In this post I wanted to talk about something I’m very passionate about — good coffee. Since I travel all the time, am constantly jetlagged, and am an early riser, I’m going to keep this focused on the core of the blog, and talk specifically about good airline and hotel coffee (which on the surface seems like an oxymoron, since you’ll usually get the best coffee at local cafes).
But there’s such massive variance in terms of quality when it comes to airline and hotel coffee, so I think it’s not a bad topic to discuss.
Let me note upfront that I don’t claim to be an expert on coffee, and I suspect a lot of people will strongly disagree with my preferences, and they’re every bit as right as I am (or maybe even more).
Still, I’ll share what makes me happy with airline and hotel coffee, and then I’m curious to hear what you guys think, or if you even care about coffee when traveling.
For Me Coffee Is Ritualistic
For me the importance of coffee goes way beyond caffeine — for me drinking coffee is ritualistic.
When I’m at home, my most productive hour is the very first one, where I’m sitting at my desk with a cup of coffee next to me. There’s just something about the experience that I look forward to every day. Often it’s the little things in life that make us happy, and my morning coffee ritual is one of those things.
Is it logical? Probably not. But it’s something I care about way more than I should.
Coffee Is Even More Important When Traveling
My morning coffee makes me so happy at home, but in my opinion it’s even more important when traveling.
First of all, to me there’s all the more need for coffee when on the road and jetlagged. I’m a very early riser no matter where in the world I am, so the value of that first cup of coffee is all the greater when it’s 5AM in a new environment.
Second of all, it can often be tough to be productive when the road, and like I said above, coffee is ritualistic to me. Having a cup of coffee next to me somehow puts me in theĀ mindset to work and be super productive.
Whether I’m waking up in a hotel or am waking up on a plane, I look forward to that first cup of coffee.
Yeah, it really is that important to me… maybe this blog should actually be called One Cup at a Time?
A Little Bit Of Coffee Effort Goes A Long Way
That gets me to the main point of this post. I’ve long argued that hospitality happens at the margins. Often it’s the little things that stand out to me most about a hotel stay or flight.
For me coffee is one of those things. If an airline or hotel has a really great coffee experience, that’s very likely going to be one of the first things that comes to mind when I think about the airline or hotel.
So, what actually impresses me?
What I Look For In Hotel Coffee
For me hotel coffee is about ease of having access to it, and quality. Generally I try to avoid the in-room coffee machine. I don’t exactly know why, but I do. I just don’t get the same enjoyment out of it.
The first thing I love is when hotels make it easy to get coffee early in the morning. I love when a hotel has a complimentary coffee setup in the lobby for early risers.
As an alternative, I’ll seek out an airport hotel that has some sort of proper coffee shop in the lobby, especially if it has extended hours. Several Heathrow hotels have this, for example, and I sure do appreciate it.
Then of course there’s coffee quality. I’m always disappointed when I stay at a super nice luxury hotel, only to find out that their coffee and espresso-based drinks aren’t great. C’mon now!
I’m very happy at breakfast when espresso-based drinks are made by a barista rather than a machine. At a “true” luxury hotel I sort of expect that it will be made by a barista, while at a non-luxury hotel I don’t expect it, but am delighted when it happens.
A nicely presented smooth cappuccino makes my day.
Conversely, a bitter and watery one makes me… bitter.
Also, while it’s not ideal, I do appreciate club lounges when it comes to easy coffee access. While they usually “only” have machines with bleh coffee, at least you have easy and free access to it all hours of the day, which is better than nothing.
Fogo Island Inn is probably my favorite hotel in the world, and one of the first things that comes to mind when I think of the property is their daybreak basket (okay, the truth is that the amazing people are the first thing that comes to mind, but this is a close second).
Every morning they place a basket in front of your door with a pot of coffee, freshly squeezed juice, and warm scones. How much can this really cost them to do? Maybe a couple of bucks. But it literally rocks my world. When I’m having dinner at Fogo Island Inn I’m already thinking about the daybreak basket.
