The cost of adding breakfast to our hotel reservations seems fairly considerable at some Amsterdam hotels. We are planning to stay in the canal belt. Would you add breakfast to the reservation or would you head out to a cafe/restaurant nearby and why/why not? I know this is a personal choice....but I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons. We are breakfast people - and we are people who enjoy trying local food. Thank you!

I work on E6 and I'll eat in a hotel, above E6 and it becomes very marginal and is easy to beat when it drifts above E9. For E18 I want fizzy wine, smoked salmon, kedgerie, oysters and very good coffee with something akin to a "full English" for second course. I hope that helps.

of course it does depend on where you are and how far you have to walk to a cafe. You'll also find small malls/supermarkets have great breakfast deals. Google maps and street view will help you with that.

I am frequently appalled at the cost of breakfast at hotels in Europe. I assume that some travelers are on expense accounts, so they aren't as cheap as I am. I don't want to pay $25 or $30 for breakfast, so I head out to a café for breakfast at 1/2 or 1/3 the cost.

The lone exception is when I have a long journey to another destination ahead of me.

$25 would be a crazy figure but I'm with Peg on the concept

In a city I wouldn't pay extra for a hotel breakfast if it's not included in the rate. It's nearly allways too expensive, and there are plenty of local places for breakfast. Go have an 'uitsmijter' in a cafe.

Thank you. Both of your responses are helpful. One of us is a vegetarian and would not eat any of the fish or meat, so I think a cafe would be most economical. I would like to spend no more than $18 per person for breakfast.

Steffani, you need to start thinking in euros. That said, I would never, ever pay the euro-equivalent of US$18 for breakfast anywhere. I am not averse to a splurge now and then, but for us, breakfast in Europe can rarely be described as a splurge.

The only time we take breakfast at the hotel is if we're on a business trip and staying at an Ibis in France, where breakfast is included in the hotel price (which is usually 39-79 € per night). It's not a brilliant meal, but there is always cereal and hard-boiled eggs and meat and cheese in addition to croissants and rolls and coffee and juice. Hardly a standout, but if we're on business and on the go, it makes sense. Otherwise, we always walk out the door to the nearest café and spend just a handful of euros - NOTHING like the equivalent of US$18. More like 8-10€ for the two of us.

$18 = €17 That is a fortune for breakfast.

I don't eat breakfast so it isn't an issue with me. But 17 euro is NOT a fortune for breakfast in a hotel if that means it is really an unusually high rate for a hotel. It isn't, lots of hotels in Europe charge that much or more. It's a big money maker for hotels.

Sometimes I've had breakfast included and it can be nice if you are in an area where there aren't cafes right nearby.

I especially dislike the Dutch/German etc breakfasts that include processed cured meats and cheese. Always looks like lunch to me.

>> But 17 euro is NOT a fortune for breakfast in a hotel <<

Christina -- get w/ the program here. Of course . . . but we are talking about breakfast away from the hotel in a local cafe.

Not in Amsterdam with your dietary restriction.
At other places, depends on where, when, my itinerary, and the price. For others, type of food might matter.

If there are many breakfast type places nearby, I am less likely to take the hotel version. Big cities especially near transit centers usually has breakfast places that open early.
If I have to eat early where hotel is about the only place at that time, I would take it.
If my itinerary calls for leaving hotel before the BF time, I would not take it.
Of course, price is a consideration but not the only factor.

For those who wants a full breakfast, it can be tough outside the hotel in many countries.

$18 = €17 That is a fortune for breakfast. I agree.

I'm with St C too.

http://thebreakfastclub.nl/

Just to put this in perspective that E18 breakfast costs a dutch person on minimum wage about 2 hours work.

The HEMA department store has breakfast at EUR 2: www.hema.nl/ontbijt-bij-hema

We did not book breakfast with our room in Amsterdam as it was very costly. There many cafes nearby.

<i>Breakfast plan or not
Posted by: steffannni on Jan 4, 17 at 11:19am
The cost of adding breakfast to our hotel reservations seems fairly considerable at some Amsterdam hotels. </i>

The cost of breakfast in most hotels is more or less proportional to the cost of the room. So if you are paying &euro;300 for a room then expect about &euro;30 for breakfast.

And, breakfasts in Dutch hotels are usually huge layouts. You can skip lunch after porking out at breakfast.

I know we all travel differently, but sometimes I find that the breakfast plan includes room service. So sometimes we'll do that because it saves time over sitting in a restaurant. And I can have my coffee while getting ready to go, very important!

It's not always about money, but about value for money.

I don't think $18 is excessive for breakfast. That's usually what I spend out at home. for a full meal, I mean. But hotel breakfasts are almost never worth the money. The exception might be sundriedtopepo's example- I like the convenience of that.


But you might want to consider what the hotel is offering. Is it a pick from an ala carte menu? Or is it meats and cheese and roll buffet? I'd pay for the former, not for the latter.