tarheelnj

What's the most expensive buffet breakfast you've seen? I stayed at the Westin St Francis in San Francisco, and the buffet was $40.00!

I took the points instead of the breakfast amenity (no lounge) because there's a local diner I like eating an early breakfast in when I'm there, and the breakfast amenity is just continental breakfast (don't know what the upcharge for full buffet would be).

Looking at the menu, it is certainly a very comprehensive offering, but seriously, how much can you eat?

pinniped

For just a regular breakfast buffet - no alcohol included and no raw bar or sushi bar included - I've seen a few in the 50 euro range. I'm like you - I can't possibly eat that much at breakfast and would never actually pay it.

I've seen specialty breakfast buffets for over $100. Raw bar, sushi bar, Champagne included, etc. Lots of Marriotts do them for Easter, Mother's Day, etc. I'd actually be more likely to do one of these than a normal breakfast buffet.

platbrownguy

It's definitely relative to the kind of hotel. Any upmarket place (a nice St.R resort that still has a buffet, for instance) I expect the buffet will be $30-50. Westin, I would expect $20-30 (so I would agree that the $40 is high). Sheraton, something like $15-20. Four Points, probably closer to $10.

And, as above, I would expect a nice / event-level buffet (likely to be styled "brunch") to top $100, such as the MO HK's easter buffet (not Bonvoy, but I can't think of Bonvoy hotels that really do this... the St.R here in DC has an $89 bottomless-mimosa brunch but there are so many better options at a much lower price point...)

PrancingPonyGoldMember

The Hotel President Wilson in Geneva would be my winner, I forget the exact price but the full buffet was more than $50 if you weren't Platinum. Continental was $30 something.

Of course, if that was too light for you, you could also choose their lavish Sunday brunch for 88 CHF!

chipmaster

Seems about right for the hotel and country, I've seen much more extravagant for cheaper in the Far East and can imagine that something like that in Japan or some European 5 star could be even more expensive.

A buffet if hopefully about choice not volume and you gotta pay for that, LOL

Beltway2A

The breakfast at the St. Regis in the Maldives is 55 USD, Gritti Palace in Venice is 53 EUR.

tarheelnj

Those are some mind-blowing prices, but I guess for a resort or Sunday/holiday brunch, you would expect a premium price. Also, conferences and trade shows will typically provide a continental breakfast for their attendees, so not applicable to all guests.

I guess I was thinking of a mid-week business traveler wanting an early morning breakfast before heading out for work and this being the hotel's standard breakfast buffet offering.

JBord

As that mid-week business traveler, I agree, and most I've seen are around $30 before a drink. Even that seems ridiculous to me when I could get the plate of food I wanted for probably $15-18 if a la carte was available. I just go with the powdered eggs, bacon, toast etc. in the concierge lounge now most of the time. But if the price were $15 or $20, I'd probably eat at the buffet occasionally, and scarf down a breakfast that cost around $2.00 for Marriott to make.

I've always thought these buffets are an example of Marriott not really understanding what business travelers want.

christianj

True or going under the impression that business travelers are going to expense the buffet anyway so they can charge what they want.

Honestly when I first saw this thread pop up I thought.....Great now people are asking about where their elite breakfast benefit is getting them the biggest bang for the buck so they can book that hotel. We all like a free breakfast but the focus on it here on the hotel forums is beyond me. People seem to go to extremes to book hotels that provide free breakfast vs booking the best hotel or the best location.

myperks

JBord

Yes, there's certainly a contingency of business travelers that just expense things without concern and that seems to be what Marriott is capitalizing on. Maybe it's a pipe dream, but I like to think that most of us are more judicious with out company's money. I don't need to expense a $40 buffet when there's a perfectly good $10 meal right down the street. I can almost guarantee if I were submitting $40 breakfasts for every night I stayed in a hotel for work, my expense reports would be flagged and I'd have to answer some questions at the very least.

The rule I try to live by for stuff like this is to live on the road as I would at home. I wouldn't go to an expensive breakfast buffet on a Wednesday at home, so I typically don't do it when working. I don't go to a $100/person steakhouse for a regular week day dinner either.

It's a separate topic, but I totally agree that there seems to be way too much focus on the free breakfast on FT. I would never pick a hotel based on a free breakfast. But it is sometimes a tie breaker for me when my real needs are satisfied by more than one hotel.

christianj

+1 That's why I seem to hit Starbucks a lot on business trips for a coffee and a yogurt instead of eating at the hotel.

pinniped

Part of it is because some hotels, in some locations, make it impossible for the guest to get a standard $5-8 breakfast otherwise. They either charge an absurd markup over street prices for a huge buffet...or you get something for free because of your status. There sometimes isn't a coffeeshop or bagel counter type of option.

In that case, especially if I'm traveling for leisure, with family, etc., sticking to a hotel where my status covers it becomes a near-necessity if we want to eat something in the morning. We're light eaters and not all that picky, but still want something before heading out the door.

Since I have both Marriott and Hilton, I usually don't have to sacrifice on location. Both chains are well-represented at whatever category I'm looking for, whether it's "the best", midrange biz hotel, all-suites, etc.

Fraser

I probably shouldn't share the price of the Dom Perignon brunch buffet at the RC Hong Kong then should I?

The food was all rather excellent and the DP pourings extremely generous so I thought it was rather decent value!

eielef

I had that breakfast last year. It was worth each cent!

Few years ago, most hotels (if not all) included breakfast in the fare. Now they don't. What has gone wrong?