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Best hotel breakfast experience ever?
Upon check-out from the Royal Meridien Athenee I was asked to complete a survey about the hotel's breakfast buffet.
It was a very well constructed instrument, the last question the open ended: what was your best hotel breakfast experience, why? I think that is a damn-fine question and present it now to the FT community. Other noteworthy questions: How important is having the breakfast included in your rate? What are the five essential items a buffet must have? Do you prefer buffet or ala-cart? My answers, BTW: Best experience: Crowne Plaza Wangfujing Beijing. Mix of buffet and made-to-order items crossing many countries from many regions, both East and West. (Admission, I rarely stay at truly exceptional hotels, so my experience is mostly limited to the business hotel buffets.) Important, but not very important, to have breakfast included in rate. Five items: Rice, Bacon, Fresh Fruit, Eggs and diverse tea selection. Prefer mix, but if forced to choose, buffet over ala-cart. |
experience - tie between >
- 5.5 hour long breakfast/lunch buffet with scallops, prime rib, lamb, etc for $28 @ Elk Mountain Resort, MTJ you could come and go as you pleased, so i had 2 meals in the great room by the fire, and then took smoked salmon and scallops back to my room's fridge for later ^ :) - the traditional german (brought to table) + a la carte breakfast (continental station, cooked and other to order, several tasting style dishes which waitstaff circulated) @ Hotel Brandenburgerhof, TXL water was also included, whereas at all other times it was at cost. i did not have to pay anything for breakfast for 2. hotel breakfast entree - best pancakes ive ever had were the souffle pancakes made by head chef at Elk Mountain Resort best value - $40pp for 2 people for free at Sheraton Park Tower in London, because i was upgraded to Butler floor, on award stay, as Gold ^^ :D best non hotel breakfast - on weekends, crabcakes benedict @ Artie's and Grand Caryle Cafe of the Great American Restaurants chain in Northern VA (best chain restaurant crabcakes ive ever had) |
Best hotel breakfast: Full British at family friend's B&B in a small village in the Lake District of Northern England. Cooked with affection, so to speak. ;)
Importance of breakfast included: Important when on business trips in unfamiliar cities, doesn't matter when on leisure in familiar ones. Essential items: Black/dark bread, cold fish cuts, egg, congee/porridge, fruits or veggies of some sort. I'll take what's on offer but this would be "comfort food" for me. Preference: Ala carte over buffets |
An oceanside table at the Rainbow Lanai breakfast buffet at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
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Best hotel breakfast: Hilton Hotel in Osaka Japan. Everything on the buffet was fresh and properly prepared. Was there for a week and there was enough variety to keep me interested.
Very best noodles! Perfectly prepared scrambled eggs and omlets to order. Why do Japanese eggs taste so good? Excellent rice! Fine hot tea and really nice coffee! Pleasant atmosphere with attentive and polite staff. Pleasant and well lit breakfast room with big windows. Did I mention the noodles? Edited to add: this thread is fascinating! Thanks to the OP! |
I'm like so not a breakfast person, but ...
Best: noodles at the Marina Mandarin in Singapore, best I ever had, as well they might be at S$16 a la carte; did this only once, as I could walk a block and get a greater variety, perhaps 90% as good, for S$4 at the local food court. Importance: I don't care if it's included in the rate - the rate itself is more important to me. Buffet essentials: this may sound strange, but broiled kidneys and either lamb chops or bacon, for a Western breakfast. Fresh fruit and noodles or egg tarts for an Eastern one. Preference: a la carte if alone; buffet if with others. |
For me, the IC in HKG had the best breakfast spread anywhere and the view across the water of the HK skyline made it a really incredible experience.
A juice bar (with something crazy like eight different fruit juices available to mix/match), western and eastern food stations, bakery selections (IIRC three different muffins each day, etc) and so on. It was included in our rate (Virtuoso) but I would have done it anyways as it made the perfect start to a day of exploring the city. The buffet at the BKK Peninsula was a close second. Both of which took place on my honeymoon, so my memory might be skewed accordingly. :) |
The best breakfasts I've ever had in my life have all been at Asian hotels.
