The thing not to do is pick up a plate and start piling on food indiscriminately—just like the gentleman right in front of me.
Today, I’m on business at the Sofitel Sukhumvit in Bangkok, dining at their restaurant, Bella Sera. The correct thing to do is take a full lap. Check out everything before you decide what to eat, because you want to be efficient and selective with your stomach real estate.
The way I judge a hotel breakfast is by the freshness of the ingredients, starting at the salad station. If it’s just a few measly, sad lettuce leaves, you know the rest won't be great. Today, I’m truly impressed with the Sofitel setup. Alongside the usual DIY ingredients—lettuce, microgreens, julienned carrots, cucumbers, and corn—there’s a pre-mixed salmon salad. A pre-mixed salad shows extra care, and that effort doesn’t go unnoticed.
There’s also a noodle station, an egg station, a pastry and bread area, fresh fruits, and, of course, the hot chafing trays. A common mistake people make is thinking the chafing trays hold the good stuff. No. They usually hold the leftovers from the day before. Just because it’s warm doesn’t make it good. You want fresh ingredients and things made à la minute.
This is honestly one of the better hotel breakfasts I’ve had. At the table, there’s a dedicated egg menu, so I went with the Thai Omelet—loaded with bell peppers, chili, mushroom, tomato, onion, spring onion, cheese, and ham. After that, I went back for seconds of that salmon salad. It was fantastic.
My colleague Crisela joined me and immediately started venting about global politics and shifting energy prices. It's the classic reality of business travel—heavy global debates over morning coffee. But enough about world affairs; let’s get back to the food.
This is the first time in a long time that I’ve traveled for business. I won't lie: I missed it. I missed seeing new places, meeting new people, and, of course, rating hotel breakfasts for fun. This Bangkok experience is definitely at the top of the list, but it reminds me of a few other memorable mornings around the world.
Take my first time in Paris. The breakfast buffet was literally laid out on a single small table: hard-boiled eggs, some cheese, cold cuts, a loaf of bread, and a few croissants. That was it. I guess it’s true that the French prefer a light breakfast.
In London, I stayed at the Melia White House. It was a Full English breakfast every single day. Even on the plane ride back: Full English! I was going a little crazy by the end.
Amsterdam, on the other hand, was a surprise and delight. That’s where I discovered pickled herring and proceeded to eat an entire jar from the salad station. Fun fact: I loved it so much I bought more herring at the Schiphol airport and flew back to China with it.
Speaking of China, I've had some very interesting mornings there. East Hotel, one of my favorite spots in Beijing, serves a beautiful breakfast. It's especially memorable because I once spotted the renowned artist Ai Weiwei dining there. But the absolute best breakfast in China goes to the Grand Hyatt Guangzhou. Hands down, they have the best noodle station in the country. Period.
Still, some cities require a different strategy. While New York and Taipei are considered two of the best food cities in the world, I recommend skipping the hotel buffet entirely if you have the option. Last time I was in New York, I walked past the hotel lobby every morning and opted for a bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll at the deli next door. And as much as I love Taipei, good salads are tough to find there, meaning the hotel salad bars are almost always terrible. My buddy Jerome feels exactly the same way. Go out and explore instead.
For now, my breakfast scouting continues. Next stop: Da Nang in August. I’m already counting down the days and looking forward to waking up to authentic Vietnamese iced coffee and a steaming bowl of Mì Quảng noodles by the beach. Let's see how those hotel breakfast stations stack up!