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Great Hotel Breakfast Buffets
Hotel Monasterio, Cusco, PeruGregorian chants resonating through the medieval breakfast room, a buffet copious with freshest juices, home made yoghurts and breads, and lime for the papaya - New York Times synopses, and the roses on your table changed before your eyes. |   |
There is no noise except conversation in the George V room. Instant service brings fresh toast in silver racks, excellent coffee in hotel-inscribed silver pots. Outstanding juices in stemmed glasses, fruits, unsweetened yogurt, a whole ham carved to order - and the maitre d' kissed me goodbye. | |
Breakfast in the Pacific Grill is such good value that Japanese probably fly in specially - for $22.75 you get masses of fresh juices, fruits, cold cuts and real breads rather than the sugary travesties I spend my whole life avoiding. A chef is on hand, and you can choose hot western or Asian dishes. Great way to start the day! | |
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The real winner in value. A mere C$18 gives you great juice, whole fruits, unsweet yogurt, stylish choices of real or that ghastly whipped butter, and fabulous coffee. It is also one of the biggest buffets in the business - walking round all the stations would constitute morning exercise for some (the fittest, however, have already been out skiing, extreme biking or hiking). | |
To get a morning constitutional before breakfast, how about a walk around the hotel to see some of the 4,200 pieces in its original art collection? My own favorites include the gigantic glass wall sculptures either end of the main floor, both by Seattle artist Dale Chihuly. You will also see works by David Hockney, Frank Stella and Andy Warhol. Then head up to the 32nd floor Club lounge for its elegant breakfast buffet. You are overlooking Singapore River, and there is a small private room if you want a business meeting. | |
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The view from the mezzanine Club lounge is over the lobby and across Victoria Harbour (a buzz of fascinating water traffic) to Hong Kong Island. Tables are set with fascinating tweed mats, Bauscher Thomas china with metal saucers, and Christofle Weldman coffee pots lean like Pisa's tower. Complimentary wi-fi and broadband is part of the offer. | |
Power breakfasts are in the beautiful baroque restaurant here (overhead gilt bronze festoons hang between nine chandeliers, each with 12 lights). The tasteful buffet has addictive muesli, coffee comes in non-spill pots, butter is Echire and jams are Duchy, from the charitable company owned by the Prince of Wales, who has given his Royal Warrant to the hotel as he holds an annual lunch here. | |
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