I agree with the above posters about the Hilton Osaka and the Inter-Continental Hong Kong. Both had excellent buffet breakfasts. At the IC HKG, the buffet was served in the space that is now Spoon. We had a great view of the Harbour. The breakfast buffet in the Regency Club at the GH HKG was very good. Selection was somewhat limited as is common with breakfasts in club lounges. But there was Balik salmon on the buffet! Complimentary Champagne served on Sunday mornings! In Bangkok, Peninsula wins with selection and quality, but I didn't find the servers all that friendly. I love sitting on the riverfront having breakfast at the Oriental. The Four Seasons was a madhouse when I was there. It was so crowded. They were clearly understaffed and service regrettably slipped. Their bacon however was just the way I liked which was extra crispy and it was fantastic paired with the Four Seasons trademark lemon ricotta pancakes. The breakfast buffet at the Four Seasons Singapore was disappointing. There wasn't even smoked salmon on the buffet and selection was rather limited. I enjoyed the buffet at the Conrad much more. It's a zoo at the Ritz-Carlton in the mornings. I recently had the breakfast buffet at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur. It was very impressive in terms of selection. There was Indian, Japanese, Chinese, and Western dishes. I really enjoyed the buffet at the Legian in Bali. The made to order chocolate chip pancakes were sublime. |
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I spent a few nights at a little B & B in Ireland about ten years ago called Bansha House. The food was superb and I discovered tasty things that i thought would be disgusting, such as stewed prunes (who knew?)
For a great overall breakfast experience, I'd have to say brunch on the outside patio at the Polo Lounge. Classic Beverly Hills Hotel style. Great atmosphere. Surprisingly good value for the price. And the occasional celeb sighting to excite out-of-town guests. |
The swissHotel in Zurich. Smoked salmon, champer's everything youd'e possibly imagine. I am not a breakfast person either but still dream about it and it was free to top it off.^
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One of the best hotel breakfasts I've had was ordering a la carte at the Hilton YVR restaurant (Carmicheals?). As good as any breakfast/brunch place and My partner and I would rate it one of the best ever. The property provides elites with a breakfast buffet coupon that was once applicable towards a la carte but sadly no longer.
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The Sheraton Hotel in downtown Stockholm has an incredible spread--and the food is great!
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Ah well... one of those questions it's almost impossible to give a single answer to.
Two recent favourites... - The Metropolitan, Bangkok - breakfast at the Glow cafe; very quiet, with an a la carte menu and great service. Perfect coffee, and an intriguing mango-smoothie-thing. - Amanjiwo, Java - breakfast in the restaurant early in the morning (I was the only person there), watching the sun rise over Borobodur. The best pancakes ever. I suppose the ambience of the place (the quieter the better) is a big factor for me, in terms of 'best experience'. I don't tend to have more than a coffee and some croissants and some curious fruit for breakfast, so am not really as won over as hotels obviously hope one will be by those vast buffets... |
Not sure this counts but...
Once had chesse cake at 4 am in Toronto's Royal York (room service). We'd just got back from a night out so i dont know if it counts as breakfast. But it was bloody good chesse cake.
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Four Seasons Boston, about 15-20 years ago.
There were no waiter's stations or computer terminals in the dining room. They set the tables from supplies stored in beautiful antique cabinets in the room, and dirty dishes were whisked out of the room without being stacked - no clattering of dishes or cutlery. I've always remembered that, and wondered why other restaurants can't manage it. The other was Kviknes Hotel on the Sognefjord in Norway. An incredible place. |
Don't really have a best, per se, but some very memorable good ones...
1) Embassy Suites downtown Philadelphia. Breakfast is on the 2nd floor of the restaurant next door (Chili's or TGIFs?). A very well done operation. Obviously, the full range of usual buffet options, cooked to order omelletes... 2) Any Hilton property in the UK with their breakfasts. Top notch. You can either go English, or American, or both. 3) Breakfast in the Exec lounge at Hilton CDG looking out at the Concord whilst eating. 4) Rambaugh Palace in Jaipur, India. Nothing like sitting on the porch in front of a beautifully manicured lawn, looking out at a fountain, eating both American and traditional Indian foods. I forget the name of the Indian entrees I was eating, but it was good. |
Had another thought..
