The 12 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 a luxury that’s almost unparalleled. However, you have to pay for all that food — and at high-end properties you may find yourself out well upwards 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.

The Points Guy staffers put their heads together to brainstorm their favorite morning meals worldwide. Here are the 12 hotels that rose above all the others.

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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.”

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.”

InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso — JT and Katie Genter

TPG senior writers JT and Katie Genter have spent more than two years roaming the world as digital nomads, staying at budget hotels and premium resorts alike. The InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso stood out.

“At check-in, we were given the option to add breakfast to our award-night stay for a modest fee per day, which we accepted,” Katie said. “The breakfast buffet selection isn’t the most extensive, but does include some of the best poisson cru I had in French Polynesia and is one of the more economical ways to eat at the resort.”

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 — Sam Rosen

When TPG’s resident foodie 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 St. Regis New York — Jake Nankin

“My parents stayed at The St. Regis, paid for on points, when they came to NYC for a recent visit,” Jake said. “Once we saw the Titanic Omelet on the menu, there was simply no other option. I split this $125, seven-egg omelet, which was stuffed with lobster, crab and topped with caviar, with my dad one morning. The best part? The $100 food-and-beverage credit, thanks to his Platinum status, covered most of it.”

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.”

Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills — Christie Matsui

Christie told TPG that she loved the breakfast buffet at the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills. She was able to score Japanese-style breakfast for herself while her boyfriend enjoyed a traditional western breakfast, all while enjoying the epic views from the dining room.

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