Guide

Delicious and Sustainable: the Best of Hotel Breakfasts

These hotel breakfasts are so good, you won't feel guilty about staying in to eat.

Katharina Kiéck

Scenset travel expert

Not Your Typical Breakfast

Whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day is open to debate, but there's no question that a hotel with an extraordinary breakfast can be one of the best parts of your vacation. The convenience of rolling out of bed and walking downstairs to hot coffee and food is special enough, but some accommodations truly go above and beyond the typical continental spread.

From the ultimate sustainable breakfast in Norway to a meal in South Africa that's thoroughly rustic, start the day right on your next vacation with some of the best hotel breakfasts to be found.

Palmehaven, the Britannia hotel's banquet hall, and breakfast room

Sustain Yourself and the Planet in Trondheim, Norway

The Britannia is a landmark in Trondheim, Norway, that dates back to 1870. While the evening menu at the Michelin-star restaurant gets most of the culinary attention, don't overlook the Britannia breakfast. With a focus on sustainability, à la carte options are all included in your stay, meaning less food waste and meals that are made fresh to order.

The ingredients are all brought in from nearby sources, including artisan cheese from local farmers or honey that's made right on the roof of the hotel. It also means that each dish is prepared with the freshest seasonal ingredients, whether that's summer berries with yogurt or chanterelle mushroom omelets in the fall.

the cheese buffet includes Britannia's own signature blue cheese, made in collaboration with local Norwegian farmers

create your own breakfast perfection à la carte

A Fully Farm-to-Table Breakfast in South Africa

Babylonstoren is first and foremost a working farm and vineyard outside of Cape Town, so all of the food comes directly from their gardens to your plate. Before even taking a bite, the most striking part about the breakfast is how colorful it is, with a spread that hits every shade from blended fuchsia smoothies to the citrusy colors of fresh-picked fruit. It may be morning, but a glass of organic wine from the property's own grapes is a natural complement to all of the fresh flavors.

To fully grasp the scope of Babylonstoren, you only need to go for a stroll around the estate. Walk through the olive orchards, the vegetable gardens, the bee apiaries, and the wheat fields to see where your food really comes from. There are over 300 varieties of plants on the property, many of which are edible and are likely to find their way from the garden and onto your breakfast plate.

a healthy start to the day has never looked this good

as fresh as it can get

lemon tree in the Babylonstoren garden

structure of balau slats creating a translucent tunnel called “Puff Adder” at Babylonstoren farm

Hungry for more?

Ask our curators about some of their additional favorite hotel breakfasts from The Upper House in Hong Kong to the Ett Hem in Stockholm. We will find your perfect start to the day.

✍🏻

Katharina Kiéck
Having dreamt of becoming a race car driver, Katharina studied to be an anthropologist, worked as a futurist, and tried brand strategy at Twitter before founding her own media production company. When she's not traveling or surfing herself, she's organizing network and surf experiences for people working in tech. Constantly on the move, her Achilles heel is cinnamon buns.