Hacking Hampton Breakfasts
 

I've turned into a HGI snob. I hate staying at Hampton Inns and even prefer HGI over Embassy Suites because of the great free breakfast for elites (without a mob), newer buildings, and sleep number beds. But eventually you end up places where a Hampton is your only choice.

This week, I'm in one of those places. I've been dreading it for weeks. Not only is it a Hampton, it's a plain Hampton Inn (no & Suites). But I was pleasantly surprised with a newly refurbished lobby and a nicely furnished room with more dressers than I've ever seen in any hotel room, an oversized mini-fridge, and a bit more space than most. But it was still a Hampton Breakfast. Ugh.

This morning, I got creative with some of the breakfast items, and it turned a mediocre breakfast into an acceptable one. I was wondering if anyone else had come up with some creative ways to make Hampton Breakfasts better?

Before I made my waffle this morning, I put almonds and brown sugar in with the mix and stirred it up. My only concern was that it might stick, but it didn't. It came out perfect, and tasted better than a normal waffle.

This morning was "cheese omelets" (an egg puck with cheese), pork sausage patties, and biscuits and gravy. I took a couple biscuits, a couple sausage patties, and cut a cheese omelet in half and made a couple sausage, egg and cheese biscuits. They were much better than any of the ingredients individually.

Another favorite is to take an English muffin, toast it, and put butter, honey and peanut butter on it.

So what's your favorite Hampton Breakfast hack?

I like to eat bananas with peanut butter.

Thanks. That may allow me to dial down my Hampton avoidance pretty significantly.

For those responsible for HHonors or the Hampton brand, my other primary complaint is the stingy double-dip with partners.

To walk to, or get in my rental car and drive to, a (hopefully) nearby place that rates well on Yelp or TA for a real beakfast. Examples: Crystal Diner on 23rd Street within walking distance of the Hampton Inn & Suites DCA/Crystal City; Middleway Cafe in Anchorage; Round-The Clock Diner in York, PA.

IMHO, lipstick on a pig only goes so far. But good on ya for making it more palatable for you!

Very creative! I am more of a stay at Hampton, go to McDonalds kind of guy. I'd love to sniff out the local breakfast joint, but rarely have time for a sit down breakfast outside of the hotel (with a wait). McDonald's drive thru sausage McMuffin and a large coke zero and I am ready to roll!

If they have bananas and Nutella out or if not peanut butter, chop and mix into the waffle batter.

One Hampton itself apparently agrees with you:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...ight=denny%27s

as do I.

To stay at those tiny few that still do, despite corporate brand standards tyranny and pressure, local-style and made-there items.

I have few US experiences with HI only. What fundamentally reverts me is this plastic cuttlery and card-board dishes. Besides being totally uninviting for me (maybe a European point of view on plastic and card board) this is a waste of ressources. European HI do offer real cutlery, plates and cups.
And I would not be surprised if food offerings in US HI will contain plastic soon.

I spent three nights at a Hampton Inn where the oatmeal was so thick they put a spatula in the pot since it was impossible to get out with a ladle.

I used it to touch up some wallpaper in the room that was curling at the edges.

I suppose I just don't understand the mindset of eating a free breakfast just because it's free. I find HI breakfasts terrible, full of fat, carbs and very low quality ingredients. I really don't like beginning my day that way and *if* I am going to eat a crap breakfast, it's going to be something really great at a local joint. I generally avoid Hampton Inns but when I am forced to stay there, I find the only value at breakfast is hot water for tea. One exception is the breakfast at the HI in Buffalo. They had a several healthy options. I even dropped a note to management thanking them for those options. That's a great Hampton Inn in general.

The one I <<USED>> to stay at was so cheap, the puck with cheese omelets never happened. Always just the garbage powdered eggs which are tough to get into the makeshift sandwich.

I would concur on the HGI breakfast but I find those knock-off sleep dial on the side of the mattress beds awful. That is to say - bad breakfast at Hampton > bad sleep at HGI.

I have moved my loyalty to a couple of Doubletrees now and their breakfast ROCKS!

Sigh, here we go again. The "knock of sleep number dial" is not a knock off, nor is it at all the same as, the Sleep Number bed. The dial on the HGI bed changes firmness and adjusts flow between a number of air chambers by controlling interchamber baffles; a firm setting allows very little air exchange, less firm allows easy air movement". No pumps, no additional or less air, merely firmness adjustments by restricting existing air movement". You have to set the dial and let the air circulate a bit before you plump yourself down on the bed:


Anyway, back to Hampton breakfasts - a few put out some real food, like fruits and oatmeal, but others put out the UFO (unidentified frying objects) plastic eggs and weird objects that are best left undescribed. I occasionally find myself stuck in a Hampton because that's what's available near the client, but I may eat a light breakfast there or go out.

Glad to hear someone has managed to hack the brekkies so it works for them. Flexibility and adaptability are very good traits for road warriors.

I like Hampton breakfasts, can't see anything wrong ;)

ive never stayed in one.....are they much different to the famous "Hilton breakfast?

I dunno, I just go to Cracker Barrel or something ;)