14 Hotels With The Best Room Service Foods In The U.S., According To Industry Experts
There's nothing quite like waking up late in a beautiful hotel room, leisurely lounging about, and ordering all the room service you can eat before heading out for a day of exploring. Likewise, there's something to be said for ordering room service no matter how late the hour following a night out in town and soaking up your libations with the delicious meal of your choice.
However, there's one thing that can turn the above from amazing to atrocious, and that's bad room service. The food arrives lukewarm. It tastes like it was cooked from frozen. You could get something better by ordering DoorDash. On the flip side, a remarkable room service meal is worth raving about. It's Instagram-worthy and as delicious as anything you'll find at a restaurant elsewhere. You might just find yourself skipping those dinner reservations and ordering room service instead.
So where can you go to find more of the latter and less of the former? We asked industry experts, such as travel agents and those in the hotel business, and relied on yours truly's near-decade of experience as a travel writer to determine the 14 hotels with some of the best and most unique room service options in the U.S. Keep reading to get inspired for your next foodie vacation and get full details regarding our methodology at the end of this article.
1. Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills in Beverly Hills, California
(310) 860-6666
9850 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Nothing short of ultra-luxurious, the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills was the top pick for the Hilton corporate team when asked about the best Hilton hotels in the country for an amazing room service meal — and that's saying something, considering that Hilton has more than 7,000 properties worldwide.
Guests can order room service, which is available 24 hours per day, via an in-room iPad — scratch the traditional method of buzzing the guestroom telephone. The in-room dining affair is even better if you're staying in a premium suite. You get to pick from a wealth of internationally-inspired menu options — think French, Moroccan, Italian, Mediterranean, and more — that the culinary team prepares right on your suite's terrace while a mixologist puts together a few drinks to go along with the meal. The hotel's director of food and beverage, Steve Benjamin, called the in-suite dining experience "a full culinary showcase" and "a testament to our commitment to continually provide one-of-a-kind experiences."
2. Pebble Beach Resorts in Pebble Beach, California
(800) 877-0597
17-Mile Dr, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
If you like the idea of a California getaway but are more interested in world-class, championship golfing than celeb sightings in Beverly Hills, Pebble Beach Resorts is an opulent destination on the state's Monterey Peninsula that delivers. The resort offers multiple accommodation options, and where you stay will dictate what kind of room service you can expect.
If you stay in the resort's Fairway One Cottages, you can order from an Enhancement Menu that includes indulgent options ranging from caviar to high tea. On the other hand, the resort's Casa Palmero provides options that are slightly more healthful than indulgent, with grandeur still at the forefront. You'll automatically get a healthful breakfast basket delivered to your room every morning, for example. Whether you're staying at Casa Palmero, The Lodge at Pebble Beach, or The Inn at Spanish Bay, you can order room service 24/7 and will find many menu items from the resort's more than a dozen restaurants.
3. Swissotel Chicago in Chicago, Illinois
(312) 565-0565
323 E Upper Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601
Yes, room service menus often feature decadent late-night delights or diner-esque offerings that you crave in the late mornings of a vacation, but some hotels offer alternatives to guests. Such is the case if you stay in the downtown Swissotel Chicago, and more specifically in the property's spacious Vitality suite.
With five rooms and more than 1,700 square feet, the suite overlooks Lake Michigan and the city for amazing views, but they're hardly the main attraction. Here, your wellness comes first, and that's the case when it comes to the in-room dining as well. Room service menus feature smoothies, salads, and the like. In addition, guests also get a pillow menu, so you can pick your perfect fit for a better night's sleep. Forgot your pajamas at home? The suite also comes with a luxe sleepwear set.
4. Timbers Kaua'i in Hokuala, Hawai'i
(844) 440-7572
3770 Ala'oli Way, Hōkūala, HI 96766
Timbers Kaua'i sits on a 450-acre resort and offers near-endless Hawaiian magnificence: golf courses with expansive views of the water, oceanfront meals, and access to some of the islands' best activities, from snorkeling to hiking. Uniquely, Timbers Kaua'i is also home to its very own on-property organic farm, which you can tour and even help harvest the produce! This farm offers a non-traditional and personalized room service with farm produce boxes and pre-arrival grocery delivered to guests; it really doesn't get any fresher or more farm-to-table than this. What's better? The property infuses its fresh food approach with a cultural element via canoe crops, also known as canoe plants. They refer to the handful of historic crops introduced to the islands by its very first residents.
The hotel's general manager, Chris Gampon, told us, "Here at Timbers Kaua'i, we are in the unique position to have our own 16.5-acre organic farm and orchard on-site that can provide guests with hyper-locally sourced seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as traditional canoe crops, directly in-residence prior to arrival or at any time during their stay. These canoe crops offer our guests a unique opportunity to immerse themselves into local culture through gastronomy."
