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Review: what it’s like to have breakfast at Tiffany’s

What is it like to have breakfast at Tiffany’s? We find out if dining at the iconic store is worth the hype.

If you’ve ever wanted to channel your inner Audrey Hepburn and recreate Breakfast at Tiffany’s, now you can, with the recent launch of Tiffany & Co’s Blue Box Cafe at its flagship Fifth Avenue store in midtown Manhattan.

 

But don’t be like Holly Golightly, on the outside looking in. To score a reservation at the uber popular 40-seat cafe you’ll need to book online via Resy 30 days in advance, and be poised to book once the booking window opens up 9am New York time; tables are snatched up within minutes. If you miss out, you can request to be notified when a table becomes available, but you’ll need to monitor your email notifications like a hawk to secure a booking.

 

So with a little pre-planning you’re in! But is it worth the hype?

 

Arriving at the iconic store, you’re whisked up to the fourth floor by the most charming elevator operators. It feels like a throwback to a bygone era, like when the movie made its debut in 1961, and adds to the sense of grandeur.

 

If you’ve always dreamed of living like Audrey Hepburn, you’re in luck

Weave your way through the tempting selection of Tiffany’s new luxury home and accessories collection and arrive at Tiffany’s first ever dining concept – the Blue Box Cafe. It occupies just one small corner of the floor, making it an exclusive event.

 

The cafe is a sea of Tiffany’s signature blue: from the walls, chairs, banquette seating to the bone china and elegant salt and pepper shakers, and it’s heavenly for any Tiffany & Co. fan.

 

We’ve scored a table for the first sitting of the day, 10.15am – just after the store opens. We’re delighted to learn that despite the strict allocated arrival time when booking, there is no rush to leave; instead you can savour the experience at your leisure.

 

The Blue Box Cafe is a jewel of a restaurant with a beautiful view of Central Park

Better still, you can decide on the day whether you’d like to choose from the breakfast, lunch or high tea menu. The prix fixe menu starts at $44 for a two-course breakfast including your choice of tea or coffee. Two-course lunch is $58 and Tiffany Tea is $71.

 

Opting for the breakfast menu, the first course arrives featuring seasonal berries and croissants served with whipped honey butter, sour cherry-cranberry jam and classic Nutella. It’s the perfect start and is a nostalgic nod to Holly Golightly nibbling her croissant at Tiffany’s all those years ago.

 

Our second course is an American favourite reimagined by Tiffany: smoked salmon and bagel stack with cream cheese smear, beefsteak tomato, red onion and capers. The bagel is sliced as wafer-thin crisps making for an elegant rather than filling breakfast. Other breakfast options included coddled eggs, avocado toast or buttermilk waffles.

 

Marble walls are a welcome addition

If you’ve left room for a sweet treat, order the Blue Box Celebration Cake, a recreation of the iconic Tiffany box in chocolate and Grand Marnier and smothered in Tiffany Blue fondant. There’s a further selection of desserts, plus a range of teas, wine and bubbles on the menu.

 

Service exudes quality and sophistication and staff seemingly glide around the room – all helping to create a relaxed and unhurried dining experience.

 

Believe the hype, breakfast at Tiffany’s is a quintessential New York experience and should be added to your must-do list when travelling to the Big Apple.

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Sally Scott
Sally Scott is a seasoned travel writer based on Bundjalung County (Northern Rivers) who knows a thing or two about luxe holidays. Whether it's road tripping regional Australia or jetting off on an overseas sojourn, Sally seeks out unique experiences to find the most fabulous places to eat, sip and stay to share with readers.
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5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.