Everything to Remember Ahead of 'Hotel Portofino’s Season 3 Premiere
It’s time to return to the gorgeous Italian riveria, where the ambiance is exquisite; the food is delicious, the romances are starcrossed, and, except for the pesky rise of fascism, everything is a delight. That’s right, Hotel Portofino returns for a third season on Sunday, July 28, 2024, on PBS. But where did we last leave the Ainsworth family and their friends and employees? Let’s take a look.
Bella (Natasha McElhone) is the lovely British owner of the Hotel Portofino. Unfortunately for her, she’s married to Cecil (Mark Umbers), who is always plotting something and looking for his next get-rich-quick scheme. Cecil’s overall goal in life is to maintain the luxurious life he’s grown accustomed to without ever having to lift a finger. Bella and Cecil’s oldest son died during the war, which leaves a palpitating sadness both parents continue to grapple with. This devastating loss has cast a pall over their marriage as Cecil never truly dealt with his grief and emotionally abandoned Bella.
At first, Bella poured her emotions into letters she wrote to her pen pal Henry. But she soon realized those letters were more therapeutic for her than actually having anything to do with her feelings of romance for Henry. After 12 years of writing to each other but not actually seeing each other, she gently lets a devastated Henry down when they meet briefly in person. In the second season, Bella decides to expand the hotel and add a spa. She falls for Marco (Giorgio Marchesi), the very sexy Italian architect helping her hotel’s expansion. Marco has a tragic backstory — his wife and baby died in childbirth 11 years ago.
