If you believe the hype surround the NH hotels, you probably believe they have the best breakfast of any hotel chain in the world. So… do they?
I’ve been staying at the NH Collection EuroBuilding Hotel in Madrid and so far the answer is: kind of. It’s nearly impossible to say who has the best breakfast of any hotel brand. I certainly haven’t been to every hotel in the world and I doubt you have, either. That said, this is a damn good breakfast. It’s almost Vegas-style in the breadth and scope of what they offer.
Let’s focus first on their healthy offerings. Their “AntiOx” program provides a full range of healthy dining options. The most impressive of which may be the extensive juice selection where hotel guests can get their calories in liquid form with a variety of options. While at the hotel, the options included straight-up orange juice, apple juice, carrot juice, and peach juice in addition to the more complex melon and artichoke plus the super-charged carrot, apple, pear, and ginger. Lest you fear Tropicana, I’m happy to report this is all fresh squeezed and delicious.
There’s also a full range of cured meats from salmon to the iconic jamon iberico, cheese, cereals, fruit, a “pan con tomate” (bread with tomato) area, baked goods, prepared egg dishes, and a full omelet/egg station for whatever you desire. The prepared egg dishes don’t hold their temperature very well, so be wary of the tortillas but with the made-to-order omelet station available, why are you getting tortillas in the first place? On top of that, there are churros. So many churros. It’s a really nice spread, albeit one of a distinctly European variety. If you’re looking for the classic American tradition of chafing dishes full of eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns, you’d be hard-pressed to find that here (although they’re all available in some form or another).
Elaborate coffee machines are set up in various locations and a very wide variety of teas is also on offer. If you prefer plain water, there’s bottled water (both sparkling and flat) available for your drinking pleasure.
The bottom line? This is a GREAT breakfast. Saying it’s the best in the world or even in Europe is pure folly but at the same time, I’d find it hard to believe you could get this level of quality and selection at many other places. If you have the chance to stay at an NH (there are roughly seven billion of them in Spain alone and locations in 182 cities around the world) and consider yourself a breakfast person, it’s well worth a visit.
Breakfast is included in some room packages. If it’s not, you’re paying €18 (roughly $22.75) per person. Pricey, but worth it if it saves you a meal later in the day.
Other Madrid stories from Fly&Dine:
Trying to Speak the Language in a Foreign Country
Fly&Dine Photo Tour: Madrid Day One
Flight Food Review: American Airlines Economy JFK-MAD
Six Courses of Delicioso at NH Abascal Hotel Madrid
Thanks for the great breakfast buffet review, Jason. Mixed feelings about the form to begin with, (quantity vs. quality vs. variety) and the Eu18, (~$22.75) may be a stretch for breakfast. That said, if one makes it the day’s principal meal, WTF? Go for it. With a , the reference to ‘Vegas buffets is poor; even the good ones are known for volume, not quality and they have not been a ‘bargain’ for years. Based upon this review, would I eat this hotel buffet? Sixty to 75% chance of yes. What’s missing here? No matter how great the writing or the objectivity of the review, this is still a Food Porn site and pictures matter. The post did not include enough pictures. Best wishes and nice to know that your Madrid trip was a great experience. Darn good blog! -C.
Hi Cook — unfortunately the lighting of the buffet wasn’t great (as I’m sure you can tell), so I think I’d run into the same problem with the photos as you mention with the buffet — quality over quantity. It just wasn’t possible to get a great photo, so rather than post the bad ones I just stuck to the best I got.