Hotel picnic…

[CurlewKate]

I’m going to be staying a night in a hotel that doesn’t have a restaurant and there is nowhere nearby I want to eat. So I’m going to be taking a picnic. Obviously I’n starting with some wine. What else would you take? I’m thinking some smoked salmon and granary bread? And what else?

M&S do all these...
Hummous or Tzackiee and Falafel to dip in
Torillia chips and salsa
Olives
Cheese chuncks
Little pot dessert profiteroles or tiramusu

M&S chicken tikka dip
Pitta chip crisp things
Prawn platter
chorizo, olive & cheese skewers
I like their tubs of fruit - one of mango and one of watermelon

@Eggybreadwithnuts what is Tzackiee please?

It's obviously tzatziki!

I love doing this even when there are restaurants nearby. It’s just indulgent to have that quiet time.

A loaf of bread, some cheese, some sort of salty cured meat, pickles or olives if I can find a small portion, and some fruit.

This is making me want a picnic in a hotel asap 😂😂

An assumption rather than obvious

Dint get anything too stinky. I dont know why but stinky foods always seem to smell worse in hotel rooms. I’d stay clear of salmon but that makes me feel sick anyway.

Trifle

Make sure you get a tub of yoghurt and chocolate for later on.

Download stuff to watch. Take a corkscrew just in case ... <experienced hotel picnicer>

Is there a fridge in your room? If there is, then any leftovers can go in there. If not, I wouldn't take too many fresh items that you couldn't eat that night.

I'd normally check what restaurants are nearby and bring back a take-away to the room.
Otherwise, Sainburys do a tapas range, normally 3 items for £8. I'd also get prepared mini fruit salad or whatever fruit you like and a bottle of wine.

I would normally go out for dinner- I love eating alone-but there really isn’t anywhere I want to eat anywhere near.😢

We always get easy finger food we wouldn't normally have - but NOTHING that requires cutlery or a plate!

Sometimes it's sandwiches, I particularly like coronation chicken and DH likes prawn cocktail. Sometimes quiche, sometimes mini pork pies, sometimes cocktail sausages. Usually some kind of treat like cookies or chocolate biscuits. Always some easy fruit like grapes or something ready prepared. And always a selection of luxury (for us) savoury snacks, like root vegetable crisps, posh crisps, or even just pringles!

Very occasionally, depending on where we are staying, we will get in some fast food - such as McDonald's or pizza.

We have very simple tastes, but it's usually the nicest version of something we don't usually have, and it MUST be non-messy. We also always take a plastic bag to wrap up the leftovers securely rather than leaving them in an open bin.

Smoked fish pate.
Crunchy white bread.
Peppadews.
Fancy pickled beetroot.
Cheese crispy things.
Nice lemon or peach yoghurt.
Lindor chocolates.

Picky bits

Things you can make with a kettle, those 'posh' pot noodles or even a real one (I had a hotel retreat recently with DP and although I hate to say it, pot noodles combine surprisingly well with champagne)!

I had a bottle I'd had for a birthday which was far more expensive than I'd buy for myself, and the occasion called!

Crisps and crisp-like snacks and salsa/hummus.

You need a good combination of hot and satisfying, crunchy, and chewy IMO. I don't eat meat but had some veggie jerky (goes well with hummus). I also took a packet of 'naice' sweets and some mini-brownies, but I couldn't fit them in!

And lots of your favourite hangover drinks for the morning!

I curse you OP, I want to do this now!

Dont forget cutlery, plates etc if you’re getting anything other than finger food! I once did similar and had to spread butter with a credit card. Don’t recommend it

Nice pork pies.
Olives.

Sushi platter.

These ideas do lovely, much better than the pot noodles we had in a hotel last year 🤣

M&S layered dips. Look like trifle, but savoury. Perfect with tortilla chips.

And a large punnet of strawberries (especially as the strawberries are so good this year).

Love that this thread is still going! I had a lovely time. Some lovely bread, roast chicken, salad, strawberries, a cream meringue, coconut water and a bottle of Picpoul. Sadly, I didn’t fancy the wine-so I had it the next night at home. I did remember milk and teabags though. And a plate and a knife and fork.

🤣

I've got two nights alone in a serviced apartment next week l, so I'm nicking ideas. No desire to cook at all.