Breakfast the most important meal of the stay

Breakfast is one of the most influential factors for guests when choosing a hotel, a study has revealed.

Second only to the quality of the bedroom, the study by Douwe Egberts Professional revealed that 83 per cent of guests would only be likely to return to a hotel if they had enjoyed their breakfast.

Of the 1,000 people surveyed, 28 per cent voted coffee as the most important element of a good breakfast, with sausage and bacon following closely behind. Additionally, one third of those surveyed revealed poor coffee would be enough to deter them from ever returning to a hotel.

“The results of this research should raise major concerns for all hoteliers who are overlooking their hot beverage offering and not paying close attention to the quality of the beverages served. As hotels try to anticipate how much coffee they’ll need at peak times like breakfast, many are still guilty of bulk brewing their coffee well in advance, preparing vast quantities that more often than not result in poor quality, bad-tasting coffee which guests will no longer tolerate,” said Douwe Egberts marketing director Paul Freeman.

“Today’s consumers are increasingly discerning about their coffee and expect freshly made, great tasting coffee at all times of the day. To meet this demand hotels have to keep pace otherwise they risk losing trade as our survey shows.”