We just got back from our first stay at Universal. We stayed at both RPR and Portofino, and my general feedback is that they are not as nice as the 2 Disney deluxe properties I have stayed at. (Animal Kingdom and Beach Club). HOWEVER, we paid Disney moderate prices for hotels that were much nicer than the moderates, and got the express pass which were awesome during a busy time. The Portofino to me was showing more wear than the RPR in my opinion.
Service level: Service was great at both resorts. From front desk to bell staff they were very professional
Lobbies and main areas: the lobbies and main areas were lovely. At Portofino I was disappointed that the architectural details of the buildings were painted on. Once you get up close it looks very fake. It kind of broke the illusion for me. The Portofino elevator was pretty worn out - worn carpet and banister stain worn through.
Pools: Of course neither pool could touch the Beach Club pool, and I don't think either was quite as nice as Animal Kingdom. But they were nice, the sandy beach at Portofino was fun (though messy!!) and we could always get a lounger right at or near the pool which never happened at AK (people came out at 6:00am to throw their stuff on loungers to reserve all day). Staff was also great at the pools. In the Portino hot tub area the tiles on the waterfall side had a lot of lime scale build up, which made them look pretty scummy.
Rooms: The rooms is where I knocked Portofino down from Disney deluxe. We stayed in the east wing of the Portofino (I've since heard the west wing is nicer). baseboards and the door to the adjoining room were scuffed and dirty. The paint looked dingy. The bed linens were worn, especially the bed skirts. The bathroom was rough around the edges. The beds were quite comfortable and the toiletries provided at both hotels were nicer than the Disney H2O products.
Proximity to parks: This was a huge bonus. Easy to walk to from RPR, and the water taxis ran all the time and were a nice way to start and end days at the park. Loved them.