hotel 5

Soft beds, nice views, good location; sure, these are all important factors when choosing a hotel, but what really makes a hotel, or even a trip, memorable is the food, more specifically, the breakfast.

Everyone needs a good breakfast to start their day, so why not eat the best of the best? Next time you’re in the area, you should probably check out one of the Japanese hotels with the most delicious breakfasts.

When you think back to the last hotel you stayed at, does your memory automatically cut to what you ate for breakfast there? Do soggy eggs or undercooked bacon ring a bell? Even if it was a pretty good meal that left you with fond memories, prepare yourself, because you may never look at hotel breakfasts again. You may also be finding yourself booking hotels just to try the breakfasts. 

The TripAdivsor Japan website compiled the 2014 opinions and scores of hotels (and their breakfasts) posted on the site in order to create this 2015 ranking of “Hotels with Delicious Breakfasts.” While many of the hotels have managed to hang on to their 2014 spots in the top 20, there are plenty of newcomers on the list too.

1st Place: Hotel Piena Kobe (Kobe City)

hotel 1

Holding first place for three consecutive years is kind of a big deal, but after hearing about their buffet breakfast spread, you’ll understand how they’ve managed to pull it off.

To start off with, there is the sweets section filled with all-you-can-eat, freshly made pastries, like seasonal fruit tarts and strawberry shortcake. If you’re more of a fan of  savory breakfasts though, there is also a selection of traditional French-style breakfast items and, of course, traditional Japanese breakfast foods. All dishes are made from the freshest and highest quality ingredients you could ask for and being in Kobe, expect some breakfast steak too! To wash it all down, there is a drink bar of coffees and teas from a variety of specialty shops.

Usually, the breakfast itself costs 2,200 yen (US$18.50) per person, you can sometimes find deals for a room and breakfast for under 10,000 yen ($85).

2nd Place: La Vista Hakodate Bay Hotel (Hakodate, Hokkaido)

hotel 2

Hotel Piena’s closest rival has held their spot at second for another year and they offer some stiff competition. Their breakfast spread offers fish and vegetables grilled before your eyes, a plethora of fresh Hokkaido seafood, and a healthy selection of well-prepared Western-style breakfast options.

3rd Place: Sapporo Grand Hotel (Sapporo, Hokkaido)

hotel 3

These guys have their eyes on the prize, rising 9 spots since last year’s ranking. The Sapporo Grand Hotel offers three different breakfast venues for their morning diners. One location offers a Western-style breakfast with an on-sight bakery and cooked-to-order eggs. At another site, you can choose from three traditional Japanese-style set breakfasts, overflowing with delicious seasonal dishes. Finally, there is the buffet of grilled meat and veggies, as well as their famous creation, “ramen salad.”

4th: Hotel Keihan Sapporo (Sapporo, Hokkaido)
[2014: 3rd]

hotel 4

5th: Hakodate Kokusai Hotel (Hakodate, Hokkaido)
[2014: 5th]

hotel 5

6th: Century Royal Hotel (Sapporo, Hokkaido)
[2014: Not Ranked]

hotel 6

7th: Hotel Shiroyama (Kagoshima City)
[2014: 9th]

hotel 7

8th: Hotel Rocore Naha (Naha, Okinawa)
[2014: 16th]

hotel 8

9th: Hotel Nikko Alivila (Yomitan, Okinawa)
[2014: 4th]

hotel 9

10th: Asahikawa Grand Hotel (Asahikawa, Hokkaido)
[2014: Not Ranked]

hotel 10

11th: Mitsui Garden Hotel Okayama (Okayama City)
[2014: Not Ranked]

hotel 11

12th: Rihga Royal Hotel Osaka (Osaka)
[2014: 8th]

hotel 12

13th: Richmond Hotel Yamagata Station (Yamagata City)
[2014: 20th]

hotel 13

14th: Hotel Nikko Kanazawa (Kanazawa City)
[2014: 13th]

hotel 14

15th: Sheraton Grand Tokyo Bay (Urayasu, Chiba)
[2014: 6th]

hotel 15

16th: Hotel Okura Tokyo Bay (Urayasu, Chiba)
[2014: Not Ranked]

hotel 16

17th: Daiwa Roynet Hotel Naha Kokusaidori (Naha, Okinawa)
[2014: Not Ranked]

hotel 17

18th: JR Tower Hotel Sapporo (Sapporo, Hokkaido)
[2014: 11th]

hotel 18

19th: Laguna Garden Hotel (Ginowan, Okinawa)
[2014: Not Ranked]

hotel 19

20th: Dormy Inn Premium Otaru (Otaru, Hokkaido)
[2014: Not Ranked]

hotel 20

Apparently, Hokkaido hotels are proving that they are not a force to be reckoned with, as they settled into nearly half of all spots in the top 20 and took six of the top ten spots! It must be all of that fresh seafood and dairy! On the other side of the country, Okinawa held its own this year too with four on the list. While it’s easy for us to give Honshu hotels a hard time, since they are few and far between in the rankings, we can’t forget that Hotel Piena Kobe has won three years in a row! That food must be out of this world!

In trying to pick your next vacation spot around Japan, you may want to keep this list in mind. A good breakfast will probably lead to a good vacation no matter what you end up doing. Wheaties may be the “Breakfast of Champions,” but we guarantee, anyone who eats breakfast at one of these places will feel like a champion and we’re pretty sure none of the restaurants serve Wheaties.

Sources: TripAdvisor, Hotel Piena Kobe, La Vista Hakodate Bay Hotel, Sapporo Grand Hotel
Images: TripAdvisor
[ Read in Japanese ]