Hotels offering free breakfast can significantly enhance your travel experience by providing convenience and cost savings. Starting your day with a complimentary meal can save you $60 or more for a family of four.

Some hotels include free breakfast as part of their nightly rate, while others offer it as an optional add-on when you book. However, not all free hotel breakfasts are created equal. While some hotels may offer a basic continental breakfast with pastries and juice, others provide a more extensive breakfast menu or even a buffet with hot items such as waffles, omelets, and biscuits and gravy.

Although any free breakfast is beneficial, the quality and variety can differ widely. Here’s a guide to hotel chains that include breakfast with your stay and a look at those with the best overall breakfast offerings.

Which hotels offer free breakfast?

If you’re traveling across the U.S. and want to enjoy complimentary breakfast during your stay, choosing the right hotel brands can make a difference. Here are some top hotel chains that offer free breakfast at many of their locations:

Best Western

Most Best Western properties provide complimentary breakfast to guests, including those under the Best Western, Best Western Plus, and Best Western Premier brands. However, not every location participates in this offering. Breakfast options at Best Western are generally basic, featuring grab-and-go items such as yogurt parfaits, premade breakfast sandwiches, and individually wrapped pastries and croissants.

Choice Hotels

Many Choice Hotels properties include free breakfast in their nightly rates. This benefit is available at brands such as:

  • Comfort Inn
  • Comfort Suites
  • Econo Lodge
  • Quality Inn
  • Sleep Inn

Typically, the breakfast provided is a hot buffet, including items like eggs, sausage or bacon, toast, waffles, and pastries. For example, Comfort Suites offers a hot buffet with these options.

Drury Hotels

All Drury Hotels properties offer complimentary breakfast to guests. Although Drury Hotels may not be a widely recognized name, it operates over 150 hotels across 26 states. The hotel types within this group include:

  • Drury Inn & Suites
  • Drury Plaza Hotel
  • Pear Tree Inn

Hilton

Several Hilton brands offer free breakfast, though availability can vary by location. The following Hilton brands are known for including breakfast:

  • Embassy Suites
  • Hampton
  • Home2 Suites
  • Homewood Suites

Breakfast offerings can differ significantly among these brands and locations. For instance, Embassy Suites may provide a cooked-to-order breakfast similar to what you’d find at a restaurant, while Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites typically offer a self-serve continental breakfast buffet.

Hyatt

As a World of Hyatt member booking directly through the Hyatt website, you can enjoy free breakfast at Hyatt Place hotels. If you hold Globalist elite status, you may receive Club lounge access or a complimentary daily breakfast (for up to two adults and two children) at participating locations.

Always check your hotel’s website for details on free breakfast availability, as this benefit may vary by location.

IHG

Most IHG hotel brands include free breakfast with each stay, regardless of how you book your room. These brands include:

  • Holiday Inn
  • Holiday Inn Express
  • Staybridge Suites

At Holiday Inn properties in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and some other locations, children aged 11 and under eat free with paid adults, covering breakfast as well as lunch or dinner. Additionally, Diamond Elite members of IHG One Rewards may receive a complimentary breakfast as part of their welcome amenity at select locations.

Marriott

Marriott offers free breakfast at more than 2,600 hotels across the U.S. Brands typically providing this benefit include:

  • Element
  • Fairfield Inn & Suites
  • Residence Inn
  • SpringHill Suites
  • TownePlace Suites

Free breakfast at Marriott locations can vary significantly. Most hotels provide a grab-and-go breakfast bar with items like waffles, yogurt, pastries, and fruit.

Radisson

Country Inn & Suites offers free breakfast to all guests, featuring essentials such as pastries, toast, fruit, and cereal. Other Radisson brands may offer free breakfast depending on the room booked, so check individual hotel policies when booking.

Wyndham

Wyndham’s family-friendly brands often include free breakfast. Hotels typically offering this benefit are:

  • Baymont by Wyndham
  • Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham
  • La Quinta by Wyndham
  • Days Inn by Wyndham (limited free breakfast item)
  • Howard Johnson by Wyndham (limited free breakfast item)
  • Microtel by Wyndham
  • Super 8 by Wyndham (limited free breakfast item)
  • Wingate by Wyndham

Some Wyndham properties offer a full breakfast buffet with options like waffles, cereal, coffee, juice, and eggs, while others provide a free breakfast item with coffee or juice.

Other ways to get free hotel breakfast

The simplest way to enjoy a free breakfast is to book a hotel that includes this meal for all guests. However, there are additional methods to secure complimentary hotel breakfast.

Earn elite status with a hotel brand

If you frequently travel and achieve elite status with your preferred hotel brand, you could enjoy complimentary breakfast or access to an executive lounge with breakfast and snacks. The benefits vary based on your elite status level and the hotel brands you frequent.

For example, World of Hyatt Globalist members receive club access or free breakfast at participating locations. Hilton Honors Gold and Diamond members can choose between a free continental breakfast or a daily food and beverage credit, depending on the brand and region.

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members and above can access lounges offering complimentary breakfast. Additionally, Platinum members and higher tiers may have the option to select free breakfast as a welcome amenity, although this benefit varies by hotel brand.

Pick up the right travel credit card

Most travel rewards credit cards don’t offer automatic elite status that includes free breakfast perks, but there is a notable exception: the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card*. This card grants automatic Hilton Diamond status, which provides access to executive lounges and complimentary breakfast at participating properties.

Book an all-inclusive resort

If you’re heading outside the U.S., especially to destinations like the Caribbean or Mexico, booking an all-inclusive resort can be a great choice. These resorts cover not only your breakfasts but also all your other meals, plus they often include activities and entertainment in the nightly rate. They can be more affordable than you might expect.

You can book an all-inclusive resort directly or through credit card travel portals such as Chase Travel or AmexTravel.com. Additionally, many of these resorts can be booked using points. For example, with a collection of World of Hyatt points, you can stay at properties like Hyatt Ziva and Zilara, Secrets Resorts and Spas, Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts, and more.

Utilize a portal that includes free breakfast

Lastly, consider booking your hotel stay through a portal that offers added benefits like free breakfast. For instance, with The Platinum Card® from American Express, you can use the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program, which provides daily breakfast for two, a room upgrade based on availability, free Wi-Fi, and more.

If you hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, the Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection from Chase offers similar perks, including daily breakfast for two, a unique property benefit worth up to $100, free Wi-Fi, and room upgrades based on availability.

With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you can explore the Capital One Premier Collection, which includes benefits such as a $100 experience credit, free breakfast for two, and a room upgrade based on availability.

Be sure to compare prices on these portals with other booking options, including directly through hotel websites. While credit card-affiliated luxury travel portals can offer competitive rates, they might not always be the best deal. To ensure you get the most value and truly “free” breakfast, take the time to run the numbers and compare all available options.

In Conclusion

Enjoying a free breakfast can greatly enhance the convenience of your travels, especially when traveling with kids. Before booking your next trip, seek out opportunities to secure free breakfast and other perks that can make your travel more comfortable and budget-friendly. Some benefits may come automatically with a top hotel credit card, while others can be found by comparing options and shopping around.