Teenagers in Monaco can look forward to an unforgettable evening on ice as the Ice Party returns to Port Hercule’s ice rink on February 7th.
Organised by la Mairie de Monaco, the event, running from 7pm to 11:30pm, offers young kids between 12 and 17 a chance to enjoy four and a half hours of skating to the beat of the music.
Entry is restricted to students enrolled at Monaco schools or young residents of the principality, with proof of identity or a school record presented at the entrance. It is to be noted that organisers maintain the right to refuse admission.
Tickets cost €20, and include not only access to the rink, but also a happy meal: a hot dog, chips, a brookie desert, and a soft drink or water, ensuring young skaters are properly fuelled for the energetic evening on ice.
For bookings and additional details, residents can contact organisers on +377 93 15 06 09
The Yacht Club de Monaco will host the 14th Monaco Optimist Team Race from 14th to 18th January, bringing together 60 young sailors under 14 from 12 nations to compete in one of the most high-profile events in the Optimist sailing class.
Launched in 2010, the event has established itself as a proving ground for the next generation of world-class sailors, with a format that emphasises teamwork, tactical thinking and performance under pressure. Fifteen teams of four will contest over 150 match races from Wednesday’s opening ceremony through Sunday’s finals.
International competition
The event’s prestigious track record demonstrates its ultra-competitive nature. Switzerland dominated early editions through entries from Société Nautique de Genève and Gstaad Yacht Club, before Germany, Finland, Turkey and Monaco added their names to the winners’ list.
American teams claimed victory in 2020 and 2022, while Croatia’s JKU Deep Blue caused a major upset in 2023, confirming that each edition brings revelations and new talent to the forefront.
The competition serves as a breeding ground for future champions, with many participants going on to distinguish themselves beyond the Optimist class as they progress through their sailing careers.
Team racing format
What distinguishes the Monaco Optimist Team Race is its head-to-head team racing format, inspired by the America’s Cup, where each team competes directly against opposing teams rather than racing individually.
Communication, reading water conditions and maintaining composure under pressure are essential. There are no individual heroes—sailors must think, act and maneuver as a cohesive unit.
The format proves character-building for young competitors who learn quickly that success depends on collective decision-making and coordinated tactics rather than solo performance.
Pre-competition training
Before entering competition, teams participate in the annual International Clinic from 12 to 14 January, supervised by Chris Atkins. With 45 years of team racing experience, Atkins is a three-time British National Team Race Championship winner who coached Team Great Britain to gold at the first ISAF Team Race World Championship.
Atkins also served as president of selectors for the British Olympic sailing team for Beijing and London, and works as a World Sailing umpire and judge.
The three-day clinic allows contestants to fine-tune tactics, hone skills and fully understand the nuances of this demanding racing format before the opening ceremony on Wednesday 14 January.
Racing begins at 11am on Thursday 15th January, with teams progressing through round robin qualifiers before reaching the finals over the four-day competition period.
Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort is midway through an ambitious five-phase renovation that’s bringing 1980s Milan design sensibility to Monaco’s modern coastline hotel, with newly completed rooms commanding a 25% price premium over their predecessors.
The transformation, led entirely by SBM’s in-house design team, draws inspiration from the Memphis Group — the influential postmodern design movement born in 1980s Milan under architect and designer Ettore Sottsass that revolutionised interior design with playful forms, bold colors and unexpected angles.
SBM CEO Stéphane Valeri announced during his New Year address on 7th January that phase two will complete in April 2026, delivering 74 redesigned rooms across floors seven and eight. Combined with the 67 rooms renovated during phase one on floors nine and 10, this brings the total to 141 reimagined spaces by spring — representing over 40% of the hotel’s 332 rooms.
Photo source: MCSBM
From Milan to Monaco
The Memphis Group, which Sottsass founded with young architects and designers in the early 1980s, championed a ludic approach to architecture and interior decoration through novel forms in furniture, lighting and tableware, along with color blocking, strong patterns, unusual proportions and surprising angles.
SBM’s design bureau retained the principle of colour blocking while refining the combinations. Teams opted for neutral, enveloping background colors that create contrast with strong, luminous accent hues in the décor — a softer interpretation of Memphis’s sometimes jarring aesthetic that suits a luxury hotel environment.
The result is exclusive furniture found nowhere else. Every piece has been custom-designed for Monte-Carlo Bay, giving the hotel a distinctive identity while maintaining the comfort and refinement expected at an SBM property.
Photo source: MCSBM
Proven revenue model
The renovation strategy is already proving financially successful. Valeri revealed that newly renovated rooms at both Monte-Carlo Bay and Hôtel Hermitage are commanding approximately 25% premiums over pre-renovation pricing — validating the significant investment in design and execution.
“Since we have already rented phase 1 renovations at Hermitage and Monte-Carlo Bay, I can say that the new rooms rent for about 25% more on average than the old ones,” Valeri stated. “This obviously guarantees better results in coming years as renovated rooms and suites are delivered.”
The model follows the successful transformation of Hôtel de Paris, where comprehensive renovation more than doubled revenue since 2019 to nearly €100 million annually. SBM aims to replicate this performance at Monte-Carlo Bay, positioning both properties to attract Ultra High Net Worth Individuals who increasingly demand larger suites and distinctive design.
Photo source: MCSBM
Five-phase timeline
SBM is executing the renovation in five distinct phases to avoid disrupting hotel operations, conducting work only during the low season from October to March. Phase one ran from 2024 to 2025, renovating 67 rooms on floors nine and 10, with one-third converted to Premium Suites and Junior Suites. Phase two is currently underway from October 2025 through April 2026, transforming 74 rooms on floors seven and eight, comprising 60 standard rooms, 12 Junior Suites and two suites.
Phase three will address floors five and six, followed by phase four covering floors three and four, with phase five completing the transformation on floor two. The timeline for these later phases has not yet been announced. The hotel’s 22 existing suites are distributed throughout these phases, with some standard rooms being converted to Junior Suites and Premium Suites to meet evolving client demands for more spacious accommodations.
Photo source: MCSBM
Beyond rooms
Monte-Carlo Bay’s transformation extends beyond guest rooms. A Kids Club will open in summer 2026, addressing Valeri’s priority of making SBM properties more welcoming to families.
Looking toward the 2030 horizon, SBM plans to add floors to the current 11-story structure, pending government permits, to create additional luxury residences and celebrate the hotel’s jubilee with expanded facilities.
