Because we are foodies, we love to eat out when we travel. It’s fun to try all the local foods and unique cooking styles. But dining out for every meal can get expensive, so we sometimes have a meal or two at the hotel. This allows us to save a bit of cash by taking advantage of Free Breakfasts, Food and Beverage Credits, Happy Hours, or other fun hotel Dining Specials like Tacos and Tequila night. We also keep some food in the hotel room for a quick snack.
Eating in the Room
These days, most hotels have a refrigerator which is great for keeping some food and beverages on hand. If we will be staying at least 3 days in a hotel, I look for a room that has a fridge or a kitchenette. Before checking in, we plan a quick stop at a local grocery store or farmers market to pick up some provisions for the room. We especially love having lots of unique local fruit when we are in places like Hawaii!
Our quick grocery trip usually runs between $50 and $100 depending on the length of our stay and how much time we plan to be at the hotel. Sometimes, we have tons of activities planned and are rarely in the room or on the hotel property. We spend more time at the hotel when our vacation is centered around utilizing the on-site amenities.
Sample Shopping List
- Easy fruit like grapes, bananas, or something local that is in season
- Meat, cheese, or prepackaged charcuterie from the Deli
- A bag of salty snacks like chips or popcorn
- Single-serving granola bars or trail mix packs for a quick grab-and-go
- A package of cookies from the bakery
- Local beer for my Hubby
- 1 bottle of bubbles and/or wine for me
- Flavored sparkling water
A basic 12 oz beer (like a Miller Lite) costs $8-$10 at most hotels. My husband prefers to drink local craft beer which he can usually pick up from the store at a good price. We still order some drinks from the hotel at the pool, the beach, or if we are dining on-site.
On our trip to Florida, I splurged for a wine glass at Dollar Tree because I’m boujie and prefer to drink wine out of a real wine glass.
Seasonal Treats and Local Fare
In addition to a stop at the grocery store or farmers market, we also seek out local delicacies like these freshly caught stone crab claws. They are usually in season when we visit the Florida Keys. We get them early in the morning at Key Largo Fisheries just after they arrive on the docks. Not only will they crack them and place them in a plastic bag for us, but they will also put them in an insulated bag (purchased there for $3) and fill that bag with ice for transportation. No other preparation is needed to eat them, so it is super easy to enjoy them for lunch back at our hotel.
We really look forward to getting these fresh local delicacies. We stored the whole bag of crab claws on more ice in the kitchenette sink along with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc until we were ready to have them for lunch a few hours later. They were such a delicious part of the ocean-view picnic lunch we enjoyed on our hotel balcony!
Many times after a delicious dinner we are simply too full for dessert. I have gotten in the habit of ordering a dessert to go so that we can share it later when we are back in our room.
We also stop at places like the Key Lime Pie Factory or places that offer local specialty desserts or unique flavors. Generally, we try some goodies there but we also take some back to the hotel for later. We don’t want to miss out on all those yummy treats.
Final Thoughts
We enjoy plenty of delicious meals at local eateries when we travel but there are so many reasons for keeping a little food on hand in our hotel room.
My hubby is always snacky when we are on vacation so having a few things in our room keeps him from getting hangry! It’s also nice to have some drinks and snacks on hand if we will be spending an entire day enjoying the amenities on the hotel property. On a beach or pool day, we like to take a break and come in from the sun to have a bite to eat and a cool beverage (and maybe a nap, lol).
Sometimes we have a busy itinerary and find ourselves caught in a long stretch between meals so we just need a nibble to tide us over. I also like to relax on the balcony with a glass of wine and enjoy the view or a book.
Do you keep snacks in your room when staying at a hotel?
The World According to Dev 