Earlier this week I attended a conference in Tokyo and was reminded by several of the speakers on stage about the “emotional connection” of travel and how seeing the world “weaves a new sense of community and inclusivity among us”. My favourite was “how being out in the world allows us to find our authentic selves”. First, what does that even mean? That when I boarded my flight I was inauthentic? Was I an imposter travelling on the wrong passport? Had Interpol issued a “red flag” that would see me detained for having not discovered my authentic self while packing? Second, the amount of travel industry guff and gimmicks out there is truly alarming. I was also told that 83 per cent of travellers consider sustainability as a key part of their decision-making when booking a hotel (source please!) and “actively seek out sustainable practices” during the booking process. What? Sustainable on their finances, perhaps, but I have yet to come across anyone who gives two hoots about a hotel’s sustainability measures while they’re scrolling for the best possible price.

Travel, at its best, is a proper kick in the ass that jolts you and forces you to look at things in sharper relief. It makes you appreciate what you have back home, spot new opportunities that you wouldn’t mind incorporating when you’re back at base, set a few new benchmarks, possibly relax and maybe even force you to up sticks and relocate. Today’s column is an appeal to hotel groups, travel boards, cruise companies and airlines to show the real suite that I booked and not a CGI render; display a cabin that is currently flying in its global fleet rather than one still in mock-up mode in a hangar in Toulouse; and take a fat red pen to scripts, cutting out “mindfulness”, “purpose”, “consciousness” and “meaning” from all in-room promo videos, TV spots and Youtube pre-rolls. A couple other travel tableaus that can go on permanent vacation are:
 
- The lady who throws open the floor-to-ceiling windows in her hotel room (99.3 per cent of properties globally do not have these windows), breathes deep and is caressed by billowing drapes
- The lady (possibly the same one) who we see walking along a trail, garden path or babbling brook, stretching out her hand to caress the wheat, ferns or lavender hedge
- The possibly burnt-out German auto executive (with good reason) breathing deeply on a Lululemon floor mat atop a wooden platform overlooking the Balinese jungle canopy 
- Father and kids cannonballing into a beautiful, twinkling sea, when we know full well that the hotel operator’s health & safety and legal teams will fence off this part of the jetty and ask guests to only use the pool
- The contrived family celebration on the hotel lawn that has been through so many sensitivity and diversity committees that no potential guest recognises themselves at the gathering
- Hot stones being placed on an oily back
- Hot oil trickling onto a forehead
- Hot bartender shaking a cocktail and laughing at most likely poorly dressed, out-of-shot guests
- Wacky old people having a kooky time in a hot tub. You will be familiar with the older black man in pork pie hat; white tanned lady in a turban with big glasses (remember, all older women need to look like Iris Apfel when casting seniors); white bald man with a crazy white beard; and tattooed, older black woman in a floral bikini and nose ring (remember, a nose ring is the international signifier for edgy for those over 80)
- Wacky middle-aged people having a kooky time on the hotel-bar dancefloor. (This dancefloor does not exist in 99.7 per cent of global hotel properties)
 
If all of this chimes, you’ll be happy to hear that Monocle’s The Escapist will be back just in time for Christmas and your 2026 travel planning. And, finally, a little quiz. What overused travel term was not employed in today’s column? The first three readers to correctly respond from APAC, EMEA and the Americas get a treat. You’ll find me at tb@monocle.com.

A good pub is all about the booze – or is it (asks Claudia Jacob)? That’s the truism that Philip Winser, James Gummer and Olivier van Themsche of Public House group set out to question in 2021 when they opened The Pelican in London’s Notting Hill. Offering amped-up pub grub, the trio of hospitality veterans has now opened The Hart: a Victorian-style, food-forward tap room on London’s Chiltern Street. 

“When we’re creating a pub, it’s about understanding the people who go there,” says Gummer, who hopes to capture the neighbourhood spirit as a traditional local would once have done. On The Hart’s menu are overlooked British favourites such as bubble and squeak, kedgeree and banoffee pie. “We’re trying to create a bit of nostalgia,” says Winser.

