What are floating breakfasts and why have they become so popular?

(CNN) – If you follow luxury resorts or influencers of travel on Instagram, chances are you’ve seen at least one “floating breakfast.”

In case you are not familiar with them, here is what you should know: they are the typical luxury hotel room service breakfasts, that is, toast, fruit, coffee and the like, served in a swimming pool or hot tub. whirlpool instead of in bed. They are usually placed in large colorful trays or baskets and adorned with bright tropical flowers to make them even more photogenic.

These breakfasts are especially popular in Asia-Pacific, especially in warm-weather private resorts in places like Thailand, Fiji and the Maldives.

Almost everyone agrees that the trend started in Bali, although there is no specific resort that is credited with being the first.

Although these breakfasts have become more common on resort menus in the last five years, the coronavirus pandemic It has made them more popular than ever, as hotel guests avoid common use buffets and restaurants.

“Over the past year, suite dining has become extremely popular, especially for those looking to feel at ease in the safety and comfort of their suite,” Jann Hess, CEO of Amanjiwo in Bali, tells CNN. Travel. “The floating breakfast is a very popular option.”

After all, floating breakfast needs a pool to float in, and a private pool is a much better option than a shared pool where a splashing child can make everything fall.

Beyond Instagram

While the gorgeous colors and spectacular plating of the floating breakfasts make them perfect for social media, asking people to jump into the pool before they are fully awake or have had caffeine seems like a potential recipe for disaster.

Are these breakfasts made just to be shared online and thrown away, or do people really enjoy eating them? James Booth, a Sydney-based reporter for DMarge.comHe admits that he wondered the same thing before trying one at a luxury resort in Bali in 2019.

As he tells CNN Travel, for him, the lush food worked better as a concept than in execution. Although Booth had previously scheduled a specific time for breakfast to arrive, he ended up falling asleep for about 20 minutes, meaning he had missed the optimal window to consume it.

“I realized that, being a humid environment, leaving breakfast outside might not be ideal,” he says.

Although the food was already getting cold, he was determined to snap an Instagram photo of the fancy montage before eating. The hotel staff had wisely placed the trays in a separate section of the pool, but he moved them to the larger area to set the scene.

That made the trays float in different directions and he, still with bulging eyes, tried to collect them all.

“I was too ashamed to ask for help,” he confesses, “so I spilled it all over the place. The coffee had some pool water in it and the bread was soggy. ‘

Still, Booth tries to blame himself and not the resort employees who organized the meal.

“I think it’s a bit violent to jump into the water first thing in the morning when you wake up,” he says.

If I were to repeat the experience again, I would make a couple of changes, like having my coffee first to be alert enough not to throw anything away and find a spot in the pool where you can sit down to eat instead of having to uncomfortably stand.

Float the idea

Floating breakfast has quickly become another luxury hotel service, such as afternoon tea or a welcome gift. Amid the pandemic, domestic travelers taking advantage of affordable stays have also embraced floating breakfasts.

Timo Kuenzli, CEO of Koh Samui’s Cape Fahn hotel with pool and villas, says that nearly 100% of his guests last year have asked for one.

“We see that the Asian market is more interested in capturing moments for Instagram than other markets,” he says.

As well as the photos being beautiful, they also serve as a free marketing tool – people view the breakfasts online, check the location tag, and then want to experience the experience for themselves when staying at Cape Fahn in the future.

And due to their growing presence, resorts have to keep upping the ante to make their offering stand out.

Bali’s Six Senses Uluwatu (pictured above) serves theirs in a red heart-shaped basket. The Anantara, on Koh Phangan, Thailand, has a floating “sunset sushi” experience. Cape Fahn is working on a floating tea time experience.

Regardless of your personal take on the merits of Instagram-centric hotel deals, it seems like these floating meals went from a fad to a mainstay. Of course, remember to have your coffee first.