How to watch Hotel Portofino anywhere
David
When he isn't helping you watch TV abroad, David enjoys watching comedy and documentaries. He's a big fan of The Detectorists and Blue Planet. He also loves watching English football, for his sins he supports Arsenal.
There is nothing the British do better than a good old costume drama, so when a good new period drama comes along, it is little wonder that it doesn’t take long for it to attract legions of fans.
That is certainly the case with Hotel Portofino, which only premiered in 2022 but has already got two series under its belt and counting.
Think costume drama these days, and you think Downton Abbey, and there is certainly a huge dollop of that show in Hotel Portofino. But it is clearly also inspired by the wonder drama, The Durrells, which was based in the Greek Islands.
Hotel Portofino takes us to Italy in the swinging 1920’s for drama, excitement, and stunning scenery.
The show has already picked up a big fan base, and while it has been sold to a number of countries around the world, including Italy, Australia, and most Scandinavian countries, it is not available everywhere.
So, if you are outside the UK and want to watch Hotel Portofino from anywhere, you may well need a bit of help. And in this guide, we are going to share with you everything that you need to know.
Where is Hotel Portofino being shown?
Hotel Portofino is being broadcast in the UK exclusively on the newly rebranded ITVX streaming service at the moment, although the first series was broadcast on ITV 1 after initially premiering on the Britbox streaming platform.
ITVX is newly rebranded and looking to rival the likes of Netflix for free content, so there is no guarantee you will find it anywhere else.
However, the bad news for Brits abroad and everyone else outside the UK is that ITVX is not available to viewers outside the UK.
So, if you want to watch Hotel Portofino for free wherever you are in the world, you will need a little assistance.
How do I watch Hotel Portofino where I am?
If you live or work outside the UK and want to watch Hotel Portofino for free where you are, you can do so if you enlist the help of a Virtual Private Network or VPN app.
You may know VPNs as an online privacy and security apps. But a quirk of how they work makes them ideal for unblocking streaming services too.
They work by redirecting all your data through an external server and, when this happens, you can connect to an overseas server that can fool streaming services like ITVX into thinking you are in a different country to your actual location.
So, if you connect to a UK-based server, you can make ITVX think you are in the UK even if you aren’t. And this means you can watch Hotel Portofino from any country on the planet.
Where to get a VPN?
With hundreds of VPNs on the market these days, that it can seem impossible to know how to choose the right one.
The best one to choose for unblocking ITVX overseas is ExpressVPN.
ExpressVPN offers super-fast speeds, apps for all the most popular streaming devices, and many of the less popular ones too, and has hundreds of UK-based servers as well.
If that wasn’t enough, there is even a 30-day money-back guarantee too.
NordVPN and CyberGhost VPN are two alternatives if you want to shop around.
Both of these providers tick all the same boxes and even offer a 30-day money-back guarantee too. But it is ExpressVPN that is your ideal VPN to choose.
30-day money back guarantee
Step-by-step: Stream Hotel Portofino in any country
Once you have chosen your VPN, all you need to do is follow this step-by-step guide to get everything set up to watch:
Step 1
Visit the ExpressVPN website and sign up for their 12-month deal. It’s the best offer they have and will save you 49% as well as giving you an extra three months for free.
Step 2
Download the ExpressVPN app from either your device’s official app store or the ExpressVPN website for security reasons.
Step 3
Open your new ExpressVPN app and log in to your account with the details you were given in step one.
Step 4
Connect to a UK-based server by clicking Selected Location, choosing a server in the United Kingdom, and then pressing the Connect button.
Enjoy watching anywhere with ExpressVPN.
Step 5
Open ITVX, either on the website or the app. Log in to your free account and enjoy Hotel Portofino at your leisure.
30-day money back guarantee
What is Hotel Portofino all about?
Hotel Portofino tells the story of Bella Ainsworth and her family, who move to Italy in the 1920’s to open a hotel catering to wealthy visitors.
The show hones in on the family members and their staff as they struggle with the everyday challenges of running a hotel.
But it also addresses the wider issues of corruption and the myriad of problems that come with running a hotel in an Italy where the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini holds the reins of power.
We also see their various wealthy guests coming and going, creating chaos and drama aplenty as they go.
It is fair to say that the reviews of Hotel Portofino have been mixed. But one critic from the Observer rightly noted that the show is “so silly you may just enjoy it.” And I certainly did!
Who stars in Hotel Portofino?
The cast of Hotel Portofino includes:
Natascha McElhone
Natascha McElhone is best known for her roles as Karen van der Beek in Californication, and First Lady Alex Kirkman is Designated Survivor.
She has also appeared in The Crown, The First, Ronin, The Truman Show, Solaris, and for playing Dr Catherine Elizabeth Halsey in Halo.
Lucy Akhurst
Lucy Akhurst rose to prominence in the 1990s with roles in shows such as Spaced, The Vanishing Man, Wonderful You, and Monarch of the Glen.
She has also appeared in cult classic film, Shaun of the Dead, Longitude, Holby City, and much more.
Elizabeth Carling
Elizabeth Carling is perhaps best recognised for her role as Nicholas Lyndhurst’s love interest in the time-travelling sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart.
She also appeared in Barbera, Crocodile Shoes, Boon, and she also provides the voiceover for Bear Grylls: Mission Impossible.
Oliver Dench
The grandson of the great Dame Judy’s brother Jeffrey, Oliver Dench has appeared in the Canadian TV series Ride, The Athena, Pandora, Domina, and Whitstable Pearl.
Mark Umbers
Mark Umbers is a highly regarded theatre actor who has also had credits in Doolittle, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Collateral, Father Brown, and Grantchester, among many others shows.
Anna Chancellor
Anna Chancellor, infamous for her role as Duck Face in Four Weddings and a Funeral, is an established character actor and has had roles in the likes of Hysteria, St. Trinians, Nativity Rocks!, Kavanagh QC, The Vice, Spooks, The Hour, Pennyworth, and Trust among so much more.
Summary
Hotel Portofino brings together the very best of The Durrells and Downton Abbey into a rollicking and highly entertaining series that fans of British costume drama simply must watch.
And you can, no matter where in the world you are, if you sign up for a VPN app.
ExpressVPN is the one to choose. All you need to do is download the app, log in, connect to a UK-based server, and then sign into ITV X.
There are two whole series of Hotel Portofino waiting for you there. And, with a bit of luck, many more to come too.
✔ Beginner-friendly
✔ Quick to set up
✔ Money back guarantee
30-day money back guarantee
