The Faster Lane
from Tyler Brûlé
Want to ruin a perfectly good hotel? Give it a makeover
Here we go, crew. Here’s an easy one. You might have even heard this question posed in the Monocle orbit before. What is the worst thing a GM at a favourite hotel can say…
Latest
Seven little luxuries that make life worth the luggage allowance
Today we’re going to play a little word game to set the tone for this fine Sunday (at least here on the Athenian Riviera) and guide us through the days, weeks and months ahead.…
SpaceX IPO, diamond smuggling and the inconvenient truth about Mars
Guess where I am. Go on. Guess! Guess! Okay, I’m going to give you a hint. I’m in a pod, far away from home and I’m staring down at a reddish surface. Beside me…
The Mercadona doctrine and how to make yourself at home part-time
What to do with a completely free Saturday, aside from writing this column? Sleep in and get up when you feel fully rested? You bet. Answer the door buzzer in pyjamas when a friend…
Dress codes for dummies: Can AI save Chad and Britney from their worst wardrobe impulses?
For the record (a very public one), I love AI (artificial intelligence, in case you’ve missed it)! I know this might come as a bit of a shock given that it’s putting journalists out…
A morning stroll in search of village life done right
It’s one of those exceptionally glorious Saturday mornings along the shores of Lake Zürich that fills you with happy thoughts, optimism and plenty of ideas that require short- to midterm action. You likely have…
Tray tables up: The civil aviation quiz results are cleared to land
Today was supposed to be the day that I was going to tell you about the many Faster Lane readers who are so switched on when it comes to civil aviation that I had…
Now boarding: The airline quiz for frequent flyers and terminal romantics
Good morning, ohayogozaimasu, bonjour and bom dia. Wherever this column finds you today, I hope that you’re having a fresh and lively start to your Sunday. Over this way it’s a quick pit stop…
Even buzzing Bangkok feels flat when the spark is missing
If you follow this column with some degree of commitment you’ll know that I have a pretty set travel circuit. While some cities come and go (not so much Los Angeles, New York or…
Why the indignity of 05.25 is redeemed by the right airline
Confirmed: 05.25 is an ugly number set of numbers – especially when it has “am” tacked on the back followed by the words “boarding” and “time”. That was how the week started in Lisbon.…
Flypasts, a shady business idea and the case for a crisp shirt
The week started with a pacy jolt of radio shows in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, hit the midpoint with a smoothly productive flight back to Zürich and it’s wrapping with a bit of beach…