What I Look For In Airline Coffee
For me, airline coffee is about quality, variety, and presentation. Let’s be honest, in general the drip coffee on airlines isn’t going to be good, given that they’re using water from the plane’s tanks.
So I am very happy when they have espresso based drinks. Of course they’re not all created equal. ANA’s first class cappuccinos? They are watery as could be.
Qatar Airways’, on the other hand, are quite good.
I also appreciate when effort is put into presentation. I love the silver tray on which Etihad serves cappuccinos in first class. Do I need the baklava or cookie or chocolate every time I order a coffee? I most definitely don’t. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy it. š
I even appreciate when airlines have unique mugs. I love Japan Airlines’ coffee mugs, and I may even have one or two of them at home…
But beyond espresso and cappuccino, I appreciate when airlines have other options as well.
I love that Emirates has french press coffee on many of their routes in first class.
I love that that EVA Air has iced coffee on their flights.
I get iced coffee and cold brew is more of a thing in the US than many other countries, so I don’t really get why we don’t see US airlines offering cold brew onboard and in lounges, whether for free or for purchase? It’s something I’ve brought up in the past…
And I guess an espresso martini on Emirates at the bar is one way to get your caffeine as well. š
Also, I love when an airport lounge has barista made drinks, whether we’re talking about a Qantas Lounge or a United Polaris Lounge.
I generally expect barista made drinks in first class lounges, while I’m delighted when I get one in a business class lounge. But some things also just puzzle me.
For example, they’ll serve me $150 per bottle Krug champagne in American Flagship First Dining, but they’ll pour you a cappuccino from the same machine they have in the Admirals Club. No thanks.
Bottom Line
Thanks for indulging me and letting me share my coffee preferences here at One Cup at a Time. I realize I care about this more than most, but I can’t state enough how memorable a good coffee experience is to me, whether on a plane or in a hotel.
Thanks to the airlines and hotels that go the extra mile to keep us caffeinated.
To fellow coffee lovers — what do you like and what do you dislike when it comes to airline and hotel coffee?
My biggest issue traveling:
Trying to explain the difference between āBREWEDā coffee and an Americano.
One is brewed with hot or cold water, a filter, Chemex, etc. the other process, ENTIRELY different, uses espresso beans and a process of high pressure force to produce an espresso shot.
Many of the top five star hotels and lounges in the world have no idea there is a difference.
Park Hyatt Maldives only has espresso-based Americanos even though their menu lists āfreshly brewed coffee.ā Ditto at the Wing FC, which claims to be āSavoy trained.ā
I had a long talk with the Executive Chef at Hyatt Hong Kong after all the waiters and managers in the dining room admitted they had no idea how a brewed coffee is different than espresso. He said they know how to do it for events/groups.
Anyways, I spent usually half my morning hand miming ādrippingā and saying the words ādrip, percolate, slow, filterā on every trip usually to get a cup of water mixed with espresso.
/end rant
Hi Ben, your blog is the best that there is, without question. But, when you say you hear the feedback looking for more reviews, and say your trip from a week ago will be posted āalmost liveā, then instead post coffee commentary, it just doesnāt make any sense. Like any business, you have to provide what your customers want.
Ever since I saw a video of a flight attendant saying the coffee machines on board are never cleaned Iāve been hesitant to drink coffee in the air…reassuring comments welcome…!
As a regular transcon flyer on Alaska, I very much appreciate they serve Starbucks and that they make it STRONG. Nothing is more deflating than when you put half a teaspoon of half n half in your coffee and it turns white due to its weakness. On Alaska, I always ask for three creams because that’s how dark and strong it is. Good times.
Also, I love trying new coffees while out but nothing beats making my coffee at home. I always have a bag of freshly roasted beans from the Conservatory for Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa in Culver City.