The El Tova lodge on the north rim of the Grand Canyon does a pretty good breakfast to. It's the veiw more than the food though as it is close to the edge with alot of glass, and the room has a sort of old fashoined feel to it. It was pleasant.
Yada |
Originally Posted by Kagehitokiri
(Post 7593896)
experience - tie between >
- the traditional german (brought to table) + a la carte breakfast (continental station, cooked and other to order, several tasting style dishes which waitstaff circulated) @ Hotel Brandenburgerhof, TEX water was also included, whereas at all other times it was at cost. i did not have to pay anything for breakfast for 2. More info please? I tried to find it by Googling but found I was slogging mostly through Berlin sites, at least on the first page or so, so I gave up--quicker just to ask you. :) Specifically, are you talking about Fredericksburg, TX? And what items on the buffet, for a general overview? In general, to the OP's question: I thought breakfast buffets were the main reason for traveling. :) (No, no, I don't mean it. ;) ;) ) I posted a similar thread over in the Hilton forum about two years ago, “Most Enjoyable Breakfast Buffets,” started June 21, 2005, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=445491 I was such a newbie at that time that it didn't occur to me to use this forum. So glad someone started a general and a recent thread! Update since then--not buffets in general but buffets containing specific items: Smoked eel at the Rome Hilton Cavalieri this past Easter. Bless them, my DH's favorite dish, and difficult to obtain--last time we encountered it was at the food section at the KaDeWe department store in Berlin. Pancakes at the Embassy Suites at Hot Springs (I didn’t dare try them—my conscience got the better of me, fortunately or unfortunately—but they looked magnificent, dark brown, exactly like those I remember from childhood) Marinated, presumably uncooked fish-sauerkraut rollups in a hotel on the town square at Cesky Krumlov. One time in a lifetime is enough for this dish, but once, what fun! The deep red orange juice made from freshly squeezed blood oranges at the Cavalieri and at the Rome Airport Hilton For non-buffets, a dish remembered from years ago: Omelets, at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, many years ago. (The Inn of Mtn Gods website calls this place a new resort/casino, but I’m not sure why. The Inn of the Mountain Gods has been there for ages, near Ruidoso, NM.) The omelets were puffy beyond puffy and deep, deep brown. With all those memories, time to get moving: Am going to jog today, tomorrow, the next day, and. . . . :) |
Originally Posted by yadayaba
(Post 7599945)
The El Tova lodge on the north rim of the Grand Canyon does a pretty good breakfast to. It's the veiw more than the food though as it is close to the edge with alot of glass, and the room has a sort of old fashoined feel to it. It was pleasant.
Yada Sorry, this is becoming OT, but that brings back memories of the Coquilles St. Jacques (sp?) for lunch. A very good place based on memories of that one outstanding dish. ^ It's been years. . . . :) |
doh, brain not working this early. TXL is the code for Tegelhof (Berlin), i originally put TEX :D
it wasn't a buffet. they served a traditional german breakfast to your table, you could order from the menu, and they brought around ~3 trays of tasting dishes. there was also a continental station with croissants, juice, etc. and having unlimited water for free was a huge plus. http://www.askoxford.com/languages/c.../germany/brot/ A traditional German breakfast offers fresh crusty rolls with jam for those with a sweet taste, and a variety of breads, together with thinly-sliced cheese and cold meat, to provide for more savoury tastes. |
Originally Posted by AC110
(Post 7598564)
Four Seasons Boston, about 15-20 years ago.
