It comes down to what you actually want at seven in the morning

Breakfast is rarely the reason anyone books a hotel, yet it can swing the price of a night away by £20 or more for two people. The real question isn't whether hotel breakfasts are any good — some are excellent, some are a tepid tray of scrambled egg under a heat lamp — but whether you would honestly eat one. If you're the sort of person who rolls out of bed, pulls on shoes and goes in search of a decent café, room only will usually suit you better. If the thought of shuffling downstairs in your socks for a pot of tea and a plate of bacon appeals, then bed and breakfast is money well spent.

Do the breakfast maths before you book

A hotel breakfast add-on typically costs somewhere between £10 and £18 per person, per night, and rather more in city-centre properties or on busy weekends. For a couple staying three nights, that's £60 to £108 on top of the room. So compare it honestly with what's on your doorstep.

• A full English in a decent local café: usually £8 to £12, often including tea or filter coffee.
• A bacon roll and a flat white: around £5 to £7 from a bakery or sandwich shop.
• A pastry and coffee to take away: £4 to £6.
• A supermarket meal deal or a pot of yoghurt and fruit: £3 to £5.

Run those numbers across a three-night stay for two and the gap narrows considerably. A hotel breakfast is often unlimited, which matters if you're feeding teenagers, but it's rarely the bargain it first appears once you've added it to every night rather than just the mornings you'll actually use it.

When room only is the smarter buy

Room only tends to win in a few familiar situations. You're on a late schedule and won't surface before the dining room closes. You've got an early train or a meeting, and a proper sit-down breakfast would mean bolting a lukewarm sausage at 6.45am. You want to explore — a bakery two streets away, a greasy spoon the locals use, a market hall doing something interesting with eggs.

• You like trying different places each morning rather than the same buffet three days running.
• You have dietary needs that a standard cooked breakfast doesn't accommodate well.
• You'd rather spend the difference on a better dinner or a bigger room.
• You're out of the hotel before service starts anyway.

There's also the local hospitality argument. Money spent in an independent café tends to stay in the town, and staff there are often the best source of advice on what's worth seeing.

When bed and breakfast earns its keep

There are trips where the extra cost is genuinely worth it, and convenience is the whole point. If you're travelling with young children, having food available the moment everyone wakes up can save the entire morning. If the weather is grim — which, in the UK, is a reasonable assumption — walking ten minutes to find a café in the rain loses its charm quickly.

• Early starts: a 7am service beats hunting for somewhere open at 8am on a Sunday.
• Rural or roadside locations: if the nearest café is a drive away, the hotel is your only realistic option.
• Long days out: a proper breakfast genuinely fuels a day of walking or sightseeing.
• Bundled rates: many properties price a breakfast-inclusive rate only slightly above room only, which changes the calculation entirely.

Judge the breakfast itself, not just the price

Not all breakfasts are equal, and the difference is worth a phone call or a careful read of the listing. A cooked-to-order breakfast is a world away from a buffet that's been sitting since half six. Look for details: is it continental only, or is there a hot option? Are there times when it's served, and do they clash with your plans? Some hotels now operate slot bookings, which is fine unless you wanted a lie-in.

Also check whether children eat free, whether there's a service charge added on top, and whether the rate you're eyeing is flexible or non-refundable. A cheap room-only rate that can't be changed is no bargain if your plans shift.

A few things worth checking before you commit

• Ask about adding breakfast at check-in. It's sometimes cheaper than the advance rate, though not always — worth a quick question.
• Compare like with like. A room-only rate plus a café breakfast may still beat a breakfast-inclusive rate, but only if you'll actually go out.
• Factor in parking and travel. Driving to a café and paying to park can wipe out the savings.
• Check the in-room tea and coffee. A decent kettle and proper milk goes a long way on a room-only stay.
• Think about your real morning routine, not your holiday ideal. Book for the person who'll be there at 7.30am.

Neither option is inherently better. Decide whether flexibility or convenience matters more for this particular trip, do the sums honestly, and the right answer usually becomes obvious.