SKI FESTIVALS OFF

The spread of the coronavirus through Europe has led to the closure of leading ski resorts and the cancellation of some of the season’s biggest alpine festivals.

Snowbombing, Altitude and Rock the Pistes are just three of those cancelled in the Alps, with more to follow. Snowboxx, scheduled for Avoriaz at the end of the month, said it was “reorganising its schedule”.

The ski season in Italy has been all but ended because of the pandemic. Ischgl, in Austria, has also announced a two-week closure.

March and April are key months in the calendar, when sunshine returns to the mountains but there is enough snow on the ground to keep skiing.

MAMA IN LUXEMBOURG

The trendy boutique hotel Mama Shelter is to open its 13th property this spring, in Luxembourg.

Mama Luxembourg will be located on the Kirchberg plateau in Luxembourg City, close to the Museum of Modern Art. The hotel will boast a rooftop bar, cinema and on-site bakery.

The hotel chain is known for its eccentric design and quirky amenities. The Luxembourg opening follows the debut of Mama Shelter in London last September. It will have 145 rooms as well as the brand’s first “co-working space”.

“Luxembourg is as beautiful as it is cosmopolitan,” said Jeremie Trigano, Mama Shelter’s CEO.