All the holiday destinations where you should skip the hotel breakfast – and where to find the best ones
IT may seem obligatory indulge in a hearty hotel brekkie when you’ve forked out a few extra quid for it, but it’s not always worth it.
Here are the destinations you should avoid the hotel’s breakfast and save yourself from waking up at what feels like the crack of dawn.
The US ranks highly as one place you should avoid, according to travel guide One Mile at a Time.
The site claims hospitality in the United States is weak and breakfast buffets only serve to boost profits.
They also suggested giving hotel breakfast a miss in Europe – but not for the reason you think.
Europe is a continent with vast cultures and great cuisines to go with them.
Italy and France may be renowned for their morning pick me ups, but that may not be the case in other countries.
Sometimes eating at a hotel means you miss out on experiencing the essence of travel – eating out at local cafes where you can often get low-cost, authentic treats.
This is particularly the case in foodie cities like New York where it’s as easy to pick up a bagel as it is to find a Subway station.
But the travel site caveats this with the exception of luxury hotels which have to serve nicer food to justify the hefty price tag of a night’s stay.
And your travel situation will also dictate your preference – if you have kids it can be a nightmare to drag them out of bed and outside in the early hours.
Similarly if you’re on a lads holiday your itinerary from the night before may mean you won’t even wake up in time for the food.
Britain's fanciest hotel breakfasts
WHILE a hotel buffet breakfast can be an exciting option on holiday, some fancier resorts offer some very swanky options instead.
We’ve found some of the poshest hotel breakfasts in the UK if you want to treat yourself.
- The Ritz Restaurant – The poshest breakfast you can go for is obviously at The Ritz. A Full English will cost you £40, as will tomatoes and mushrooms on toast or pancakes. The big bang is, however, the Oscietra caviar omelette – costing £300 per person.
- The Foyer & Reading Room, Claridge’s – It will come as no surprise that Claridges, one of the fanciest hotels in London, has one of the poshest breakfasts. Found at their Foyer and Reading Room restaurant, set options include an English, European or Japanese option, as well as cereals, eggs and pancakes. Or, you can opt for the scrambled eggs with brioche and Oscietta caviar, which costs a whopping £74.38.
- The Promenade, The Dorchester – The Dorchester, also a famed five-star hotel, has lots of breakfast options ranging from porridge and cereals to their healthy fruit breakfasts. Their Full English breakfast is one of the most expensive, costing £38 per head. But their own caviar scrambled eggs comes in at £41, a fraction of the cost at Claridge’s.
In this case it makes sense to stroll around town leisurely at your own convenience to pick up a pastry as and when you catch sight of a cafe.
While there are some locations you may want to steer clear of, there are others where the convenience of a hotel brekkie will definitely be worth it.
These destinations include hotels in the Middle East and South East Asia.
If you holiday in Dubai you’ll likely be greeted to a lavish display every morning.
And you’ll probably feast on a similarly decadent meal at a hotel in Japan where it’s common to offer both local and western options.