9 Mind-Blowing Hotel Breakfasts Around the World
On any given morning, most would consider themselves lucky to run out the door with a granola bar or yogurt in hand. But when we’re on vacation, a proper breakfast seems not only like a life-sustaining part of our morning routine but also the ultimate expression of holiday indulgence. With lavish spreads and dishes that seem more appropriate on a gourmet tasting menu, the best hotel breakfasts in the world offer a decadent array of specialties that go above and beyond. Go ahead—dig in.
Jen has been a staff editor at Architectural Digest, Travel + Leisure, and Martha Stewart Weddings, and her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Afar, and Elle Decor. When she's not snowmobiling in the French Alps or tasting scotch straight from the barrel in Scotland, she's at home in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.
Babylonstoren, South Africa
There’s a good chance you may not know what half the foods on the menu look like at Babylonstoren, a working farm and luxury hotel in South Africa’s Cape Winelands. That’s because the eight-acre on-site garden grows hyper-local delicacies, like gooseberries and granadillas (a relative of the passion fruit), that give regular old breakfast dishes an unexpected twist. Case in point: curry and fennel granola and fresh-squeezed pomelo juice that’s served at Babel, the hotel's elegant farm-to-table restaurant housed in a former cowshed.
Hotel Le Bristol, Paris
Parisians are known for their effortless style, so naturally the breakfast at Hotel Le Bristol transcends the merely continental. At its three-Michelin-starred restaurant Epicure, rarefied dishes such as smoked salmon and blini or soft-boiled egg topped with caviar and 24-karat gold leaf are served on hand-painted Limoges tableware with the requisite glass of champagne. Too fancy? You can order slightly less decadent (though just as beautifully presented) meals—think truffled scrambled eggs and freshly baked pastries—at sister restaurant Café Antonia.
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Explore More: See hotel details | See all Mulhouse, France hotels
Upper House, Hong Kong
Like Hong Kong itself, the breakfast at Upper House’s Café Gray Deluxe straddles two cultures. Though you have your choice of upscale Western staples, from chocolate-chip Belgian waffles to Nutella-stuffed brioche French toast, we suggest springing for the Upper East Breakfast, whose parade of Chinese specialties might feel more like dinner fare. The menu includes fried egg noodles with roasted duck and bean sprouts, steamed pork buns, and ha gau (shrimp dumplings) as well as congee, a traditional rice porridge made here with abalone and chicken.
Explore More: See hotel details | See all Hong Kong, China hotels
Hotel de Russie, a Rocco Forte hotel, Rome
Eggs and bacon aren’t really a thing in Italy, but that shouldn’t dampen your breakfast cravings. Your morning sit-down looks more like lunch at Rome’s Hotel de Russie, where savory salumi and cheeses, photo-worthy crostini, and cappucini are served in an airy garden dotted with palms and fragrant lemon trees. The splurge-worthy weekend brunch ups the ante with an assortment of crudos and pastas prepared right before your eyes, plus gorgeous cakes and pasticcini for those looking to satisfy a sweet tooth.
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Explore More: See hotel details | See all Rome, Italy hotels
The Landmark London
Whether you opt for just-baked Danish pastries or classic British fare—think grilled kippers (herring), Scottish salmon, and poached duck eggs—breakfast at the Landmark London tastes all the better for its setting in a striking glass conservatory that recalls Victorian greenhouses of the last century. Dubbed the Winter Garden, the space reaches its peak during the weekly champagne brunch, where a traditional Sunday roast supplements the menu and soothing live music balances the frenzy of diners that vie for space around the chocolate fountain.
Explore More: See hotel details | See all London, United Kingdom hotels
Atlantis The Palm, Dubai
Indecision can be both a blessing and a curse at Atlantis The Palm's adults-only Friday brunch held in Saffron—the former because you’re encouraged to sample from a buffet of 220 international dishes (think everything from pizza to peking duck), the latter because there’s no way you could possibly taste it all in one sitting. Drinks are as inventive as the food. If sake and Jägermeister shots are too aggressive, the baby pineapples filled with Mai Tai should do the trick. And be prepared to bring the party. A resident DJ spins Top 40 and hip-hop tunes that can be heard before you even cross the restaurant’s threshold.
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Explore More: See hotel details | See all Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates hotels
Alvear Palace, Buenos Aires
With its museum-worthy display and jewel box–like setting, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the white-glove breakfast served at Alvear Palace Hotel’s L’Orangerie restaurant for one in Paris. But one look at those empanadas with dulce de leche dipping sauces places you firmly back in Buenos Aires—and to the place where Evita used to sip her tea. Ditch the eggs and opt instead for smoked salmon with imported cheeses, airy pastries in a rainbow of colors and flavors, and a piece of live honeycomb.
Aman Tokyo
There are few meals more aesthetically appealing than the traditional Japanese breakfast—served alongside a spectacular skyline view, no less—at Aman Tokyo. The kaiseki-style bento arrives at your table stunningly compact but containing a bevy of options including rolled tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet) with radish and pickled vegetables, marinated eggplant and shishito peppers, and baked salmon sourced from the renowned Tsukiji fish market. Of course, Western options abound, but those are infinitely less Instagram-worthy. Instead, fill up on almost-too-pretty-to-eat confections courtesy of award-winning chef de patissier Yoshihisa Miyagawa.
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Park Hyatt Saigon
By Western standards, noodle soup may seem incongruous with breakfast, but it’s the highlight at Park Hyatt Saigon. Sure, there are custom omelets available à la carte, as well as daily prepared pastries, exotic fruits, and freshly squeezed juices—all are beautifully presented buffet style—but it’s the pho that you’ll be dreaming about long after your head hits the pillow. Here, Vietnam’s national dish is prepared in an umami-rich cardamom-scented beef stock that gets a vibrant dose of fresh greens and chili peppers. Tame all that fire with a glass of coconut water poured straight from the shell.
Explore More: See hotel details | See all Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam hotels
Want more?
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- The Most Delicious Breakfasts in the World
- 10 Commandments of Eating on the Road
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