@ Ben — I couldn’t agree more with the following: “The first thing I love is when hotels make it easy to get coffee early in the morning. I love when a hotel has a complimentary coffee setup in the lobby for early risers.” It drives me crazy when the complimentary 4 AM coffee is something that comes from a crappy in-room coffee maker.
ALL Omni Select Guest members (just sign up) receive the exact same thing that you received from Fogo Island Inn. The beverages are free for 2 adults, add the muffins for like $5. I don’t recall ever seeing an Omni reviewed here. I am not a big stayer with Omni due to their limited footprint, but maybe you could review their program and a few hotels.
You really shouldn’t drink airplane coffee. It is not prepared with boiled or bottled water, and the water from airplane tanks is NOT safe to drink. If you need caffeine, just get a Diet Coke. It kills me to pass on a cappuccino when flying LH or LX First, but I do.
@ Mr Horsefieldās tortoise — I appreciate the feedback. Keep in mind that trip started 18 days ago, and I have posted 21 installments about it… I’d say that’s a really good pace.
I don’t want to overwhelm people with posts about it. I have the final two installments scheduled for tomorrow, so that it’s spread out a bit and also timed so that it’s done before I launch my next trip.
Was excited to fly Austrian business just for the coffee menu and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Agree that bad coffee can ruin a luxury hotel stay (leave a bad taste in your mouth? Sorry, had to…)
I also place a high priority on hotel coffee quality, though for me it is completely about what is offered “in-room.” I travel with my own porcelain cup and a supply of Starbucks VIA (French or Italian) to supplant or supplement what is offered in-room. If I can find out ahead of time that a Keurig or Nespresso is in the room, I will bring my own capsules. But finding out that information in advance is very hit or miss; I usually search TripAdvisor or FlyerTalk reviews with the hotel name and the key word “coffee maker” (or “coffeemaker”) to identify what to expect. Wouldn’t it be cool if there were a wiki to which all travelers could contribute sharing what in-room coffee was offered by hotel location?
I feel this blog has more and more turned from a blog about aviation to something like a random news about aviation site with some sparkles of general thoughts about life. I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing, though.
Love this so much. We think alike.
Iām an early riser an when staying in a hotel I love to get out and find a good cup of coffee. Doubly so because my wife isnāt an early riser an when we travel together she encourages this.
Rarely, even in Australia, do I find good coffee in hotels. Espresso drinks are rarely prepared with care and brewed coffee is too often stale. Itās fun to get out of the front door and find a cafe to get a great coffee and flip open the laptop for an hour or two.
Not every city has good coffee but itās fun trying to find out.
Also incredibly vexing are good coffee places that donāt open early. This happens a lot in japan.
Phenomenal post; I love how this blog deviates to the authorsā whims every so often; really helps with the human element.
Also Air New Zealand lounges take the cake for cappuccinos as far as Iāve experienced. Barista made in a *A Gold accessible lounge!
Really agree with this: āhospitality happens at the marginsā
My pet peeve: hard to find real iced coffee outside of US/Canada
You struck a nerve here. I often equate airline coffee with “hospital coffee” only to be let down further if the airport doesn’t offer a good choice either. I do it less now but I used to bring Starbucks Via instant pouches with me on the flight. I lately bring my own tea pouches with me for the hotel and use bottled water for the in room machine.
I actually like posts like this, fun, quick reading about a light subject. Itās interesting to hear the experiences of other travelers re: something crucial to our everyday lives (I know itās just coffee but ….)
Jet lag for me isnāt an awake issue, itās a sleep issue. Even if Iām tired, I donāt need caffeine, I can function fine without it. That said, I only drink coffee in the morning and I never drink it on flights, in lounges or in most hotels. I prefer cafes, especially in Europe where I usually pass on hotel breakfast, preferring a croissant and espresso or cappuccino at a great cafe. I definitely prefer high quality and pass on everything else.