There were no waiter's stations or computer terminals in the dining room. They set the tables from supplies stored in beautiful antique cabinets in the room, and dirty dishes were whisked out of the room without being stacked - no clattering of dishes or cutlery. I've always remembered that, and wondered why other restaurants can't manage it. The other was Kviknes Hotel on the Sognefjord in Norway. An incredible place. the presence of loud TV's. I often try to arrive early so I'm the first/only person and turn it off...usually it takes about half an hour for a hotel person to realize and turn it on, and by then I'm almost done.... Once I tried doing the straightforward thing and asking for them to turn it down/off (at a Hampton). She said "policy" made them have it on, and at a certain volume, even if no one was there who wanted to watch. As for contents, I like a good selection of fruits, cold/hot cereals, and teas. Particularly if a person is a vegetarian or keeps kosher, it's good to have lots of non-meat (or even non-dairy) selections. --LG |
Originally Posted by yadayaba
(Post 7599945)
The El Tova lodge on the north rim of the Grand Canyon does a pretty good breakfast to. It's the veiw more than the food though as it is close to the edge with alot of glass, and the room has a sort of old fashoined feel to it. It was pleasant.
Yada Two hotel breakfasts come to mind, both buffet as it happens. The first was at the Scots Hotel in Tiberias in the Galil (Israel) and the second at (what is now a Sun but was then) a Holiday Inn at JNB airport. The Scots Hotel (actually owned and operated by the Church of Scotland) featured a top-notch Israeli breakfast spread, but also had an equally top-notch "British" breakfast feature (best bacon in Israel but that isn't saying much) in addition to amazing cheeses, breads, and the usual eye-popping array of fruits and salads. The JNB HI had delicious everything, with the passion fruit and local S. African cheeses being a big hit with my spouse. SA cheeses don't get much attention out of SA, but they should. |
Most dramatic breakfast would probably be the one delivered by canoe to your overwater bungalow on Bora Bora... most of the hotels there do it.
But one of the things I most enjoy when on vacation is the ability to sit peacefully, with very few people around, and drink coffee with my wife for a couple of hours while gazing out at the ocean before beginning to actually eat breakfast. This was likely accomplished best when we were at Bora Bora Nui and a the Sheraton Pattaya. Key ingredients are that the breakfast restaurant isn't too crowded, noisy... that it have a wonderful ocean view... and outstanding, strong coffee (with soy milk or at least 2% for mrs. gleff and half and half or heavy cream for me). Details of the buffet itself are almost secondary, but some noodle dish and dim sum are pluses. :) Interestingly, breakfast was included both times (at the Nui I understand breakfast is no longer included for all guests, and at the Sheraton Pattaya they offer that as a SPG Plat benefit). Room service breakfast: best omellette I've ever eaten was actually delivered by room service at the W Seattle, a wonderful yet simple avocado and bacon omellette.. avocado perfectly ripe, bacon of high quality, little fat, firm and crisp but not overcooked. |
Originally Posted by Gardyloo
(Post 7601141)
That would be the El Tovar, and it would be the South Rim.
So true. Usually I note spelling errors, and this didn't seem quite what I remembered, but I suppose I must have been thinking more about the scallops than about the name. As to north/south rim, I usually refer any questions about recollections to the DH, whose memory and power of observation exceed mine. :) I forgot to ask him to confirm direction. (Grand Canyon, that describes it closely enough in my memory. :) ) |
[QUOTE=Gardyloo;7601141]That would be the El Tovar, and it would be the South Rim.
Give the man a coconut :) , I digress to he's better recollection of my trip than I. I was going to be all cocky and say it was a deliberate mistake to keep you all on your toes:D , but no you got me. I just have a really crappy memory. Sorry for the mistake and thanks for correcting me. Yada |
In Helsinki, Finland at the Klaus K. It was so amazingly fresh and replenished in small portions so it never sat out, which is one reason most hotel buffets are so vile. The dining room there was lovely too and the food was delish, and the setting peaceful. It was quite ideal and I remember it so vividly, even though it was only a bit over a year ago, as the gold standard of hotel breakfasts.
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Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. It was the first time we had stayed at a hotel which offered a MAP.(breakfast & dinner included in rate). We could order anything or everything from the menu, either via room service or in the dining room.