5. Grand Hyatt Vail in Vail, Colorado
(970) 476-1234
1300 Westhaven Dr, Vail, CO 81657
If you're dreaming of a ski getaway rather than a Hawaiian escape, Grand Hyatt Vail has you covered. The extravagant ski-in, ski-out property offers a seasonal and locally inspired room service menu that includes cocktails from its Gessner Restaurant and Bar. The eatery takes a Colorado-inspired approach to its offerings, such as robust entrées like a 10-ounce bison ribeye or a bone-in elk chop. Though the room service menu is more limited than the restaurant's, favorite items include the locally sourced bison chili, locally-grown Colorado wedge salad, and pear-shaped mousse.
Pascal Coudouy, Grand Hyatt Vail's executive chef, shared with us, "At Grand Hyatt Vail, we take our guests on a culinary adventure with fresh and seasonal cuisine sourced from the finest local ingredients, whether that is at our contemporary Gessner steakhouse or in the comfort of guests' rooms. Our room service menu is unique, going above and beyond the typical, simplistic in-room offering and providing artfully crafted Colorado-inspired entrées executed to the same perfection as in our dining room."
6. Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri
(800) 225-6343
190 Top of the Rock Rd, Ridgedale, MO 65739
In the Ozarks, Big Cedar Lodge proudly touts the nickname "Disneyland of the Outdoors." The lakeside lodge offers plenty to do for outdoorsy people — be it on the water or in the woods. For those who prefer something a little closer to civilization, golfing, spa services, and, of course, great feasting await.
Big Cedar Lodge offers some standalone accommodations fitted with kitchens and grills, and guests staying there can order a unique room service option: Backyard Baskets, a picnic-like basket filled to the brim with everything you need to whip up a delicious meal in your cabin or cottage. For example, the Ozark Picnic Basket comes with ingredients that would make fried chicken, home-style potato salad, cornbread, baked beans, cornbread, and peach cobbler. There are a variety of baskets to choose from at different points: The most expensive is the Mixed Grill Family Basket, which includes 28-day aged filet, pork chops, salmon or all-natural chicken breast, and more for $58 per guest. Fret not: Those who don't have a kitchen or grill set up in their rooms can still order room service that doesn't require cooking.
7. Espacio, the Jewel of Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii
(844) 672-0799
2452 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815
This hotel is incredibly exclusive and private. It's made up of just a small number of suites, and each suite takes up a full floor in the hotel. As you could expect, then, the in-suite dining is just as VIP-worthy as the property itself. For example, the hotel offers Hawaii's only private, in-room kaiseki experience. Traditional Japanese kaiseki is an intricate, multi-course meal, and at Espacio, the meal is put together by the chef in the suite's open kitchen so guests can watch him at work. The chef in question is the award-winning chef Mamoru Tatemori, and the personalized menu is nine courses, with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients at the forefront. Items you might expect include bluefin tuna served shabu shabu-style or cooked with uni and served over rice in a traditional donabe clay pot.
Hungry for something else? The on-site restaurant, Mugen, has claimed Forbes' five-star rating and offers a highly touted breakfast selection, with food like lobster eggs Benedict and Miyazaki A5 wagyu.
8. Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection in Calistoga, California
Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection
(707) 226-0800
755 Silverado Trl N, Calistoga, CA 94515
Napa Valley's Solage — an Auberge Resorts Collection property — offers internationally inspired menus highlighting regional ingredients at its restaurants, so it's no wonder that its room service has a one-of-a-kind offering that takes inspiration from Paris — or more specifically, Parisian restaurant Caviar Kaspia, founded in 1927. Its partnership with Solage brings about a caviar concierge service and a caviar-infused menu helmed by the hotel's executive chef, Gustavo Rios, and the Caviar Kaspia team. Think traditional room service options, but with a caviar upgrade — like avocado toast with whipped avocado, nuts, seeds, and caviar or chips and dip with onion crème fraîche and caviar.
"Solage is known for its luxurious yet playful hospitality, boasting culinary excellence that transcends from casual indulgence to refined dining," Rios said. "Complementing these exceptional offerings, the caviar concierge enhances the guest experience, ensuring a unique, entertaining, and elevated room service effortlessly delivered with a single phone call."
9. Four Seasons Hotel Boston in Boston, Massachusetts
(617) 338-4400
200 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116
Four Seasons Hotel Boston is the city's longest-standing Forbes five-star hotel in the city, but just because this property has historic appeal, that doesn't mean it's stuck in the past. Guests staying at the hotel get to enjoy a new and super-convenient room service option that utilizes the Four Seasons app. There, they can place complimentary — yep, it's free — custom coffee orders for room service delivery from the hotel's gourmet coffee bar, Sottovento.
"We believe in providing a seamless stay with special touches that positively impact the comfort and convenience of our guests as they go about their day. A perfect cup of coffee served exactly the way the guest prefers is a standard here — and we are delighted to do so with our compliments. For guests who wish to enjoy coffee in-room, their order is just a click away through the Four Seasons mobile app, and a Coffee Concierge will deliver beverages directly to the room," said the hotel's director of creative, Jim Peters.
10. Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Arizona
(928) 282-2900
525 Boynton Canyon Rd, Sedona, AZ 86336
When asked about her favorite hotels for great room service, travel agent Tamara Lidbom with Anytime Travel Agency named Enchantment Resort in Sedona. She noted, "[It] is amazing. They go above and beyond. They have unique accommodations. The cuisine here is seasonal and exquisite, and no matter where you are — in a restaurant or in your room — the view's breathtaking!"
The property, with its wilderness surroundings, southwestern flair, and ample opportunities for outdoor adventures like expert-led private guided tours of the Grand Canyon, offers a robust room service menu, with breakfast starting as early as 6:30 a.m. and dinner and dessert orders wrapping up as late as 11 p.m. You can start your day fueling up on smoothies, huevos rancheros, and a breakfast burrito, then end your day nomming on southwestern eats like tacos or a steak served with Spanish rice, beans, and guac. Don't forget dessert, too, like the unique goat's milk cheesecake, served with a prickly pear coulis.
11. Civana Wellness Resort & Spa in Carefree, Arizona
(480) 653-9000
37220 Mule Train Rd, Carefree, AZ 85377
Amidst the Sonoran Desert, this resort will truly make you feel carefree with over 20-plus acres. Here, health and wellness are at the forefront, and that ethos shines through in its on-site and in-room dining options. According to Tamara Lidbom, "Civana Wellness Resort in Carefree, Arizona, takes health and wellness to new levels. The executive chef and his team's culinary philosophy is born from the belief that true health is grounded in nature. Food is seasonal and comes from the best local farmers and artisan growers. The herbs [and] greens are grown right on-site in their garden!"
As could be expected from a resort that intends to help you leave feeling better than when you arrived, the property's restaurants are more than capable of catering to a range of dietary needs, including gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian, vegan, anti-inflammatory, and more.
12. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i
(808) 325-8000
72-100 Ka'upulehu Dr, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
This luxurious Four Seasons outpost puts you within easy access to gorgeous beaches and natural wonders but also lots of historic and cultural interest spots. Whatever your reason for staying here, you'll find that this resort can easily cater to your healthy eating needs — plus more.
Lighthouse Travel's luxury travel advisor and Hawai'i travel expert Marilyn Clark said, "Wellness travel is at an all-time high and Hawai'i has always been known as a top wellness destination. One of the best in-room services offered in Hawai'i is available to specialty suite guests at the Four Seasons Hualalai. A dedicated concierge team will create a personalized in-suite experience for your entire stay that immerses you in an all-encompassing wellness program based on the Hawaiian culture and healing modalities."
However, whether you're a suite guest or not, the property offers in-room dining 24/7, and you can even order a picnic lunch to take out on the go if you'd like to enjoy it elsewhere.
13. Cavallo Point in Sausalito, California
(415) 787-4717
601 Murray Cir, Sausalito, CA 94965
Cavallo Point is in Sausalito, but it might as well be in San Francisco. The property is known as "the Lodge at the Golden Gate," after all. Here, you can order a trending room service delight: an in-room bartender perfect for those who are not in the mood to go out, according to Marilyn Clark. She said, "A bartender will come to your room and mix your favorite drinks, as well as leave enough ingredients for you to mix more yourself or return to make more when you request them. Order something tasty off their exceptional room service menus, and you're in for a relaxing evening."
The in-room dining menu at the lodge takes a farm-to-fork approach, and you can order any time, with limited options available between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The in-room custom cocktail package that Clark mentions starts at $75, and you can order a range of classic cocktails, such as vodka martinis or gin and tonics. Otherwise, the food menu ranges from oysters on the half shell to soups and sandwiches, seafood, and steak. There's also a room service menu for dogs, with items like organic shredded chicken and dehydrated chicken livers.
14. The Newbury Boston in Boston, Massachusetts
(617) 536-5700
1 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116
The Newbury Boston in the Back Bay is both luxurious and accessibly modern, promising that its in-room dining is a cut above its competitors. The hotel's managing director, Carlos Bueno, shared, "The Newbury Boston partnered with Major Food Group (MFG) to curate all of our food and beverage experiences, including our personal dining menu. Given their focus on dynamic restaurant experiences, we've been able to elevate each personal dining dish to be on par with an experience a guest would have at an MFG restaurant rather than a traditional room service experience. This provides our guests with the freedom to choose a more private dining experience without compromising their epicurean experience."
So what can you expect on the 24-hour personal dining menu? How about both classic and upgraded breakfast options, like lobster Benedict and thick-cut challah french toast? Later in the day, try the hotel's signature spicy pink lobster chowder or the house meatballs. An overnight menu pares the selections but still offers craveable items like Bolognese, burgers, and a chicken parm hero.
15. Methodology
We compiled our list of hotels with the best room service foods in the U.S. by interviewing industry experts, including travel agents, corporate professionals working with household name hospitality brands, and public relations representatives specializing in travel. Additionally, the author relied on her eight-plus years of working as both a freelance travel writer and staff editor at major travel publications.