Most decent quality machines can produce better than passable espresso/americano: the technology struggles a bit with the milky drinks.
Yes, QANTAS F lounge offers barista service…but the wait for it is far too long in peak times. Itās OK. The wannabe-snooty set frequenting the lounge are just as clueless about coffee as they are about food ( fawning as they do over rubbery squid and other very ordinary dishes).
Breakfast coffee is a big deal for me; I can survive indifferent food but really need decent coffee; consequently I frequent hotels that deliver on that.
What baffles me at full service hotels is that theyāll offer something high end in prepackaged doses in the rooms – something like Starbucks or Illy, then have food service grade coffee made from tap water in the dining room. Ugh.
Even though itās not the best coffee I do love that the morning barrista at the Qantas Melbourne domestic business lounge knows that I like strong cap and has always pulled a double shot by the time I get to the front of the line. She remembered this morning even though I havenāt been in for months. (Mental note to take her a box of chocolates when I fly out before Christmas)
I like my coffee short and black.
Adding any kind of milk is an abomination equal to tarnishing good whiskey with a mixer.
Lucky, Just wondering what you do for coffee now that you have a real home. I have a Miele machine and use Illy dark espresso beans, I have to say I miss it when I am on the road.
I actually agree with you. Coffee is also important to me as well. You wrote a very insightful article.
Question – where did you find the JAL mugs to buy? I’ve been looking for a while now but I can’t seem to find them online.
Thanks!
Lucky – recently moved out of Philly to a non-hub AA airport. My favorite piece of home I still get is La Colombe’s coffee in all AA lounges worldwide. It’s exactly what I need.
I think the thing about traveling that I can’t ever understand is WHY some hotels that brew coffee, probably mostly here in the US insist on bothering to brew such terrible coffee. Espresso machines are a thing and can reduce waste of the swill they put out all the time.
I pretty much can pour a cup of coffee at any hotel… lets say just any old Westin at breakfast and its sucks. It breaks my heart. Usually they have a Starbucks but why such bad coffee?! Sure I’m a snob, I have a Jura fully automatic (amazing) machine at home and I brew cold brew most of months of the year in Texas but do people really like the bad stuff?
@Ralph
The JAL mugs āfellā into his luggage. I donāt think they actually sell them anywhere.
@Daniel123456 – You have no idea what youāre talking about. āEspresso beansā??
I don’t drink coffee and think it smells a whole lot better than it tastes, except for coffee ice cream. I get the ritual aspect as it applies equally to tea
But as a tea drinker (hot and iced) I am annoyed at the world wide trend of many hotels to focus more on coffee/espresso at the expense of good tea…even in Great Britain surprisingly. Yes, there are a few exceptions where great quality tea is provided in your room. I, too, avoid the in room machines especially the dual use ones where your tea comes out tasting like coffee-flavored tea…yuck!
I forget who, I think it was a famous English actress, who said you should always travel with your own tea which I now do. I always call for an electric kettle if not one in room. And as a backup, I travel with one of those coil water heaters (I know, many think them dangerous but I rarely have to use it).
But here’s my big gripe, hotels that deliver a huge pot of fresh coffee and leave it for the table but can’t manage to bring a tea pot for me. While my coffee drinking friends are helping themselves to cup after cup of coffee at their convenience, I have to practically beg for another cup of tea. And then they can’t manage to bring a small bowl to discard the used tea bag…I cringe when I see people steeping their tea for more than two or three minutes.
@Colin Correct, the beans used for espresso are different than beans used for drip cofee:
“The difference between coffee and espresso has to do with the method of preparation, starting with the beans themselves. Coffee beans designated for espresso are generally roasted for a longer amount of time than beans meant for drip coffee. Espresso beans are also ground on the finer side, more like sand than gravel.”
https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/whats-the-difference-between-coffee-and-espresso
Are you certain it is me who does not know what he is talking about?
Thanks for your input,
Daniel
Bloggers on Planes Getting Coffee!
