London's most expensive and extravagant hotel breakfasts

Breakfast is a highlight of any high-end hotel stay. It offers a chance to break free of the shackles of puritanical porridge and instead gorge on pastries, pancakes, poached eggs and yoghurt so luscious you’re convinced it’s cream. 

Many approach the morning meal at a plush hotel as last-supper sorts of affairs – making multiple trips to the buffet or ordering rounds of hash browns and maybe some French toast “for the table”. All of which may render one unable to move by 10am. And London’s five-stars are more than happy to oblige with menus that entice but may prove wince-inducing – depending on whether the cost is included in the room rate, something that is becoming increasingly rare.

Recently, however, a few have made their offerings more accessible (relatively speaking), opening up in-house patisseries and cafés, because who wouldn't be tempted by a takeaway croissant and cappuccino from Claridge’s?

From caviar-topped omelettes to £22 stuffed croissants, here are London’s most extravagant hotel breakfasts. 

Cédric Grolet at the Berkeley, Knightsbridge

Wander past the Berkeley on a weekend morning and you’ll see a queue snaking down the street. All are there to get their hands on a £6 takeaway croissant from the famed Parisian baker Cédric Grolet, who opened his first London patisserie at the Knightsbridge five-star last year. Also on offer are £8 flat whites and £20 hazelnut cookies, all of which sell out daily. 

Avoid the queues by booking a table at the café, where a £50 per person breakfast includes three mini pastries, a pretty plate of fruit cut with razor precision and your choice of a thin slice of perfectly caramelised French toast or fluffy flower-shaped waffle. Pots of vanilla-scented chantilly cream and sharp marmalade accompany and also on the table is fresh juice and an Instagram-pretty hot drink. Excessive? Perhaps. But you're unlikely to find better pastry this side of the Channel.

Claridge’s, Mayfair

With Claridge’s a byword for luxury, it’s no surprise there are myriad routes to an indulgent breakfast in the hotel’s fabulous Foyer, with its original Art Deco mirrors. The £22 breakfast croissant, stuffed with bacon, fried egg, spinach and gruyère may raise some eyebrows but is no doubt an upgrade on the Pret a Manger version. Arguably representing better value is the £45 English breakfast, which includes cooked favourites, plus pastries, toast, coffee and juice, all served on candy-striped plates. For those with smaller budgets, the hotel’s new ArtSpace Café offers lustrous pastries from £5. Though some may be tempted by the £28 signature seafood cocktail crêpe.

The Savoy, Covent Garden 

When breakfasting at the Savoy, there is really only one dish to order – the omelette Arnold Bennett, which was invented at the hotel back in 1929 by chef Jean Baptiste Virlogeu in honour of the author who was staying at the time. The creamy, cheesy, smoked fish creation has never left the menu and these days costs £27. However, if that’s not an indulgent enough way to start the day, you can top yours with half a lobster tail or some caviar – or both – for a £16 supplement. 

The Ritz, St James’s

When it comes to glitzy breakfast spreads, naturally the Ritz reigns supreme. Indeed you could spend £750 before 9am if you order the full continental breakfast followed by scrambled eggs or an omelette topped with a healthy 50g of Beluga caviar. In this context, splurging £92 on the alternative Perigord truffle topping feels almost abstemious. The unadorned option, meanwhile, clocks in at £53, though ordering a £22 glass of champagne might prove too tempting. Remember that smart casual attire is required in all restaurants and bars, so there should be no tramping down to breakfast in a T-shirt or trainers. 

The Lanesborough, Knightsbridge

Breakfast at the Lanesborough is served in the hotel’s hard-working Grill restaurant, which also does full lunch, afternoon tea and dinner service. This doesn’t mean the morning meal is not to be lingered over – be sure to bag one of the plush velvet sofas to really settle in and enjoy the Regency-style interiors. At £34, the truffled scrambled eggs are a suitably extravagant start, as are the smoked salmon blinis (£26). Detox juices (£11) and poached eggs with cherry tomatoes and kale (£16) are available, but best to stick with a glass of champagne (£19) for the full Bridgerton fantasy. 

The Landmark London, Marylebone 

A list of London’s most indulgent breakfasts wouldn’t be complete without a bumper-size buffet. And grande dame the Landmark’s is arguably the capital’s most impressive, spanning many trestle tables and requiring multiple trips to wade through the likes of eggs Benedict, cakes and mezze plates. Its setting is no slouch either, taking place in the Winter Garden, an eight-storey-high glass atrium. Note that the full spread is only put on at weekends and open to hotel guests only, though during the week a smaller continental selection is available alongside cooked à la carte options (for £44).

Pan Pacific London, the City 

Those bored by eggs Benedict should make a beeline for Singapore-import Pan Pacific’s breakfast spread. The buffet (£36) at the Straits Kitchen spans donuts and hot Asian dishes such as rice congee, while the stalwarts of pastries, cold cuts and cooked English breakfast items are also in attendance. Interesting à la carte options include Kaya Toast (£16 or £5 buffet supplement), a classic Singaporean dish comprising two slices of toast sandwiched with coconut jam and butter, here served with soy sauce and coddled eggs. And if you do find yourself craving that Benedict, try the lobster-topped version for £28 (or £10 buffet supplement).  

The Connaught, Mayfair

Prepare for premium prices at the Connaught’s Jean-Georges restaurant, with its version of truffled scrambled eggs priced at £40. Well, this is the very heart of Mayfair. More eyebrow-raising may be the simple side of baked beans for £9 or the bowl of mixed berries for £23. Even a humble bowl of granola and yoghurt costs £17 (with an £8 supplement for berries). No need to dismay, however, as the hotel has also got in on the trend of having its own patisserie with delectable takeaway goodies. And compared to others, its £3.25 daily-changing Danish seems like rather a steal. 

Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park, Knightsbridge

Between Heston Blumenthal’s two Michelin-starred Dinner and the £65 Wagyu beef sandwiches at the Japanese izakaya-styled Aubrey, there’s plenty of high-end dining experiences to be had at the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park. Why not start the day with a round of Beluga Caviar (20g) served with blinis, avocado purée and chive hollandaise – yours for £265. For something heartier, but healthier for the bank balance, try the brisket beef hash – slow cooked meat served with caramelised onion, pepper and a fried egg on a potato hash brown (£25). 

Corinthia, Charing Cross

Can a bacon sandwich ever be worth £17? The Corinthia certainly thinks so, with its punchily priced maple-cured swine-stuffed roll giving you little change from £20. Pair with a spicy bloody Mary (£20) and side of hash browns (£5) for a hangover- (and wallet-) busting morning. More obviously premium items include a lobster omelette Arnold Bennett (£30) and slices of Forman’s smoked salmon, but sometimes the simple classics are hard to beat. 

Do you have a favourite hotel breakfast? Please let us know in the comments below

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbHLnp6rmaCde6S7ja6iaKyilsOmuI6loKyso2S5sLrDqKWsZZ2kwLV5xLGnnqajnsOmecCnm2adqKm%2FosLAoJinrF2dvLWxy2aZq52RoLOiv9OsZg%3D%3D