Dateline Monday 2nd February 2026

Happy Monday morning, hello February I always consider February a month to “get through” then we start seeing signs of Spring that is always a good thing

So how are you doing this fine Monday morning I hope you are fit and well looking forward to a week of who knows what might happen, I guess all weeks are similar 

Let’s take a look at what has been happened our Prime Minister Sir Never Here Kir on his travels again to China and Japan, looking at the posed pics with Xi Jinping he looks like a second rate official, then the posed pic with the first female Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi he still didn’t cut the mustard he simply does not give an air of authority  

Has President Trump backed down from a military strike? Has Iran come to their senses? Has Trump come to his senses? I like the way Trump said to the media “I have a lot of beautiful, powerful, very powerful big and beautiful battle ships I have to park them somewhere so why not in the Persian Gulf.  

Finally, finally Isreal can say all the hostages are home and in the land of Israel, sadly some are literally in the land, like the last hostage to be released Ran Gvili z'l who was murdered by the blood thirsty medieval terrorist group Hamas on 7^th October  2023 his body was taken to Gaza to be held as a bargaining chip. Ran was a police officer who, despite being off-duty on 7^th October, ran to help defend his friends and Kibbutz Alumim where he fell, he is now at home in the land of Isreal and is resting in peace with his ancestors. This will be the first time since 2014 that no Jewish hostages are being held in Gaza.

Congratulations to Carlos Alcaraz in winning the Australian Open 2026, also congratulations to Novak Djokovic on reaching the final of the Australian Open 2026 a huge achievement for an athlete of 38 years of age

Congratulations to Women's singles champion Kazakhstan Elena Rybakina and her runner up Aryna Sabalenka

Congratulations to the Men's doubles team of United States Christian Harrison and United Kingdom Neal Skupski yyyaaaa a British winner and the runners up Australia Jason Kubler / Australia Marc Polmans,

And that’s the view from my MM and Company desk for this week

MM and Company news update

Austria

Martin and Evelyn of e+o DMC Austria has told us that another terrific hotel has opened in Vienna, this time the hotel is part of Accor’s Handwritten Collection of independent hotels that has made its debut in Austria with the rebranding of Hotel Rathauspark Wien. The 102-room Hotel Rathauspark Wien – Handwritten Collection is housed within a former 19th-century residence and is centrally located, close to Vienna City Hall and the acclaimed Museums Quartier. I had a quick look at rates for February 2026 very reasonable indeed about €110 per room per night

Germany

Eva of Cornerstone Meetings DMC have told us that Four Seasons is returning to Berlin but not till 2027. Last week we received for an RFP for 450 pax in 2029 a request for Greece to Event Makers DMC Greece, it seems it is never too early to make plans. So here is the scoop Four Seasons have announced plans to transform Berlin’s historic Hotel de Rome into a Four Seasons Hotel, opening in late 2027. The Four Seasons Hotel Berlin will  have 140 guestrooms and suites, restaurants, and bars. The building was originally home to the former Dresdner Bank headquarters and built in the late 1800s, located in the city’s historic Mitte district and set along the cobblestone streets of Bebelplatz, close to St. Hedwig’s Cathedral and the Unter den Linden State Opera, close to the Brandenburg Gate, Gendarmenmarkt, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Museum Island. The property will operate as Hotel de Rome through 2026. Renovations will take place before reopening as Four Seasons Hotel Berlin in 2027,

And that is about it for this Monday, you know as much as I know, wishing you an outstanding day and an awesome week ahead.