For 83% of those that took part in the hotel.info survey as wide a selection as possible at breakfast time is very important. Hoteliers have long since accustomed themselves to the different breakfast habits of their guests and included their preferred dishes in the hotel's breakfast selection.
LONDON – The hotel breakfast – something for every guest should be on offer: sausages, muesli, sparkling wine and croissants. But does the hotel guest really prefer a mixture of all possible dishes? This question was posed by the international booking portal hotel.info when they conducted a survey amongst their booking customers in six European countries in order to try and find the answer.
The answer is very clear. For 83% of those that took part in the survey as wide a selection as possible at breakfast time is very important. Hoteliers have long since accustomed themselves to the different breakfast habits of their guests and included their preferred dishes in the hotel’s breakfast selection.
About 30% of those asked only allow themselves half an hour for coffee, tea, rolls and marmelade. However a good two thirds of guests do not allow the stress of meetings or the attraction of the beach to keep them from spending up to an hour or longer over breakfast. Perhaps the sun beds have already been reserved in advance… However it is interesting to note that especially the Germans really enjoy their breakfast and do not let anything else deter them. On the other hand Italians like to get it over quickly and the first meal of the day is just a small breakfast.
Most people like something hot and substantial
In the choice of dishes the heavy and calorie-rich English breakfast including eggs, sausages and bacon is high on the list of preferences (39.2%) followed by a sweet continental breakfast (24.4%). These two preferred breakfasts are often completed with a glass of sparkling wine – especially amongst holiday makers (26,1%). Only a few hotel guests like to start the day with a healthy breakfast of muesli, wholemeal bread and fruit salad. As a result the sporty breakfast comes last on the list of preferences (10,3%).
Whereas the English breakfast is, as expected, well-loved by the English (49%) this hearty first meal of the day is also surprisingly appreciated by the Germans (45,3%), Dutch (44,7%) and Brazilians (44,5%). The sweeter version of breakfast is especially loved by the Italians (41,4%), closely followed by the French (33,0%) and the Spanish (31,9%). The French know only too well the meaning of „Savoir Vivre“ and like to enrich the start of their day with a glass of sparkling wine and a slice of smoked salmon (32,9%).
| Breakfast type | What does it consist of? | in % |
| English Breakfast | White bread, toast, bacon, sausages, scrambled and fried eggs, cheese, grilled tomatoes, fruit juice, fruit salad, cornflakes | 39.2 |
| Sparkling wine breakfast | Rolls, croissants, butter, sliced sausage and cheese, jam, smoked salmon and sparkling wine | 26.1 |
| Continental Breakfast | Rolls, croissants, butter, jam/marmelade | 24.4 |
| Sport breakfast | Wholemeal bread, fruit, cornflakes, buttermilk, orange juice, low-fat joghurt, muesli, low-fat curd cheese | 10.3 |
But no matter whether they prefer a heavy or light breakfast: travellers place great value on the provision of local specialities, freshly prepared eggs and various types of coffee. “Hoteliers who offer these have already won the loyalty of their guests”, commented Ralf Priemer, Managing Director at hotel.info.
Customers can quickly become angry however if they notice that dishes from the previous day appear again or that the buffet is not regurlay topped up (22%). The third most common point to annoy guests is unfriendly staff (14%).
Remarkably the price is seldom the cause of dissatisfaction: A good breakfast is worth every penny. Almost 15% of the hotel guests questioned were ready to pay more than 16 Euros (£13) in addition to the cost of the room, but still a certain number (42%) accept a price between 11 und 15 Euros (£9 to £12). 43% of travellers were prepared to spend 5 to 10 Euros (£4 to £8). “At hotel.info booking customers are able to see whether the breakfast is included in the price or how much it costs extra”, remarked Priemer, demonstrating the transparency of the booking portal. Guest evaluations of the criterion “Breakfast/Gastronomy” also offer extra guidance in seeking a hotel.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
