The world’s best hotel breakfasts

Sunset Tower Hotel, Los Angeles

To me, there is no better experience than waking up at the Sunset Tower in one of the penthouse suites and having a giant Belgian waffle and hot coffee delivered to you. They can write your name in chocolate on the plate and it’s just so old-school-Hollywood romantic – even if you’re by yourself. If it’s too sunny to be outside, open all the doors so the wind gently blows the sheer curtains while you sit on the sofa and maybe pretend to write an email. The whole thing feels very Eloise at the Plaza, West Coast edition. sunsettowerhotel.com Alison Roman, food writer

Hôtel du Couvent, Nice

Hôtel du Couvent in Nice is cultivating its own scene in the south of France. Breakfast is simple and delicious and best enjoyed in the courtyard under the trees. Bread baskets are filled with pastries, sourdough and seed bread from the hotel’s own bakery. In true convent tradition, flour is freshly milled on site from locally sourced ancient grains. Cute little glasses with citrus jams, chocolate spread and lavender honey are house-made and a staple at each table. The fresh cheese is served with a drizzle of olive oil and is delicious. Order their fresh cut vegetables or chickpea crêpes with herbs if you’re in the mood for a little extra. hotelducouvent.com Frederik Bille Brahe, chef

Badrutt’s Palace, St Moritz

My all-time favourite breakfast, even if it sounds a little bougie. I’m a total sucker for hotel buffets because you can just try everything, and here it’s next-level – they even have dumplings. The second something is taken, it magically reappears, so it always looks perfect. Everything tastes insane. And then there’s a harp player casually performing while you eat… Like, what?! badruttspalace.com Sophia Stolz, cake artist

Gleneagles Townhouse, Edinburgh

I’d never been moved to compliment a chef on their porridge until I experienced it at The Spence at Gleneagles Townhouse; creamy and rich, spiked with nuts and seeds and scattered with icy apple pearls. Heading out to explore a misty Edinburgh on a cold spring morning, there could have been no better setter-upper. The secret is the combination of oat milk and cream, says executive chef Elliot Hill, who cooks it “not quite risotto-like but simmered and moved a lot”. This season he’s embellishing it with pear balls compressed in a sweet syrup. Eating anything under the magnificent domed ceiling of the former Bank of Scotland building would be a good time – but this was very heaven. gleneagles.com/townhouse Kate Finnigan, assistant editor, HTSI

Upper House, Hong Kong

I always feel a small thrill when I arrive in Hong Kong, knowing that breakfast will be something entirely different [to what she eats at home in Italy]. At Upper House I order the Chinese breakfast through room service and wait happily for the tray to arrive: abalone congee, a basket of four delicate dim sum and the most powerful ginger tea. I sit by the window with that exciting view over Victoria Harbour, and in that moment I am reminded why Hong Kong still has my heart. upperhouse.com Mimi Thorisson, cook and food writer 

Il Convento di Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, Puglia 

Breakfast here is everything you want it to be, especially when travelling for work. A cascade of fruit, breads and pastries set out on wooden dishes. A perfect cappuccino. Best taken in the kitchen courtyard in the sun. I’ll be back. ilconventopuglia.com Ulla Johnson, fashion designer

The Langham, Shanghai

I am not normally a breakfast eater, preferring to spend my time lolling in bed. However, the breakfast buffet at the Langham hotel in Shanghai lured me out of my room every day of my stay. It was a world tour of breakfasts. The bacon, eggs, toast and sausage I am familiar with. But then it continued. There was smoked fish from Scandinavia, congee with an array of things to be added, from minced leafy greens and scallions to pork bits. And, if that wasn’t enough, there were dim sum and pot-stickers and an array of fruits and juices. I became a breakfast lover for all of my too-brief stay. langhamhotels.com Jessica Harris, writer and culinary historian 