I love coffee. I bring my own travel brewer, hand grinder, & beans everywhere i travel. Waking up and making coffee that is not much different than what i enjoy at home, is one way i can keep myself ‘connected’ to my home life while out on the road. So, at hotels, i am really just pleased if get a electric water kettle (and local bottled water). IME, this is far more common in Asia, hit & miss in EMEA, and fairly uncommon in the Americas.
When no kettle is available, i just try to repurpose the available coffee percolator to just serve me the hot water. Not as easy of course, and also harder to escape ‘flavor contamination’ of old/gross coffee in the supplied machine. i’ve been tempted to also start packing a travel kettle, but it’s really just getting too bulky to carry all that.
A memorable recent experience i had was at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, where there was no inroom coffee maker of any type. When i asked the hotel to borrow a water kettle, they wanted to charge me $25. I pushed back, & I told them ‘i need this to dissolve my prescription medicines keeping me alive’. After passing my request up the chain to a manager, they finally let me borrow the kettle for free. (i tipped the staffer who delivered the kettle)
See??…Coffee *is* life!
You know you fly too much when:
1. South African Airways asks you if you want your coffee black or white! -and your mind goes blank.
2. You think the coffee carts in Qantas domestic lounges should also have the vegemite on toast ready as well.
3. You collect the sugar packs from Fiji Airways coz they have pretty pictures on them.
4. The 3 in 1 nescafe coffees on Cebu Pacific actually start to taste good on a long haul flight.
@David no way to Vegemite toast – everyone makes it differently! As for you know you fly too much:
(1) The ground staff at Mumbai airport greet you by name as you walk up to them (seriously). I must also be a very routine person (true) as they commented on my flight time
(2) My friend just asked me to bring my passport over to her house to witness something. I asked why she needed my passport. Her answer was to tell me she needs my passport # and expiry date. Ummm I know them without looking…
Stimulators like coffee is one of the worst things that may happen during the traveling as it hurts your health a lot…
I like a decent strength black coffee with just a dash of milk. Singapore airlines serves the best on board I have had.
I am a total coffee addict and drink epic quantities of it.
The problem I have is that I only drink decaf and if you think its hard getting a good coffee try getting a good decaf.
It’s always a relief to see a Starbucks store as at least the coffee is fresh ground from a bean but I wish you could get a proper China cup in the US.
I also think that boiling the milk for a cappuccino should be a criminal offence and I don’t like sprinkle stencils with the exception of the concorde one at the Bristol Air Museum.
Finally for any coffee lovers visiting London I strongly recommend the Monmouth Coffee Company in Borough Market near London Bridge – wonderful coffee
I tried Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee on SQ first this weekend – amazing depth and quality. I loved it.
Coffee is like the only reason for Alitalia to still exist.
Some airlines do it ok, but just the fact that customers are mainly Italian makes it mandatory for the airline to serve top class coffee and cappuccino in business class.
+1 @Ed
The baristas in the Melbourne (MEL) domestic QF business and Qantas Club lounges are excellent . . . such personable, friendly people who make it a pleasure to fly Qantas, especially early in the morning.
JUST IN CASE I always travel with some 100% Kona freeze dried packets. similar to Starbucks VIA packets (but REAL coffee … lol) they’re great just poured into a small water bottle, shaken, and consumed at whatever temperature.
Sorry can’t recall the name (and just drank my last packet with 5 days left to go on travel…. argh)
Like pushslice, I always bring my own coffee kit when I travel: grinder, Aeropress and/or cafetiere, plus a selection of beans. I also bring my own kettle when travelling in the USA; a microwave or coffee machine just won’t cut it when it comes to producing hot water. Some hotels have decent coffee shops on site, but I’ve never had decent in-room coffee.
