Pro tip: Don't trust the 'free breakfast' listing on a hostel booking site
Last month in Lisbon, I booked a place that clearly said 'free breakfast included' on the site, but when I got there, the owner just pointed to a single-serve coffee machine and a basket of stale bread rolls. I had to spend an extra 15 euros a day just to get a real meal to start my day. Has anyone else run into this bait and switch lately?
Honestly, that sounds pretty standard for a hostel free breakfast. A coffee machine and some bread is what I've gotten almost everywhere in Europe. It's not a hotel buffet. Maybe just plan for a bigger lunch instead of getting upset over 15 euros.
My hostel in Prague last year had a single toaster for 40 people, it was pure chaos. I learned to just grab a coffee and hit a bakery down the street. You're right, it's just how it is over there.
Totally feel that toaster struggle, saw the same thing in Lisbon. Honestly just skip the free breakfast line and hit a grocery store the night before. Grab some yogurt and fruit, way cheaper than a cafe and you can eat in your room. Saves so much time and stress in the morning.
You know, I always got mad about those skimpy hostel breakfasts too. But your point about it being standard across Europe actually makes sense. I stayed in Berlin last month and it was the same thing, just coffee and stale rolls. I guess I was comparing it to the big free breakfasts you sometimes get in the US. Maybe I should just pack a protein bar and stop expecting so much.