The Best Hotel Desserts
Heaven, thy name is [insert dessert of choice here]. It doesn't take a genius to know that sweets trump suites any day of the week – but why choose between one or the other? Hotels today are serving up the good stuff, and we here at Oyster have dug into some of the most unique, mouth-watering desserts during our travels. Check out our favorites below!
1. Chocolate Baked Custard at Ko Restaurant at the Fairmont Kea Lani
Served on a macadamia nut praline crust, Ko Restaurant's Wailua Estate Chocolate Baked Custard is a signature dessert not to be missed while you're visiting Maui. The entire menu at Ko is inspired by Hawaii's sugarcane plantation era, featuring island family recipes that have been passed down for generations with farm-fresh, contemporary twists. This rich, creamy custard, for example, is served warm, with a kula strawberry gelato, fresh strawberries, and chocolate sauce.
2.Blackout Cake at the Courtyard Washington Capitol Hill/Navy Yard
This Washington outpost knows how to mix business with pleasure – at least as far as dessert is concerned. This blackout cake with walnuts and fresh strawberries is sure to close any deal, or be a great nightcap after catching a Nationals game. The rest of the Courtyard might be business-focused and generic, but chocolate lovers won’t be able to deny the hotel this slice of chocolaty heaven.
3. Grilled Black Pepper Pineapple with Rum Raisin Ice Cream & Tia Maria Caramel Sauce at The Sugar Mill at the Half Moon, Jamaica (pictured at top)
Half Moon has been defining Jamaican luxury for decades – attracting everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to 50 Cent with its bountiful amenities and delicious Jamaican fare. This unique dessert straddles the sweet-savory line to scrumptious ends. Thick slices of pineapple are grilled with black pepper, creating a spicy base on top of which refreshing rum raisin ice cream and sinfully rich Tia Maria sauce are drenched. Garnished with a single mint leaf, this dessert is as pretty as it is mouthwatering.
4. Classic Banana Split at ‘OnO Bar & Grill at the Westin Maui
As the name says, this one's a classic – but with a bit of a Hawaiian twist. Served in half a pineapple, the 'OnO Bar and Grill's banana split is a winner with kids of all ages for its simple execution and fresh flavors. If you're looking to bring a bit of island spirit to your next BBQ (or last, as the case may be), taking a page out of OnO's cookbook is a yummy way to both present and garnish your otherwise ordinary banana split.
5. Chocolate Dim Sum at The Belvedere at the Peninsula Beverly Hills
The Belvedere has long featured dim sum offerings on its menu, including shrimp dumplings, Peking duck potstickers and fried seafood rolls. But in a surprisingly sweet turn of events, the hotel restaurant added four styles of chocolate dim sum to its menu in 2009. Two dark and two white chocolate fried dumplings, set off by citrus-cream cheese, are served with a generous scoop of green tea ice cream. Diners are also given a trio of sauces to indulge in: passion fruit, orange-raspberry, and ginger-caramel. This dessert, at possibly Los Angeles' best hotel, is fittingly delectable.
6. New York Cheesecake with Cherry Compote at The Franklin NYC
Room service at The Franklin comes from the reliable Upper East Side neighborhood eatery Bella Cucina. The traditional New York-style cheesecake is smooth, creamy, and not too sweet – overall, a scrumptious way to end a meal. The cherry compote that is spread on top is delightful, both for the eyes and the taste buds.
You can't return a bad vacation. That’s why Oyster.com, "The Hotel Tell-All," and partner of The Travel Channel, comprehensively visits, photographs, reviews and rates each hotel we feature. Basically, we uncover the truth, before it's "uh-oh" time.