When it comes to flying, I take a similar approach, bringing my coffee-making kit with me for use in either the lounge or in the air. Occasionally, an airport will have good quality coffee shops, but usually I just make my own in the lounge. Exceptions in the US are Phoenix, where a visit to Cartel is a must, and Philadelphia, where the La Colombe outlets are vastly preferable to the coffee in the lounge!
I’ve heard the horror stories about the quality of airline water, but in all my years of flying, I’ve never had a problem, happily making my own coffee in both economy and business class. The only exception to this is British Airways: here I don’t bring my own kit because BA has teamed up with Union Hand-roasted, an excellent speciality coffee roaster based in London. The coffee is only available in UK lounges and in Club World (aka Business Class) and First Class, but it’s really, really good. |
I’ve never flown in anything other than economy with Emirates, but am intrigued by the cafetiere offering you mention in your article. Like all things, though, it depends on the quality of the beans they use! Sadly, most airlines don’t buy good quality beans, regardless of the quality of the kit they use to make the coffee!
If you are interested, there are a whole host of articles about this over on the Coffee Spot.
Many thanks,
Brian.
Like pushslice and Brian, I bring my own grinder, dripper and coffee beans when travelling. I haven’t tried brewing in the air (cause the grinder is still pretty noisy) so I just donāt drink the awful “coffee”. I don’t really survive on caffeine. I just enjoy a good cup of joe (preferably single origin and specialty roasted). Yup your post is gonna bring out all us “coffee snobs” sorry not sorry!!
Bringing your own gear and beans to brew just ensures you get a good cup of coffee anywhere u go. If you are fortunate to be travelling to a coffee-centric city like Melbourne, NY, London, SF, Scandinavian cities or even Berlin just to name a few, then easy enough to just pop over to a decent cafe nearby!!
I was quite horrified recently travelling to the US to find no kettles in the hotels and the coffee machines just can’t bring the water up to an acceptable temperature to brew coffee properly.
One of the nicest experience in terms of coffee would have been at Hoshinoya Tokyo and Kyoto. You have a hotel staff who will do a handbrewed pourover coffee for you on request.
So many coffee addicts on here…
In-room coffee machines suffer from lack of real milk/cream. The powdered stuff doesn’t cut it. Having lobby coffee with milk very early in the morning (I also get up early all the time) makes a huge difference. When I stay in an airbnb, having a coffee maker is one requirement.
Daniel123456 – Yup, Iām sure. Even what you quoted indicates youāre wrong. The difference is how long the beans are roasted or how finely ground, not the beans themselves. There is no such thing as an āespresso beanā.
@Lucky- what sort of machine do you have at home? I know that you don’t spend a ton of time there…. but I have a JURA super automatic and while it’s not barista made coffee; it’s the closest you can get at home, unless you train Ford to become one…
FDW
Unless you are in an isolated location or work prevents you from leaving the hotel, I don’t know why people eat/drink in hotels when most local places have much better food/drink.
Totally on board with the comment that it’s frustrating to go to high-end hotels, first class on airlines etc., and you can’t get a decent coffee. St. Regis Bal Harbor a great example of this – the coffee in the restaurant is atrocious. So, instead, ordered it on Butler service (which as Ben notes comes with biscotti, which I don’t need but will have!) and took that down to breakfast instead.
What I will suggest for those that take their coffee white, try the difference between non-fat, 2% and whole milk. Whole milk or more takes white coffee to a different level
So…like…you’re rating Hotel & Airline coffee compared to…?
This is analogous to rating the best frozen Lasagna TV dinner compared to your affinity to a family restaurant in Venice.
NO Airline/ Hotel chain coffee will come close to a well made V60 Gesha from a 3rd wave place. I average 212 flights a year and have had pour overs in 340 places in North America. Unless I see a Kalita/Chemex unit, I dont even think about coffee. W, Hilton, Ana, Korean Air, Delta… Doesnt matter, unless one’s standards are…well…
@Lucky the coffee menu on Austrian didn’t make the cut?