Some of the items included fresh fruit, macadamia nut waffles with coconut syrup, banana pancakes, banger sausages, about 4 kinds of bacon, any type of omelette, eggs any way you desired (including Benedict), steak and eggs, variety of fresh juices. I have visions of those fresh-baked banana muffins with poha jam. Coffee and tea were served in pretty china pots with the MKB hibiscus logo. When you ordered room service, the server brought a toaster to your room. Sitting on that balcony eating that scrumptious breakfast is a cherished memory and one which we were able to repeat on a number of occasions at the MKB. |
Best breakfast had to have been in Feb in Klon at a little hotel that had great service. A selection of cheese, yougarts, fresh juices, coffee, breads, fruits, etc. By far a great choice of foods. I will have to look for the name and post it here when I get a chance.
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[QUOTE=yadayaba;7613781]
Originally Posted by Gardyloo
(Post 7601141)
That would be the El Tovar, and it would be the South Rim.
Give the man a coconut :) , I digress to he's better recollection of my trip than I. I was going to be all cocky and say it was a deliberate mistake to keep you all on your toes:D , but no you got me. I just have a really crappy memory. Sorry for the mistake and thanks for correcting me. Yada It's a sign of something very intellectual and commendable--what, I don't know. :p |
Biltmore Santa Barbara
The Sunday brunch at the Biltmore is unsurpassed! The selection is overwhelming, the quality excellent and the setting is one in which you want to sit for hours. And you may if you try to taste a significant portion of what is on offer!
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Jw Marriott Phuket
Hands down the JW Marriott in Phuket. A vast selection of eastern and western breakfast offerings. Not one but two chefs for eggs and pancakes. With meats and fish offerings to keep you going until dinner!
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I'd have to say the breakfast buffet at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town is the best I've experienced. Incredible selection and quality, great service and view of Table Mountain. It seemed to take 20 minutes just to peruse the offerings!
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The biggest buffet selection I ever saw was probably at NEXT at the Kowloon Shangri La, they even had HP Sauce ^
The best service was probably at the cafe at the Omni Royal Orleans about 1 years ago. The Maitre D was excellent and seemed to be really interested in his customers. Also really liked the sidewalk cafe at the Sofitel Los Angeles a couple of years back and the healthy breakfast buffet they used to do at the Clipper Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. 5 essential things for a breakfast buffet: Kelloggs Corn Flakes Good quality cumberland Sausages One of those fancy machines that squeeze fresh orange juice Fresh fried eggs HP Sauce Worst breakfast - Crowne Plaza Kuching - the bread was alwys stale, the orange tasted like it was powdered, all the cooked items were cold....The breakfast summed up the hotel, rubbish |
Lots of discussion about buffets here (which I don't care for). Has anyone else experienced anything like the Mauna Kea breakfast which offered you the same cooked-to-order breakfast in your room or in the dining room?
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. It was the first time we had stayed at a hotel which offered a MAP.(breakfast & dinner included in rate). We could order anything or everything from the menu, either via room service or in the dining room. Some of the items included fresh fruit, macadamia nut waffles with coconut syrup, banana pancakes, banger sausages, about 4 kinds of bacon, any type of omelette, eggs any way you desired (including Benedict), steak and eggs, variety of fresh juices. I have visions of those fresh-baked banana muffins with poha jam. Coffee and tea were served in pretty china pots with the MKB hibiscus logo. When you ordered room service, the server brought a toaster to your room. Sitting on that balcony eating that scrumptious breakfast is a cherished memory and one which we were able to repeat on a number of occasions at the MKB. |
Tie Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Moonlight Bungalow Homestay Ubud, Bali
Both breakfasts were served outdoors with a tranquil view. At the MKB the view of the beach and the surf and the newspaper and all the family sitting around the table with the best breakfast of stuffed French toast and papaya. Sweet memories I hope it opens again
In Ubud deep in the upper rice paddies of the Tjampuan district near Penestanan were some lovely quiet little homestays. Literally little houses that were rented out for 10 usd a night including a home cooked breakfast of either banana pancakes YUMMY, something called "jaffles" which were a type of toasted sandwhichy thing or black rice pudding. All were delightful and served by my host Made. More happy breakfast memories |
Memorable for very different reasons:
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Originally Posted by FatManInNYC
(Post 7593496)
Do you prefer buffet or ala-cart?
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