NEW YORK, NY — Upscale boutique hospitality group Urban Oasis Collection has eliminated its traditional complimentary breakfast buffet in favor of what it calls an “experiential morning culinary adventure” — essentially a scavenger hunt where hungry guests search for their morning meal throughout the hotel premises.
The innovative breakfast concept, launching across their 37 properties nationwide, provides guests with a mobile app-based map and cryptic clues leading to food stations hidden in unexpected locations, including stairwells, maintenance closets, and behind potted plants in the lobby.
“Today’s luxury travelers aren’t just seeking nourishment—they’re seeking memorable experiences,” explained Sophia Reynolds, Urban Oasis’s Director of Guest Engagement. “Nothing creates a lasting memory quite like hunting for coffee while severely under-caffeinated.”
The program replaces the standard continental breakfast spread that previously cost the chain approximately $12 per guest. Urban Oasis reports that the scavenger hunt format has reduced food waste by 73% while allowing them to implement a new “breakfast recovery fee” of $29.95.
Hotel industry analysts note this development follows other recent amenity modifications across the sector, including limited housekeeping services, reduced front desk staffing, and minimalist room designs marketed as “mindful luxury.”
Early guest feedback has been mixed. “I spent 45 minutes searching for protein options before finding a single hard-boiled egg behind a fire extinguisher,” reported business traveler Janet Moore. “But my Fitbit recorded 3,000 extra steps, so I guess that’s something.”
Competing boutique brands are reportedly monitoring the concept’s reception, with one luxury hotel group already testing a “DIY Turndown Service Treasure Hunt” where exhausted guests search for their pillows after a long day of travel.