@Lucky To Iced coffee in US lounges, I believe I saw the United Lounge at LGA the other day offering Illy Iced Coffee (and/or maybe nitro) there. Seemed like a new thing, or at least temporary special, as they had table-top signs everywhere promoting it.
To the fellow travel+coffee geeks above (whew! glad it turns out I wasn’t the only one!):
One of the reasons i’ve settled on just the Aeropress for travel, instead of various drippers I otherwise enjoy, is that i’ve found it to be more forgiving of the ‘not hot enough’ water that comes from many generic Mr Coffee-style brewers at many hotels. I can adjust immersion time a bit to compensate the slower extraction from cooler water. I also find it more forgiving of brewing under modified grind-size settings on the portable grinder, under the same scenario.
Love the post. Love the comments.
If we’re told not to drink the bathroom water, why can airlines make coffee with the bathroom (tank) water? Drip coffee machines don’t boil the water, so the germs aren’t killed. I really don’t understand. Why are airlines allowed to use that water for coffee if they have signs in the bathroom saying not to drink it? Would it kill them to use bottled water for coffee?
What’s your go to coffee?
Mine is the flat white. If you’re in London anytime soon visit a Grind coffee shop. They are hands down the best coffee shops in London and their espresso Martinis are world class
In terms of simple, no flair, brewed coffee, to me the undeniable champion is Japan Airlines.
I am not a coffee expert, but find most hotel coffee awful. Like one of the posters above, I carry Starbucks Via and seek out a Starbucks when travelling because I know what I am getting there. [I am also on the Keto diet and Starbucks is one of the few coffee places I can be sure will always have heavy cream.]
The Alitalia lounges at Fiumicino Airport (Casa Alitalia) have baristas and AZ serves Lavazza Coffee which I consider to be the best coffee out there. Iāve had wonderful cappuccino, espresso and macchiato experiences both at Casa Alitalia and onboard in the Magnifica Cabin on long haul international flights. AZ also has a coffee menu in Magnifica Class. Their business class catering is also incredible. A wonderful end to a memorable meal on Alitalia.
I don’t drink coffee on a plane. Ugh. Plus other than long-haul, I have no need for coffee on a plane.
In a hotel, there is nothing like a Nespresso Machine in the room.
Cleanliness? Flush it a few times, no worries.
An article about coffee and flights and not mentioning Austrian?
Ben can we get a Top 10 list of your favorite airline and hotel coffee providers?
Unsurprisingly, Austrian business class and the Park Hyatt Vienna are on my list. Also Cathay Pacific First Class I thought did a good job.
Good content here and agree on the same elements of what I look for as well while traveling. A funny story once while flying Delta first class on a morning flight (A321 ATL-PHX)- during boarding I requested a coffee with Bailey’s (because why not) which was brought promptly to me with a smile. I don’t know what happened but the coffee was room temperature at best- not hot, not iced, just cool (ewww). When the flight attendant passed by I told him about the cold coffee and asked if they had any that was hot. He looked horrified about what happened and quickly returned with a fresh cup, only to be the same temp all over again. I decided to not make a fuss about it and tried taking a few sips to not let it go completely to waste. Overall, it was just a one-off experience and didn’t ruin the flight by any means. At least my fellow seatmate got a kick out of my coffee fail.
YES, YES AND YES! COFFEE IS SOOOOOOO IMPORTANT!
What baffles me is that the coffee they serve in hotels in Colombia tastes like Nescafe instant coffee. I know instant coffee is a big thing in Latin America, but why is it so hard to get a decent cup of well brewed coffee in a country that produces coffee?
I agree with you but I believe that coffees served in airlines could be better. I remember once I had an expresso in Air India which was one of the worst expresso I ever had but later I tried expresso in Etihad, it was really good.
Yes, off course!! Taking the nice smell and flavor of coffee at approximately 38,000 feet height in a plane is always fantastic to me. Its really cool. Thanks for the article.