‘Hotel Portofino’ reveals if Season 3 is happening

We’ve got some great news for Hotel Portofino fans!

Adapted from JP O’Connell’s book, the glamorous period drama follows an elite yet dysfunctional British family running a hotel on the magical Italian Riviera during the Roaring ‘20s.

Hotel Portofino launched in 2022 and the show has now aired in over 55 territories around the world.

A second season premiered last year on PBS in the US and on BritBox elsewhere, with Natascha McElhone (Ladies in Lavender) and Mark Umbers (Home Fires) reprising their roles as British expat hoteliers Bella and Cecil Ainsworth.

They were joined once again by Lily Fraser (Saint Maud), Oliver Dench (Pandora), Olivia Morris (RRR), and Assad Zaman (Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire).

Will there be a third season?

If you’ve been wondering whether Hotel Portofino would be back with more episodes, you’ll be happy to hear that the show was actually renewed in February 2023!

A third season was ordered long before Season 2 even aired in the US, demonstrating strong support for the series from PBS and BritBox, which bodes well for its long-term future.

“It’s wonderful to see the show being embraced by so many international audiences,” commented executive producer Jo McGrath.

Discussing the appeal of Hotel Portofino to audiences, she explained: “The series has a strong ensemble cast of warm characters, beautiful locations, and compelling cliffhanger plotlines – all qualities that help explain its international appeal with audiences.”

McGrath went on to reveal that the third season of Hotel Portofino will be “our most sumptuous yet, with new passions and old rivalries threatening the future of the Ainsworth family.”

Six brand new episodes began filming last summer in Croatia and Italy, with creator Matt Baker back on writing duties.

All the main cast members are expected to return.

We’re told that the new season will see Bella and Cecil, now estranged, being forced to come together to figure out a way forward but their negotiations are complicated by the fact that Cecil has inherited his father’s title and now has an enormous inheritance tax bill to pay.

However, Bella is reveling in her newfound independence and formulates her own plans for a new beauty venture. The series builds to an explosive climax with a party at the hotel, where one guest will get their ultimate revenge.

When’s the release date?

Season 3 is expected to arrive on BritBox in the UK in early 2024, before airing on ITV1 later in the year.

The new episodes will probably premiere in the US this fall on PBS.

In the meantime, American viewers can catch up on the first two seasons with a free 7-day PBS Masterpiece trial here!

“Hotel Portofino brings good joy and drama to global screens, and we are honored and energized to be the international partner of Eagle Eye and PBS in this successful franchise,” said Oliver Bachert at Beta Film, who handle world sale for the series.

“Hotel Portofino will surely extend its fan-base and continue captivating audiences with a pinch of dolce vita and the good vibes we all long for,” he added.

We can’t wait to return to the Italian Riviera for more drama!

JP O’Connell’s Hotel Portofino novel is available on Amazon.