsworth, who runs a British-style hotel for upper-class travellers while navigating family conflict and the rise of fascism in Italy. The series premiered in 2022 and has aired three seasons as of 2026.

Premise

The series is set in the late 1920s on the Italian Riviera and centres on the Hotel Portofino, a British-run hotel. The story follows the Ainsworth family as they operate the hotel while dealing with personal tensions, demanding guests, and political pressure from the rise of fascism in Italy.

Production

Hotel Portofino was created and written by Matt Baker. Available listings credit Adam Wimpenny as director. Filming took place mainly in Croatia, with some location work in Portofino, Italy.

Broadcast and release

The series premiered in 2022 and has been distributed through PBS in the United States and U&Drama in the United Kingdom. Listings indicate that three seasons were available by 2024–2026.

Cast and characters

The central characters are Bella Ainsworth, played by Natascha McElhone, and Cecil Ainsworth, played by Mark Umbers. Other recurring characters include hotel guests, family members, and local Italian figures who influence the hotel’s fortunes.