Rakkojae bukchon, Seoul

A stay at Rakkojae feels like stepping into another era of Seoul. Set within beautifully restored Korean hanok buildings, the spaces carry the elegance and restraint of traditional Korean architecture: low wooden beams, hanji-papered screen doors and a serene inner courtyard. What I look forward to most each time, though, is breakfast served in the traditional bansang style, surely one of the most beautiful. A tray, known as soban, might include steaming rice in a hot stone bowl [bap], a comforting seaweed soup [miyeok-guk], grilled fish or portion of meat, and an array of banchan [side] dishes – always some kind of kimchi, seasoned vegetables and, my favourite, crispy stir- fried baby anchovies [myeolchi bokkeum]. Every element is thoughtfully prepared, nourishing you for the day ahead. rkj.co.kr Jordan Bourke, chef and author

Sterrekopje Healing Farm, Franschhoek

Breakfast here feels completely tied to the land. Most of what you eat has been grown or gathered on site, so there’s a real immediacy to it. Fresh bread, eggs, fruit – all changing slightly day to day. Long tables, open air and a sense that you can take your time. It’s generous without being over the top, and you come away feeling reset. sterrekopje.com Charlie Casely-Hayford, menswear designer

The Datai, Langkawi

One of the most memorable breakfasts I’ve had. The hotel is hidden deep within the jungle yet opens onto the sea – it’s like stepping into a James Bond scene. The breakfast spread is beautiful, with local dishes, tropical fruit and fresh juices, though I always return to the nasi lemak [rice cooked in coconut milk with different toppings]. Enjoy breakfast while hornbills sweep overhead and monkeys move through the trees. thedatai.com Bettina Campolucci Bordi, plant-based chef and wellness educator

The Calile Hotel, Brisbane

Breakfast by the pool has that relaxed, sun-washed Queensland feel – very open, airy and quietly polished without trying too hard. Here, the food leans slightly Greek, which I love. I keep it simple with yoghurt and seasonal fruit, plus a very good Greek coffee. For something more substantial, the signature breakfast plate is excellent: smoked salmon, olives, bread and all the right accompaniments. It’s just an easy place to start the day – like being on holiday, even if you’re not. thecalilehotel.com Patrick Johnson, fashion designer

The Seaside Boarding House, Dorset 

It’s isolated, with the most beautiful view over the beach. At times it is melancholic, which I love when I need a bit of space to think and breathe. It was a favourite spot of Alastair Little, with whom I worked closely in the ’90s when I first launched Brindisa. I adore their breakfasts of scones and kippers. One of my favourite places on earth. theseasideboardinghouse.com Monika Linton, founder of Brindisa

Adrère Amellal, Egypt

One of the most magical places I’ve been is Adrère Amellal in the Siwa Oasis in Egypt. There is no electricity, no WiFi and at night the building is lit by lanterns and candles. You are surrounded by sand, salt, rock and sky. Breakfast begins when the first person wakes up and ends when the last person has finished eating. You have ful (stewed fava beans), falafel, salty white cheese with honey, boiled eggs with dried spices, tomatoes grown from their gardens – sliced and covered in olive oil and salt – pickled vegetables and warm flatbread. All paired with mint tea. adrereamellal.com Imogen Kwok, chef and artist

Hotel Esencia, Tulum

First breakfast at Esencia is a morning delivery of coffee and fresh warm pastries to the patio outside your room. I wake up early and hungry, even on vacation. After a leisurely coffee and pastry to get my stomach ready, it’s off to either the hotel restaurant, juice bar or – most likely – one of the wooden beach huts to order a second breakfast. The beach cabanas have buttons that you press for service (otherwise no one bothers you, which is a dream). My boyfriend and I ordered fresh fruit, juices and tacos to our delight. hotelesencia.com Dan Pelosi, author and recipe developer

The Hotel Chelsea, New York

New York is a grab-and-go breakfast city, but a new wave of destination hotel restaurants has made sticking around worthwhile. My favourite is Café Chelsea, located in the historic Hotel Chelsea. This is the one-time residence of Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe and favourite of Jimi Hendrix and Andy Warhol, as well as the location of two notorious tragedies (Nancy Spungen and Dylan Thomas). The atmosphere is as thick as the sticky French pastries – particularly the decadent pain perdu drizzled with maple syrup – and the coffee is tar-black. There are cooler, more luxurious hotel dining options. But none starts your day in a more authentically New York fashion. hotelchelsea.com Chris Cotonou, writer and journalist

