Helpful response 11 Votes Not as beneficial Weekend and weekday breakfast accommodations varied slightly during the two breakfast stays I had. Waffles, oatmeal, cereal, eggs prepared in the style of an omelet, bacon or sausage, bagels, yogurt, fruit, hard-boiled eggs, pastries, coffee, tea, and juice. a year or more ago Issue with this response?
What is the difference between a complimentary breakfast and a continental one?
Breakfast: Continental, American, or English – Continental breakfasts typically do not include cooked foods and are lighter than the other two hotel breakfast options. American and English breakfasts include cooked eggs and some form of meat, but then diverge in terms of bread, sides, and beverages.
A continental breakfast is typically light, served buffet-style, and cold or at room temperature. American and English breakfasts are either served buffet-style or as ready-to-eat portions. Lastly, English and American breakfasts are heartier, more filling, and higher in calories than their counterparts in the United States.
A continental breakfast is highly customizable and can range from light to heaping. The majority of hotels offer a continental breakfast as their standard, with an English breakfast as an option. Now, let’s clarify all of these so that everyone knows what to expect when a hotel claims to have a certain style.
Free breakfast for Gold and Diamond elite members at Hilton hotels – The Hilton Honors website now boasts that Gold and Diamond status Hilton members receive complimentary breakfast at all Hilton hotels (until 2018, certain brands were excluded). This includes the hotels listed above (where everyone receives complimentary breakfast regardless of status) and the following brands (with the exception of Hilton Grand Vacations): Conrad Curio Hilton Garden Inn DoubleTree Hilton LXR Tapestry Collection The Waldorf-Astoria According to the Hilton elite status chart, Gold and Diamond members receive complimentary breakfast at all hotels.
- The terms of the Hilton Honors benefits are similarly explicit: Breakfast is complimentary at all hotels.
- Daily complimentary breakfast is available as a Member Benefit (at Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton and Tapestry Collection by Hilton properties) or as a brand amenity, with the exception of Hilton Grand Vacations.
When selected as a MyWay Benefit by a Gold or Diamond Member, complimentary continental breakfast is provided each day of the Member’s stay for the Member and up to one additional guest staying in the same room. Only the hotel’s designated restaurant and Executive Lounge serve breakfast.
At the hotel’s discretion or where breakfast is a brand amenity, the hotel may offer room service or a full breakfast. Let’s delve a bit deeper into the last paragraph. Hilton My Way Benefits permits members to choose their earning style and, for Gold and Diamond members, to select on-property benefits, such as complimentary breakfast, bonus points, or room upgrades, based on their preferences (depending on the brand).
Typically, Gold members must choose between breakfast and another amenity, whereas Diamond members receive breakfast and other amenities. Here is a summary of what you can expect from brands that do not offer complimentary breakfast to all guests: 
| Hilton Hotel Brand | Benefit for Hilton Gold Elite Status Members | Benefit for Hilton Diamond Elite Status Members |
|---|---|---|
| Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts | – Space-available upgrade to a preferred room – 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or a daily complimentary continental breakfast in the hotel’s designated restaurant for you and up to one additional guest registered to the same room each day of your stay | – Space-available upgrade to a preferred room – 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay – A daily continental breakfast in the hotel’s designated restaurant for you and up to one guest registered to the same room each day of your stay |
| Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Curio, DoubleTree, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Tapestry Collection | – Space-available upgrade to a preferred room – 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or a daily complimentary continental breakfast in the hotel’s designated restaurant for you and up to one additional guest registered to the same room each day of your stay | – Space-available upgrade to a preferred room – 1,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay – A complimentary continental breakfast for you and up to one guest registered to the same room each day of your stay – Executive Floor Lounge Access (available at select properties) |
| Hilton Garden Inn | – 750 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or a complimentary Hot Cooked-to-Order Breakfast for you and up to one additional guest registered to the same room each day of your stay | – 750 Hilton Honors Bonus Points per stay or a complimentary Hot Cooked-to-Order Breakfast for you and up to one guest registered to the same room each day of your stay |
However, this is not exactly how it works. Depending on the hotel, you may receive much more than a simple continental breakfast and instead have free access to a full (often expensive) hot breakfast buffet. When my family stayed at the Conrad Tokyo, we enjoyed one of the most luxurious hotel breakfasts we’ve ever had.
If I had paid cash, it would have cost $140 for the four of us (we all received a complimentary buffet breakfast with a la carte option), but it was complimentary due to my Gold status at the time. This eggs benedict at the Conrad Tokyo is the best (and most beautiful) I’ve ever had; breakfast is taken very seriously there.
(Photograph taken by Jasmin Baron) Unfortunately, the converse can also be true. For example, Hilton Hawaiian Village Gold and Diamond members are not offered a proper breakfast. You will instead receive a $10 per person (up to two guests per room) per night dining credit redeemable at select resort restaurants and bars.
- Not even enough to cover the cost of a continental breakfast.
- The last time I visited, my boyfriend and I pooled our hotel credits and splurged on a beachside restaurant dinner instead of a hotel breakfast.
- Enrollment required.
- How can you determine precisely what your status at a particular Hilton location entitles you to? Calling or emailing the hotel directly is your best bet; avoid calling the general Hilton reservation line, as the representatives may not be aware of recent changes.
In January of this year, the Waldorf Astoria Grand Wailea changed its breakfast policy from a $15 per person daily credit to a daily continental plate in the main restaurant. Beyond that, if you really want to know what is (and isn’t) included in your hotel breakfast, there is a comprehensive FlyerTalk master thread where actual guests report the breakfast they received as a Gold/Diamond member, type of breakfast (continental, hot, etc.), location (restaurant, lounge, etc.), quality, upcharge to full buffet, and more. 
Does the continental breakfast consist of pancakes?
Breads – Eggs, bacon, and toast may be included in a continental breakfast. Toast, doughnuts, pastries, croissants, and rolls are examples of bread products that may be included in a continental breakfast. Less likely to be included are pancakes or waffles, although toaster waffles may be provided. 
