Is it reasonable to expect airport hotels to start breakfast before 6?
Jun 2, 2010 | 3:35 pm
#46
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,465
I'm w/ cordelli. If I've got a 6am flight I'm looking for as much sleep as possible & am not going to be looking for brekkie at a hotel. But I do think for those who might want to grab a granola bar, apple, coffee, it wouldn't hurt to put them out at 4:30 or 5:00am.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Jun 2, 2010 | 6:03 pm
#47
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, NYC, somewhere on planet Earth
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 8,289
+1 on hotels putting out some food for those on the go. Last few hotel stays I have had included breakfast, but seeing as I have an early flight, I have to leave before it gets put out! Would be nice to grab some a bagel or granola bar, fresh fruit, and juice or water. I was thinking a breakfast bag to go would be a great idea, esp if you can preorder it knowing you have to leave very early.
Jun 2, 2010 | 7:26 pm
#49
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: BOS
Programs: Marriott LTG, HHonors Diamond, Nat'l Exec
Posts: 3,583
I have also always wondered by airport hotels couldn't come up with a system to allow flexible check-in and check-out: instead of requiring 3:00pm check-in and 12:00pm check-out, just allow the stay to cover any 21-hour period of the guest's choice. (Or they could probably even get away with shortening the period, to, say, 18 hours if they had to to make it work.)
Jun 2, 2010 | 9:37 pm
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,574
With the odds of getting anything to eat on a domestic flight now approaching zero, I'd also appreciate it if airport hotels offering complimentary breakfast would do more for their early-departing guests.
That said, there are very few complimentary breakfasts I actually enjoy: the best shot is usually at the higher end "extended stay" hotels like Homewood, Residence Inn, Staybridge, etc. And, realistically, they're not going to make their (better) hot selections available for the "pre-dawn" hours.
Since there's usually a degree of unpredictability involved in clearing early morning security lines, if I'm hungry, I usually wind up leaving enough time to grab something at the airport before boarding.
That said, there are very few complimentary breakfasts I actually enjoy: the best shot is usually at the higher end "extended stay" hotels like Homewood, Residence Inn, Staybridge, etc. And, realistically, they're not going to make their (better) hot selections available for the "pre-dawn" hours.
Since there's usually a degree of unpredictability involved in clearing early morning security lines, if I'm hungry, I usually wind up leaving enough time to grab something at the airport before boarding.
Jun 2, 2010 | 11:45 pm
#51
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: HEL
Programs: STE+, used to be with TK but left due to their corruption and political ties
Posts: 4,437
Offering an early breakfast at an airport hotel ought to be standard. Many of the travellers will have an an early morning flight and because of this stay at the airport hotel.
I used to work at a non-airport hotel and though normal breakfast hours started at 07 we did offer a smaller breakfast selection from 04 in the morning.
I used to work at a non-airport hotel and though normal breakfast hours started at 07 we did offer a smaller breakfast selection from 04 in the morning.
Jun 3, 2010 | 1:49 am
#52
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 777
Seriously though, would handing them out, y'know, one to each person, not be a pretty useful solution?
Jun 3, 2010 | 5:44 am
#53
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Posts: 10,208
Even if they don't put out "On the run" breakfast bags, you can certainly ask the front desk to make one for you. Of course if you don't ask, you get nothing, no one can read your mind.
I have done this many times in HI, if I know I have to leave the hotel for a morning flight before 6am, I always put a request the night before, and my request always granted in any HI that I have stayed in.
I have done this many times in HI, if I know I have to leave the hotel for a morning flight before 6am, I always put a request the night before, and my request always granted in any HI that I have stayed in.
Other than that negative, my experience at the Hampton Inn BWI was fantastic. I wished that I could have been there longer than just one night.
Jun 3, 2010 | 5:53 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Posts: 10,208
I quite like the Hampton Inn breakfast. But the On the Go bag is only only in my book. That is I guess another reason why I was not really that upset when there were no bags on the counter when I was checking out for my early morning BWI flight. I was business traveling and so just purchased breakfast later at the airport with the corporate credit card. If I had had to purchase that breakfast with real money (i.e., my own), I might have been more upset about Hampton not having bags ready to grab.
Jun 3, 2010 | 5:58 am
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Posts: 10,208
I think that aside from yourself, the majority of guests are not eating so early, but are eating between 730 and 9. To do even that, the hotel brings the cooks and other staff in around 430..if they started it earlier they would have to increase their labor hours by 2 or 3 hours per person, and starting earlier does not mean they are going to finish earlier..so it's more expense for the hotel for a marginal..if ANY..benefit to the one or two of you wanting to eat earlier.
Jun 3, 2010 | 4:31 pm
#56
Original Poster
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Lots of good responses in this thread, I'm glad I started it.
When I went to check out in the morning, there were no On the Run bags out. Silly me for not thinkin to ask about one either in the morning or the night before, I will do that next time.
When I went to check out in the morning, there were no On the Run bags out. Silly me for not thinkin to ask about one either in the morning or the night before, I will do that next time.
Jun 6, 2010 | 1:13 pm
#58
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: MLB
Programs: some
Posts: 459