Claridge’s, London 

My favourite hotel. Every touchpoint is spot-on, with the best service of any hotel I’ve ever stayed in. The staff will do anything to make your stay magical. My husband and I love everything, from the freshly squeezed grapefruit juice to the proper English tea. Some days it’s a poached egg over sourdough toast with berries and a side of chicken sausage. My granddaughter particularly loves the pastries and waffles. I’ve even been lucky enough to have a quick tea with Twiggy in The Foyer & Reading Room, which was very memorable. maybourne.com Bobbi Brown, make-up artist and founder of Jones Road

Hotel Peter & Paul, New Orleans

A perfectly renovated 19th-century church, complete with a schoolhouse and rectory. The pancakes with ricotta are my favourite breakfast order, served in the Elysian Bar full of billowy gingham fabrics. In true Nola fashion, they also have an honour bar. ash.world/hotels/peter-and-paul Pirrie Wright, freelance PR

Passalacqua, Lake Como

They set a buffet breakfast table in the dreamiest kitchen (think big open fireplace and old copper pans hanging from the walls). The table is heaving with freshly baked sweet pastries, breads, cakes and jam tarts, as well as cereal, granola, fresh fruit, preserves, chocolate spreads and so forth. Chefs are on hand to make you coffee just as you like it – as well as to whip you up anything more you might fancy, from eggs (cooked any which way) to pancakes with the crispiest bacon. The best bit (beyond the beautiful views from your table) is the tiered silver cake stand that they bring directly to your table, with homemade raspberry ice cream served in elegant Ginori cups. It’s the most perfect combination of cosiness, extravagance and profound luxury. passalacqua.it Skye McAlpine, cookery writer 

Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan

When I’m in Milan, I like to go for breakfast at the Principe di Savoia, a historic five-star hotel in the city. I always order the sliced avocado on toast and a cappuccino. It’s the kind of breakfast where you take your time and enjoy a slower start to the day. dorchestercollection.com Luca Faloni, founder of Luca Faloni

Mizpah, New Delhi

Mizpah Delhi feels less like a hotel and more like slipping into someone’s beautifully curated home. Everything is soft, calm and thoughtfully layered, with a quiet elegance that makes it a true sanctuary from the bustle of the city. Breakfast there is just as special – simple, fresh and made with care. I have idli [rice cakes], as I always think it’s rather lovely to eat Indian when I’m in India, perhaps with a proper pot of tea alongside, which they source from the Glenburn Estate, high in the Himalayas. Mizpah is not extravagant but it feels completely personal. It offers the sort of gentle, unhurried start to the day that I find utterly irresistible. mizpahdelhi.co.in Molly Mahon, printmaker and textile designer

Budsjord, Norway

This incredibly charming wooden farmhouse serves the typically terrific breakfast you grow accustomed to in Norway. Smoked mountain trout from the rivers right there, homemade bread and jam, brown cheese and local butter so good you can’t ignore it. This is a pilgrim hotel, where many guests hike on to another location. They are welcome (non-hikers too) to take a sandwich for the road – “matpakke”, as they call it – wrapped in the waxed paper that’s right there on the table. Civilised! budsjord.no
David Coggins, writer 

Hôtel Le Blizzard, Val d’Isère

Before hitting the slopes you want to fuel up – the longer and bigger the breakfast, the better. Boiled eggs are a particular favourite, with toasty fingers and lashings of butter. Then I move on to the pastries section. I could literally write a book entitled Pains Au Chocolat Around the World. They are my favourite thing, wherever and whenever. Grapefruit juice, never orange, a latte and then that’s me done. I will always try the bacon on my way out – just saying. hotelblizzard.com Lucinda Chambers, stylist, designer and co-founder of Collagerie

Iyuki, Kyoto

The breakfast is an amazing spread of grilled fish, fruits, pickles, rice and one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had. Each dish is served on a specific small ceramic plate. They don’t serve any other meals at the ryokan, just breakfast, but the work that goes into it is more than most dinner restaurants. 474 Maruyamacho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto 605-0071 Flynn McGarry, chef 

