Breakfast at Paris Hotel

We usually go to a nearby bakery rather than eat breakfast in the hotel if it's not included--it's less expensive! I'd scope out a nearby place when you arrive.

I'm piling on with Sharon. First impression was that you wanted info on only that hotel.

We've found that add-on breakfast prices are never a good deal, regardless of the amount of grub offered. Bread and cheese, or non-sweet bakery stuff, is what we go for. Coffee is available everywhere.

I wouldn't spend $13 on breakfast, let alone 13 EUR - I just couldn't eat enough to make it worth the expense. Find a nice place in the neighborhood instead.

Thanks everyone. Yeah, my husband says they would have to be serving solid gold croissants for him to pay that much for breakfast. I guess what I'm hoping for here is that someone who has stayed at this hotel has a favorite little place near by that they recommend for breakfast. Anyone have a specific place?

I always find a bakery to eat breakfast rather than the Paris hotel I might be at because it's always cheaper--the fresh pastries are something that's not to be missed, along with not paying the equivalent of $15 to $25 for the hotel breakfast.

Maybe you're really grouchy in the morning before breakfast. (I am!) Go on to google maps, put in the hotel address, and then look at street view. You can go up and down the streets nearby and find a bakery. This will save you time that morning, but can be a big time sucker before you go. It's too much fun.

D. D., on first blush, I tend to agree with the other posters. However, having faced the same situation with an 8 euro charge, and after trying, we found the 8 euro to be a bargain. I would suggest walking the streets the day before to see what is available. By the time you spend spend 3+ euro on a single espresso or cup of coffee, a couple of euro on each roll, another euro on yogurt and a bunch on a smidge of cheese, you may be very close to what the hotel charges.

If you are concerned at all about finding places to eat, don't be. They are everywhere in Paris. On our recent trip we opted out of the 12 euro breakfast at the hotel and walked two minutes around the corner. We had breakfast there for 4.50 euros (and that was the "sur place" [eating there] price). It included tea or coffee, juice, and a pastry (either croissant or pain au chocolat). For a little more you could have a more elaborate pastry.

Thanks everyone; I really appreciate that you took the time and effort to try to help. But I guess the way I wrote my question was a little misleading. I live next door to France and so I've been several times. I've been to Paris, though I've never stayed in this particular hotel before. One of the great perks about living here is that you can grab a last minute weekend deal on the ICE ("why don't we zip over to France tomorrow, dear, and have an eclair?"). So I'm not worried about finding a place to eat. I know there are plenty of places and I won't have any trouble finding one.

I kind of already figured we weren't going to spring for this expensive hotel breakfast, but I thought perhaps if someone had stayed here and had the buffet and would rave about it, we might. Or I thought maybe someone had a favorite little eatery in the area that they would like to recommend.

Thanks for your efforts--very good of you.

D.D., We stayed at Hotel Relais Bosquet in June. We dropped "Rick Steves" in email when we reserved the room and received free breakfast for all four nights. It was a very basic breakfast, bread, slices of meat etc.. Though it was ok, I would have been disappointed if I had to pay that much extra for it. There is a bakery on the side of hotel and many restraunts just down the street that may be open for breakfast. You will enjoy the hotel. Staff is very helpful and pleasant.

I don't dispute that you can probably get breakfast cheaper, but hotel breakfasts can, in my opinion, be worth the convenience if not too expensive. Last December I stayed at the Hotel du College de France (a two-star recommended by some on this board). The breakfast was 10 EUR and included coffee or tea, cereal (raisin bran, corn flakes), yogurt, cheese, French bread, pain au chocolat, orange juice, fruit salad, and breakfast ham. I think that's reasonable for a hotel.