The 11 hotel breakfasts we’d order for every meal if we could

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and hotels all around are great at making the day’s first meal also the best one. When you’re shelling out lots of cash or points for a hotel room, having a lavish spread in the morning is an almost unparalleled luxury. However, you have to pay for all that food — and at high-end properties, you may find yourself out well upward of $50 for the meal. Luckily, though, if you’re a high-tier status holder or book stays through programs like Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts or the similar Chase Luxury Hotels and Resorts program, breakfast can be yours for free each day.

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The Points Guy staffers put their heads together to brainstorm their favorite morning meals worldwide. Here are the 11 hotels that rose above all the others.

Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem — Brian Kelly

The breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem is fantastic, although TPG had to wait until Shabbat was over to experience the full meal since this hotel is religiously observant.

“The spread was expansive, though it was kosher with no meat and only cheese,” Brian said. “The buffet offered delicious Middle Eastern specialties like shakshuka, an egg dish baked with tomatoes, as well as things like mint salad, fettuccine, hummus and even pretzels. The usual breakfast fare was also available, like eggs, pastries, baked goods and fresh fruit.”

Related: How to get free hotel breakfast

Maison Astor Paris, Curio Collection by Hilton – Ben Smithson

On a recent trip to Paris, TPG U.K. senior writer Ben Smithson chose the Maison Astor Paris hotel, and he wasn’t disappointed — especially on the room-service breakfast front. Would you just look at that pastry basket?

According to Ben, “Everything on [the table] was excellent, freshly prepared and tasty. I felt like I was in some romantic French movie enjoying this amazing breakfast in a beautiful boutique hotel room in the center of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I cannot really think of a more perfect way to enjoy breakfast in Paris.”

The St. Regis Mexico City – Nick Ellis

In our humble opinion, nachos are one of the best dishes on Earth. And breakfast nachos? Don’t even get us started. So imagine the delight of reviews editor Nick Ellis when he asked if the kitchen at The St. Regis Mexico City could whip him up a plate of chilaquiles for breakfast. And boy did they deliver: two sunny-side-up eggs, queso fresco, onions, two salsas all on top of fresh, crispy tortilla chips. We have no doubt that we could eat this each and every day.

Hilton Moorea — Nick Ewen

“Food and drinks in Tahiti are pricey,” Nick said. “So when I redeemed points to stay at the Hilton Moorea Resort and Spa, the free breakfast benefit for Diamond members paid off mightily — as in nearly $75 savings per day for me and my wife. The spread was extensive and even included poisson cru, a national dish of French Polynesia similar to ceviche. The best part wasn’t the cost savings, it was ‘stealing’ rolls each morning to feed the fish as we snorkeled later in the day.”

The St. Regis Maldives — Zach Honig

Zach has been vocal about The St. Regis Maldives being “far and away” his favorite hotel resort of all time, and the breakfast spread is a huge part of the experience.

“Serving fresh food in the Maldives presents countless logistical challenges since each resort is so remote,” Zach said. “But The St. Regis manages to not only provide an incredibly fresh breakfast each morning but to offer the full spread — including items from the expansive menu — free of charge to Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador guests.”

Park Hyatt Beijing — Katie Genter

One other suggestion from Katie comes from another region of the world altogether. At the Park Hyatt Beijing, “breakfast is served in the China Grill on the 66th floor, which provides excellent views over Beijing. There’s ample selection, including a made-to-order menu included in the buffet, as well as a juice bar. I had breakfast included in my Amex FHR stay.”

SO Sofitel Bangkok — Lori Zaino

“I love breakfast buffets in Asia because they offer both western and Asian options,” Lori said. “There’s nothing like getting that perfectly cooked omelet followed by some noodles, veggies or congee and then all sorts of amazing fruits like dragonfruit, passion fruit, fresh mangoes and rambutans.”

“The SO Sofitel’s breakfast buffet was in a gorgeous room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Lumphini Park, and to top it all off, they had an ice cream bar with 10 different flavors at the breakfast buffet. So yes, I obviously ate ice cream every single day for breakfast, and it was epic. And breakfast was included in the rate I booked on Hotels.com!”

Hotel Flora (Venice) — Dan Rauchwerk

“The sumptuous breakfast buffet was served in the hotel but could be eaten in the hotel’s picturesque walled-in courtyard,” Dan said. “It featured a variety of fresh and preserved fruit, jam, fresh Italian bread, local meats and cheeses, fruit juice and the best coffee I have ever had in my entire life. We paid cash for the hotel stay, but breakfast was included in the price of the room.”

Conrad Tokyo — Samantha Rosen

When TPG’s resident food-obsessed editor thinks back over her most memorable meals on the job, a few, in particular, stand out.

“The epic breakfast at the Conrad Tokyo!” Sam said. “Because I have Diamond status, I was able to enjoy not only the entire buffet but also an a la carte dining option all for free! It didn’t hurt that the restaurant was over 40 stories in the air, either.”

The Bodrum Edition — Nick Ellis

TPG’s reviews editor can’t stop raving about this property’s first meal of the day. Here’s what you can expect: “A practically endless spread of Turkish coffees, teas, juices, eggs, breads, fruits, cheeses, vegetables, yogurt, fresh honeycomb and just about anything else you could fit on a table,” Nick said. “And the best part? It was free for all guests until 4 p.m. daily. Yes. All. Day. Brunch.

“Second, and even better than the late cutoff time, was the fact that it was included with our room rate. And I’m not talking about a continental breakfast here — this was an extravagant affair. It’s a little unclear as to whether breakfast is always included for all guests, and I’ve read conflicting experiences from other guests, but we never signed a check for a breakfast, no matter how much we ordered, and it was not charged upon checkout. I’ll take it!

“That was just the beginning. In addition to all of that, you could choose as many ‘main courses’ as you liked. These included eggs any style, menemen (a scrambled-egg dish with tomatoes, peppers and onions), smoked salmon and avocado eggs Benedict, fried eggs çilbir style (served with warm yogurt, mushrooms, chili oil and nuts) and homemade granola bowls with Turkish yogurt, nuts, fruit and chia seeds.

“We’re not done yet. In addition to all of these unfathomably delicious breakfast foods, there was a full selection of fresh-pressed juices, wellness shots and Turkish coffee and tea. After late nights dancing until dawn, nothing was better than ordering just about everything on this menu and eating it well into the afternoon.”

Four Seasons Koh Samui — Zach Griff

The Four Seasons Koh Samui’s restaurant is perched at the top of a hill overlooking the bay and surrounding islands. Zach told TPG that the “food was served buffet-style, but also had an extensive made-to-order menu. The best part was that it was totally free, thanks for the Amex FHR program.”

Featured photo by Nick Ellis/The Points Guy