Reviewing hotels is part of my job, and I’ve had plenty of bad hotel breakfasts on my travels: runny eggs, cold cereal, and picked over muffins. We’ve all been there. Just because it’s included as part of the nightly rate doesn’t mean it’s worth eating. But some of my favorite breakfasts have also been at hotels — intimate boutique properties serving up homemade, gourmet meals. For most people, food is an important part of the travel experience, and these five properties — hand-selected by zzdtravel.com’s editorial team — succeed at putting a tasty spin on the most important meal of the day.

: This 29-room luxury property, tucked into the hillside of a 14-acre nature preserve, feels exclusive and private.

Sample Breakfast Items: Eggs Benedict with chive and citrus hollandaise; Costa Rican Breakfast with rice, beans, eggs, plantains, and tortilla wedges

This small, classic inn features Victorian-style rooms with four-poster beds, fireplaces, an flat-screen TVs.

Sample Breakfast Items: A three-course breakfasts might include fresh fruit, muffins, and blueberry pancakes with Maine maple syrup.

This romantic Victorian inn near Balboa Park has nine richly decorated rooms, butler service, and free wine and cheese in the parlor each evening.

Sample Breakfast Item: Croissant French toast topped with vanilla whipped cream, and served with Vermont maple sausage.

This historic home turned 10-room bed-and-breakfast is walking distance to the village of East Hampton, and offers lots of free goodies including charcuterie and fresh cookies.

Sample Breakfast Item: Lobster frittata with asparagus, creme fraiche, five onion marmalade, apple-wood smoked bacon, and half of a Montauk lobster

This historic Cape Cod inn has 16 elegant rooms with fireplaces and soaking tubs, and offers afternoon tea, evening snacks, sweet treats, and port or sherry in the library.

Sample Breakfast Item: Raspberry and cream cheese French toast

Kelsey Blodget is the Editorial Director for zzdtravel.com, and has managed the rapid growth of the site’s hotel review coverage. zzdtravel.com, a partner of the Travel Channel, visits, comprehensively photographs, critiques, and rates hotels.