In the last past few months MenStyleFashion has chosen the path of luxury lifestyle reviews. I have been part of many hotel reviews in London Belgium, Holland & Germany in the last month, and part of it was also reviewing the breakfasts. In all hotels I noticed that drinking bubbles for breakfast was available in every hotel. I am a person who loves to indulge in what I call the good life, and why not start the good life with a glass of bubbles in the morning, more about that later. Through my social media presence, I have been able to share my morning indulgences. However, all the bubbles look the same but here I am trying to give you a quick overview of what is out there on the breakfast table in hotels.
With a view like that for breakfast, you feel the need to drink bubbles. The Hotel Brussels
Sparkling Chardonnay from France – cheaper than Champagne but still tastes great – The Mainport Hotel Rotterdam
Cava Versus Champagne Versus Britagne
When I grew up in Australia, Champagne was such a luxury drink that we only drank it at special occasions like Italian weddings (I had many of those). Only when I moved to Europe was I introduced to other bubbles like the Spanish Cava. Cava is probably the most Champagne-like sparkling wine outside of France that uses different grape varieties than the Champagne ones.
Cava in Spain was modelled after Champagne in France. Cava uses mainly traditional, indigenous Spanish grapes; however, there are some examples with French grape varieties, such as Chardonnay. Let’s mostly assume, though, that Cava is a blend of native Spanish grape varieties. The other important point about Cava is that it is made using the Champagne Method. However, only producers in the Champagne region may use the term “Méthode Champenoise,” so in Spain it is known as the “Método Tradicional” or Traditional Method.
Britagne is an English sparkling wine pronounced Brit~an~ye. In this country, Britagne can only be made from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes, where second fermentation occurs in bottles and a number of other viticultural and wine-making techniques are rigorously adhered to. Such wines will accordingly be designated as being made under the ‘Méthode Britannique’.
First it is necessary to understand Champagne, since sparkling wine as we know it today is generally accepted to have been invented and perfected in Champagne, France. Most other sparkling wines in France and in other countries stem from French Champagne. True, “Champagne” only comes from the actual Champagne region in France and follows the traditional method for producing it, as well as the traditional grapes for making it. Cava is not “Champagne” and neither is California sparkling wine, even if it is called “Champagne.” What the Champagne region has done well is to make it exclusive and therefore more expensive. Spanish Cava, German Sekt or Italian Prosecco are all a lot cheaper to drink.
Cava with a view – Nhow Hotel Rotterdam
Massard Champagne
What Do Hotels Serve
I reviewed 14 four and five star hotels in the last month and I came to the following conclusion: only one of them served champagne. So the word champagne breakfast is not true in name but still kind of true in luxury. All German hotels reviewed are very proud of their own products, so Sekt was served here. Prosecco was not served in any of the hotels reviewed, with most other hotels opting for Cava or sparkling Chardonnay.
Why have hotels opted for you to consume Cava, Champagne or any bubbles as early as 6am anytime of the week? And you don’t have to have any reason for celebrating anything at all. I guess all hotels try to give you that luxury lifestyle experience and now, they also do so at breakfast.
Cava with a view. This bottle is in the mini bar and to be drunk whilst enjoying the view from your private Jacuzzi – Mainport hotel Rotterdam.
Social Media
As part of the hotel reviews, I did share some hotel and breakfast experiences via social media. I used Twitter, Facebook and Instagram mainly, but lately I have been using Periscope. Periscope is simply a live broadcasting service for your mobile, where you can share the world through someone else’s eyes. I have only been using Periscope on a few relevant occasions to see how much engagement I am getting in the world of reviewing luxury lifestyle experiences. I am not living the luxury lifestyle myself on a daily basis, but through my reviews, it allows me to show you how the other half live. Through Periscope, I showed the luxury breakfasts and what hotels were offering for breakfasts. As part of that luxury feeling, I always had a glass of Cava, Champagne or other bubbles on my table. The reactions on social media I was received were was simply why today, the world of luxury remains very intimidating.
Truth Revealed
However, when I watched back through my periscope videos, it occurred to me that no one else was indulging in Cava or the equivalent. And I realised that I was not even enjoying it that much for breakfast. Was I just pretending that I had to drink this as part of living luxuriously? Maybe others don’t drink it because it is more something that’s used for brunch and not breakfast. Who drinks alcohol at 7 or 8 AM in the morning anyway? Or maybe it is still something that is used for special occasions, like on your honeymoon? Or maybe the cheaper equivalents of Cava and Sekt have taken away that exclusivity. I don’t know.
What I do know is that in my next hotel reviews, it will have to be a special occasion for me to have bubbles for breakfast. As for people that are intimidated, depending on the country you live in, bubbles can be reasonably cheap, €5 to €10 where I live. Use a special occasion to make breakfast for your loved one and enjoy that moment. As for hotel breakfast trends, my conclusion is that hardly anyone is drinking bubbles.
Hotel reviews – Das Stue Berlin
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