Ticking "breakfast included" without thinking about it — or unticking it to save money — can both be the wrong move. The right answer is a simple calculation that you can do in two minutes before you hit confirm.
What the Rate Codes Actually Mean
Hotel rate types are standardised across booking platforms. Worth knowing once:
- RO (Room Only) — accommodation only. No meals included. You eat wherever you like.
- BB (Bed & Breakfast) — room plus breakfast. The most common meal-inclusive rate in European and city hotels. Lunch and dinner are not included.
- HB (Half Board) — breakfast and dinner included. Common at resort hotels, particularly in Europe.
- FB (Full Board) — all three meals per day.
- AI (All-Inclusive) — meals and most drinks without restriction.
For most city hotel bookings, the real decision is between RO and BB. Everything that follows is about that choice.
The Core Calculation: Is BB Worth It at This Hotel?
There is only one reliable way to know: compare the cost of the BB add-on with the actual price of breakfast at that hotel.
Here's how to do it. Find the hotel's à la carte breakfast price — usually on their website's restaurant page, or a quick call to the front desk. Then divide the BB-to-RO price difference by the number of guests and nights. If your per-person BB premium is lower than the à la carte price, BB saves you money. If it's higher, you're paying over the odds — eat nearby or skip breakfast.
In most 3–4 star city hotels in Western Europe, the BB add-on runs €10–18 per person per night, while the same breakfast ordered at the hotel's restaurant costs €18–28. In that range, BB is almost always the better value.
When Breakfast Included Is Almost Always Worth It
City Centre Hotels in Tourist Areas
In central London, Paris, Rome, or any major tourist city, the cafés near your hotel are tourist cafés with tourist prices. Breakfast for two at a pedestrian-zone restaurant easily runs £25–40 — often with mediocre food and long waits. The BB add-on at the same hotel is usually less than half that, with the added bonus of not having to go anywhere.
For business travel and itinerary-heavy trips, the time savings matter too. Starting the day with breakfast already sorted means 20–30 extra minutes of productive morning — at the hotel rather than hunting for somewhere with a free table.
Early Departures and Packed Schedules
If you have an early flight or a full-day tour starting at 8am, hotel breakfast is often the only practical option. Airport food at those hours is expensive and unreliable. If your day is starting before the city's cafés open, BB is functionally necessary.
Families with Young Children
Finding a restaurant with children, walking there, waiting for a table, managing the menu, and paying — all before 9am — is its own kind of challenge. A hotel buffet where kids can pick their own food, with no waiting and no bill to settle, removes that pressure entirely. For families with children under ten, BB is often worth paying for purely on the basis of morning logistics.
Long Stays (7+ Nights)
On longer trips, the daily question of "where are we going for breakfast?" becomes repetitive. BB removes one decision from every morning — which adds up across a week or two. For extended work trips or slow travel where routine matters, having breakfast handled is a genuine quality-of-life improvement.
When Room Only Is the Better Choice
Destinations with Cheap Local Food
Southeast Asia, Turkey, Georgia, Vietnam, Mexico — places where street food and neighbourhood cafés are both excellent and very inexpensive. In Bali, a full breakfast at a local warung costs around €1.50–2. In Bangkok, a full morning meal from a street vendor is less than €2. The hotel's BB rate is almost certainly going to cost more than these options, and the local food is often better. In these destinations, RO is usually the smart call.
Late Risers
Most hotel breakfasts end at 10 or 10:30am. If you typically sleep until 10 or later on holiday, you may simply not be using the breakfast you're paying for. A quick check of your own holiday routine is worth it: if "early morning" means 11am to you, BB is a cost you won't recover.
Food-Focused Travel
If the reason you're travelling is the food — specific restaurants, local markets, particular dishes — hotel breakfast actively gets in the way. Arriving at lunch slightly full from a buffet is not the start you want before a serious restaurant booking. Food travellers often book RO deliberately, starting the day at a local café or market rather than a hotel dining room.
Apartments and Aparthotels with Kitchens
If you have a kitchen in your accommodation, BB isn't usually offered or adds minimal value. Supermarket shopping for breakfast supplies costs a fraction of hotel rates and gives you more flexibility. For families on longer trips, self-catering breakfast is almost always the most economical option.
BB vs RO: Choosing by Situation
| Situation | BB (Breakfast Included) | RO (Room Only) |
|---|---|---|
| City centre hotel, expensive nearby cafés | ✓ Usually cheaper | ✗ Overpaying outside |
| Resort destination, cheap local food | ✗ Probably overpriced | ✓ More flexible and cheaper |
| Early flight or busy morning schedule | ✓ More convenient | ✗ Morning logistics problem |
| Late riser (sleeping past 10:30am) | ✗ You won't use it | ✓ Right call |
| Family with young children | ✓ Removes morning hassle | ✗ Extra complexity |
| Food-focused or gastronomic trip | ✗ Interferes with appetite | ✓ Freedom to start local |
| Apartment with kitchen | ~ Usually not offered | ✓ Self-cater instead |
| Business travel (company-paid) | ✓ Convenience over cost | ~ Depends on policy |
One More Variable: Breakfast Quality
The gap between breakfast at a budget hotel and a four-star property can be enormous. A good hotel breakfast — multiple hot dishes, fresh pastries, quality coffee, seasonal fruit — can be genuinely excellent. A bad one is a plastic-wrapped croissant and watery orange juice from a carton. The price is similar, the experience is not.
Before booking, check recent reviews specifically about breakfast. Booking platforms and TripAdvisor usually have guests commenting directly on breakfast quality and variety. Three minutes of reading can tell you whether the BB rate is worth it at a specific property, rather than just in theory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does BB mean in a hotel?
BB stands for Bed & Breakfast — a hotel rate that includes your room and one breakfast per person per night. Lunch and dinner are not included and must be paid for separately. It's the most common meal-inclusive rate in European city hotels.
Is hotel breakfast worth paying for?
It depends on the destination and your travel style. In city centres where nearby cafés are expensive, BB usually saves money and time. In destinations with cheap, good local food nearby — or if you tend to sleep past breakfast hours — room only (RO) is often the better deal. The quickest test: compare the BB add-on per person to the à la carte breakfast price at the same hotel.
How do I know if breakfast is a good deal at a specific hotel?
Check the hotel's à la carte breakfast price on their website or by calling ahead. Divide the BB-to-RO price difference by the number of guests and nights. If the per-person BB add-on is lower than what you'd pay ordering breakfast at the hotel's restaurant, BB is the better value. If it's higher, book RO and eat where you prefer.
Find Hotels with the Rate That Works for You
Search rivento.online to compare BB and RO rates side by side — so you can choose exactly the meal plan that fits your trip and your budget.