Located in a townhouse that has housed a pub on its ground floor since the 1840s, The Hart doesn’t disregard its roots as a good old-fashioned watering hole. “You can just pop by for a pint of Allsopp’s and a pork pie,” says Gummer. Indeed, there’s something distinctly casual about this polished opening.“Restaurants tend to be transactional – you might only stay for an hour – but pubs have the potential to be an all-day affair,” says Winser. “They’re like the original members’ clubs without membership.”

thehartw1.com

Looking to spend a day in Marylebone? Here are three more spots to add to your itinerary.

USM
After 10 years in Clerkenwell, USM’s London flagship has relocated to Marylebone. Here you’ll find two storeys of Swiss-made modular furniture.
uk.usm.com

Kudu
An open-fire braai restaurant flying the flag for South African cuisine.
kuducollective.com

Tekla
Copenhagen-based textile brand Tekla has chosen Marylebone High Street for its first bricks-and-mortar opening in the UK.
teklafabrics.com

You can discover more recommendations for what to do in the UK capital in Monocle’s City Guide. 

The Hong Kong gallerist behind 3812 Gallery, Calvin Hui, recently opened a new exhibition space in London, his second home (writes James Chambers). Here the expert on contemporary Chinese art shares his fondness for the quintessential Hong Kong cuisine served at the city’s East-meets-West cafés.

Where will we find you this weekend?
At home in Hong Kong. I live on the Peak.

What’s your ideal start to a Sunday?
Driving to Shek O to walk my dogs. They are two-and-a-half-year-old beagles. The big one is named Vader, after Star Wars, and the younger one is named Gio, after Gio Ponti – I love his furniture designs.

What’s for breakfast?
On Sundays, you will find me at Lu Lu’s in Shek O village. It’s a cha chaan teng institution [Hong Kong-style café]. There’s no air conditioning but it serves a wonderful breakfast: milk tea, an egg-and-bacon sandwich and some instant noodles with eggs and spam. Sometimes I treat myself and order the Hong Kong-style French toast – very thick bread with lots of butter.

News or no news?
Sundays are quiet, so I can spend one or two hours reading at home about the latest in the art world. My friend publishes Cans Contemporary Art News, which is a Taiwanese media outlet.

Which brands are currently in your wardrobe?
I like Jil Sander and Kenzo but most of my clothes are tailored. There’s a young designer called Jasmine Pang here in Hong Kong who founded a brand called JSMP. She has made me many pieces. 

A Sunday soundtrack?
I used to listen to a lot of music – Nat King Cole-type of jazz. I also like Mandarin songs. Singaporean singer Kit Chan is a very dear friend. I also like a guy called Henry Lau – he’s a one-man band who plays everything from the violin to guitar and drums and he can also sing and dance. 

Anything in the larder that you can’t do without?
Good curry powder. I have at least one curry dish every week. We buy a selection from a grocery shop in Sai Ying Pun. 

Sunday evening routine?
We stay in and my partner will cook pasta, usually carbonara, which is my favourite. Then we’ll play backgammon. 

Looking for more Hong Kong recommendations? Check out our City Guide.

Known for its sweet, salty broth and tender toppings, this week our Japanese recipe writer whips up a classic shoyu ramen with chicken chashu (instead of the traditional pork belly) and plenty of umami flavour.

Serves 2

Ingredients
For the chicken chashu
500g chicken thigh fillets (skin and bone removed)
1½ tbsps vegetable oil
2 tbsps light soy sauce
3 tbsps mirin
3 tbsps sake
2 tbsps light brown sugar
3 slices of ginger
500ml water

For the ramen
2 large eggs
750ml chicken bone broth or good-quality chicken stock
150ml reserved chashu sauce
2 tbsps light soy sauce
Large pinch of sea salt
170g dried ramen noodles
Handful of bean sprouts
1 spring onion, finely sliced

Method

1.
Prepare the chicken chashu by laying the chicken thighs flat, then rolling each one tightly. Secure them with butcher’s string in two to three places, depending on the size of the fillet. 

2.
Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat and brown the rolled chicken evenly on all sides.

3.
In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, mirin, sake and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add this mixture to the pan along with the ginger and water. Bring to a gentle simmer.

4.
Cut a piece of baking paper slightly smaller than the pan, make a small