Maçakızı Hotel, Bodrum

Maçakızı Hotel does breakfast better than almost anywhere I know. It’s no small affair – a cheese buffet stacked with local and artisanal varieties, freshly baked pastries, an egg station and seasonal fruit – but what makes it feel special is how genuinely Turkish it all is. I always go back for the menemen [scrambled eggs with tomatoes] with a glass of freshly brewed Turkish tea. Then there’s the setting – you’re eating under olive trees with the sea in front of you. If you’re lucky enough to be there on a Sunday, don’t skip the brunch buffet, and make sure you order the manti [stuffed dumplings]. macakizi.com Serra Türker Bayır, founder and creative director of Misela

Dumfries House, Ayrshire

Ayrshire is my hometown, so I usually stay with my sister. But a couple of years ago I stayed in one of Dumfries House’s lodge rooms, which are next-level Scottish country luxury. Full Scottish breakfast, square sausage, black pudding – the lot! Hot buttered toast and tea, then walk it off around the glorious gardens along the river bank. And you can tour the house, which is the headquarters of The King’s Foundation, housing the most fabulous collection of Chippendale furniture. dumfries-house.org.uk Sam McKnight, hairstylist and founder of Hair by Sam McKnight 

Coombeshead Farm, Cornwall

Arguably the best breakfast in the British Isles. There is always crispy bacon and other porcine delights made on the premises from the Mangalitza pigs that wander the woods. The bread alone is worthy of mention (as well as a peerless malt loaf), as is the butter, the eggs, the pastries and the preserves. Seemingly simple, this breakfast is a tribute to kindness, consideration and a generosity of spirit and style. A perfect way to start the day or end a stay. coombesheadfarm.co.uk Jeremy Lee, chef

Audo House, Copenhagen

The tastiest scrambled eggs and perfect cup of coffee, in a spacious setting with design furniture that feels like home. audocph.com Julien Dô Lê Pham, restaurateur and founder of phamily first

Le Bristol Paris

I love a grande-dame hotel – not cool, I know, but I would trade Scandi chic for Palladian proportions and an Aubusson rug any day. For me, breakfast is an indulgence. It’s not about what I eat but the time assigned to it. One in particular that comes to mind was in the garden at Le Bristol in Paris, very haut de gamme! I was breakfasting alone – a café au lait and a croissant. Silver coffee pot, cloth napkins, Limoges porcelain, snooty but obliging waiter, solitude, then a cigarette... Feeling naughty heightens all pleasures. oetkerhotels.com Amy Poon, entrepreneur and restaurateur

Auberge de Chassignolles, Haute-Loire

Breakfast at this small inn in the Auvergne countryside is exactly what you hope a country breakfast might be. Everything is simple, homemade or local: thick slices of still-warm country bread, excellent butter, a line-up of house-made jams and granola, farm yoghurt with fruit and very good coffee. In a world of oversized hotel buffets and international (or worse, “continental”) breakfasts, it’s the kind of wholesome, terroir-driven morning meal that feels increasingly rare. It reminds you how satisfying hospitality can be when it’s truly rooted in a place. aubergedechassignolles.com Anna Polonsky, founder of design studio Polonsky & Friends

Le Doyenné, Saint-Vrain 

My favourite breakfast is at Le Doyenné by James Henry and Shaun Kelly, located just outside Paris. The setting is truly incredible and the food is exceptional. They serve amazing eggs and seasonal vegetables sourced directly from their own garden and chicken coop, along with charcuterie from their pigs. The home-made bread and pastries are a particular highlight – the ham croissant is a must-try – and the coffee is consistently delicious. ledoyennerestaurant.com Luca Pronzato, founder of We Are Ona

Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris

It’s a real indulgence. You must try the brioche de partage. fourseasons.com/paris Alireza Niroomand, creative director of Sant Ambroeus

Ammos, Crete

Breakfast at Ammos is a full morning ritual. I begin sweet with a scoop of Greek yoghurt, thyme honey and granola by local Red Jane Bakery, and close out with spanakopita and a sprinkling of tabouleh salad. A deep breath is taken – and attention moves on to lunch. ammoshotel.com Charlene Prempeh, founder of A Vibe Called Tech 

