Hotel breakfast, yay or nay?

[Vyse]

Just been looking at some hotels for a Japan trip am planning next year. The price when you include breakfast is about £12. A £12 breakfast is expensive for every day of the holiday. A few of the days might be manageable. Do people tend to go with the hotel option or see what's surrounding the hotel for other options?

[kiethton]

Unless you like some pretty wacky stuff I'd avoid it - we did when there, just had something from a local shop/bakery to snack on before a more substantial lunch

[smifffymoto]

The days you fancy a hotel breakfast just turn up and add it to the bill,then you only pay for it if it is worth it.

[trickywoo]

Do you know what the non package price of breakfast is? Quite often the price on the day will be a lot more than daily package rate.

I made the mistake of not including breakfast on a holiday once. Turned out it was £20. One day the mrs announced that she wasn’t feeling great but still wanted a snack - I quote ‘I may have a bit of toast’. Given that entering the dining room triggered the £20 regardless of what was had I suggested I go in, have my fill and smuggle out what she wanted. Led to an argument because I was being tight.

[Mr MXT]

£12 sounds reasonable (cheap!) for a hotel breakfast in Japan.

In Tokyo which I assume is indicative of elsewhere, there aren't really any breakfast options outside the hotel. Cafes selling a "normal" breakfast don't exist...

[tim0409]

Mr MXT said:

£12 sounds reasonable (cheap!) for a hotel breakfast in Japan.

In Tokyo which I assume is indicative of elsewhere, there aren't really any breakfast options outside the hotel. Cafes selling a "normal" breakfast don't exist...

I would agree with that; I was in Tokyo in November and went with an inclusive rate for breakfast at the Hilton and it was defiantly a good move. Heading out for coffee/croissant/fresh fruit/full cooked breakfast would have been a minefield - I saved my more adventurous cuisine for later in the day!

It also helped that I was getting up at 6am and having a coffee/croissant before returning at 10 for the full monty.

[mikef]

Depends. Breakfast in Japanese hotels can be anything from a croissant and juice to miso, natto and on occasion sashimi

[Yipper]

If it's an unlimited breakfast buffet (common in big Asia hotels), then it could work out fairly good value if you fancy stuffing yer face in the morning and not eating again until the evening or next day.

Tokyo and Japan have loads of Starbucks and alike, so it's easy to find a Western breakfast if you're in or around the touristy bits.

[jamoor]

You can probbably get something from a convinence store for a few £

You could destroy a hotel buffet breakfast and skip lunch too.

[g3org3y]

You can get pastries and the like from the 7/11 (of which there are many).

[Mr MXT]

Yipper said:

If it's an unlimited breakfast buffet (common in big Asia hotels), then it could work out fairly good value if you fancy stuffing yer face in the morning and not eating again until the evening or next day.

Tokyo and Japan have loads of Starbucks and alike, so it's easy to find a Western breakfast if you're in or around the touristy bits.

Do they? I can’t recall ever seeing a Starbucks / Starbucks alike!

[tim0409]

Mr MXT said:

Do they? I can’t recall ever seeing a Starbucks / Starbucks alike!

There was a Starbucks a few minutes from the Hilton Tokyo Shinjuku, and I saw a few others.

[MisterJD]

Mr MXT said:

In Tokyo which I assume is indicative of elsewhere, there aren't really any breakfast options outside the hotel. Cafes selling a "normal" breakfast don't exist...

Have you been to Tokyo?

There are plenty of bakeries where you can buy patisserie, breads and coffees for a decent breakfast. These are in stations, in malls, there are lots of Starbucks and a few other American chains that have opened up.

Probably will spend more than £12 in them though, but that's half what a couple would spend at the hotel breakfast.

There will also be a McDonalds nearby if you're that way inclined.

Edited by MisterJD on Monday 19th February 21:31

[havoc]

MisterJD said:

Mr MXT said:

In Tokyo which I assume is indicative of elsewhere, there aren't really any breakfast options outside the hotel. Cafes selling a "normal" breakfast don't exist...

Have you been to Tokyo?

There are plenty of bakeries where you can buy patisserie, breads and coffees for a decent breakfast. These are in stations, in malls, there are lots of Starbucks and a few other American chains that have opened up.

Probably will spend more than £12 in them though, but that's half what a couple would spend at the hotel breakfast.

This was what we did in Tokyo.

In a few other places we had breakfast at the hotel - what was on offer varied massively, as someone above already suggested. The breakfast at the ryokan we stayed at was...traditional. Great experience, but not what we'd have chosen to order...

[Mr MXT]

MisterJD said:

Mr MXT said:

In Tokyo which I assume is indicative of elsewhere, there aren't really any breakfast options outside the hotel. Cafes selling a "normal" breakfast don't exist...

Have you been to Tokyo?

There are plenty of bakeries where you can buy patisserie, breads and coffees for a decent breakfast. These are in stations, in malls, there are lots of Starbucks and a few other American chains that have opened up.

Probably will spend more than £12 in them though, but that's half what a couple would spend at the hotel breakfast.

There will also be a McDonalds nearby if you're that way inclined.

Edited by MisterJD on Monday 19th February 21:31

Yes, three times in the last three years. I must have had my eyes shut!