Ballyvolane House, County Cork

A waft of toasting brown bread curling through the bedroom door is surely the world’s finest alarm clock. At Ballyvolane House the vast mahogany table is dressed in classic blue-and-white china and crisp linen napkins, with a sideboard laden with poached garden fruits, thick velvety yoghurt and juices pressed from the orchard. Bernie, the house’s steady local hand for more than a decade, serves loose-leaf tea from steaming silver pots and takes orders: Hederman’s hot smoked salmon with poached eggs, thick slices of brown bread with platters of yellow Glenilen butter and marigold-coloured free-range eggs flanked by local dry-cured bacon and black pudding. A Ballyvolane breakfast is not to be missed. ballyvolanehouse.ie Cliodhna Prendergast, food and travel writer and photographer 

La Villa Bleue, Sidi Bou Said

Although the neighbourhood is quite touristic, the setting is breathtaking, with sweeping views over the Gulf of Tunis that make the whole experience feel very special, especially in the early morning light. La Villa Bleue itself is beautifully preserved, with a very refined Arabic-Andalucian style, elegant arches and terraces that open onto the sea. Breakfast there is simple but pleasant: fresh local breads, olive oil, fruit and good coffee enjoyed in a calm, almost cinematic atmosphere. It’s also very close to the cemetery where Azzedine Alaïa is buried, which adds a certain emotional resonance to the place. lavillableuesidibousaid.com Louis Barthélemy, artist and designer 

Hotel Arpoador, Rio de Janeiro

One of the best locations in the world – sitting on the edge of the restaurant by the street, facing the view of Ipanema and the Morro Dois Irmãos [Two Brothers Mountain], having an açaí bowl and watching life unfold. The unloading of beach chairs and ice boxes, elderly people doing their sport, surfers rushing to the best spot to surf in Rio… It’s all right there in front of you. hotelarpoador.com Tinko Czetwertynski, photographer 

Hôtel de Crillon, Paris

There’s something special about the quiet grandeur of Hôtel de Crillon in the early morning: the light coming through the tall windows, the sense of history, and an ease that never feels overly formal. What I love most is how considered everything feels. It’s not about abundance but precision and restraint. A perfectly made café crème, delicate viennoiseries and light, fluffy pancakes. There’s a calm to breakfast there that stays with you, a pause in the middle of a fast-moving city. Taken in-room, with a view towards the Eiffel Tower, it becomes quietly cinematic. For me, it’s a reminder that true luxury lies in the small, thoughtful details you remember long after. rosewoodhotels.com Samyukta Nair, restaurateur and hospitality entrepreneur 

Raffles Hotel, Singapore

One of my favourite holiday pastimes is a bougie hotel breakfast buffet. I especially love the choices in Asia – from dosa to dim sum. So much more imaginative than a fry-up. I love the frenetic bustle of people gathered to have a good time amid sprawling displays of good things. A stand-out is the à la carte breakfast at Raffles Singapore, where I have feasted on chubby dumplings, noodle soups and my favourite, chicken congee. It is served with tiny pots of fermented tofu, funky chilli oil, boiled peanuts, salted duck eggs and pickled vegetables so you can personalise it to your taste. As porridges go, even Goldilocks – that precocious, trespassing brat – would find this “just right”. raffles.com/singapore Ravinder Bhogal, chef

Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, Langkawi

Breakfast at Pelangi on the legendary island of Langkawi in northern Malaysia is incredible. The Spice Market Restaurant focuses on classic Malaysian cuisine. There are more than 50 dishes to choose from (yes, for breakfast!), with all 13 states of Malaysia represented. You’ll find on most days everything from char kway teow (stir-fried rice noodles) to nasi lemak, ayam pansuh (chicken cooked in bamboo), glutinous turmeric rice with beef or chicken rendang, and all kinds of traditional Malay kuih (desserts) made with coconut, pandan and palm sugar. pelangiresort.com Ranie Saidi, food writer and supper club host