The Ruby Lilou hotel, France’s first Ruby, opens in Marseille with 237 rooms and a 300 m² rooftop terrace

Ruby Lilou officially opens this Monday, 5 October 2026 in Marseille: it is the brand’s first hotel in France. Positioned in the Premium segment, it offers 237 compact rooms at 49 Boulevard des Dames, a bar open day and night and a 300 m² rooftop terrace, starting from €107 per night for two.

☰Contents

1. Boulevard des Dames, the first Ruby in France
2. What does Ruby’s “Lean Luxury” entail?
3. “La Belle Re-Belle”, lavender and punk stripes
4. 237 rooms from 14 to 26 m², from Nest to Wow
5. IHG owns the brand, Ruby Group operates it
6. Ruby Yani, coworking on the 1st and 2nd floors
7. A 300 m² rooftop terrace open to Marseillais

Boulevard des Dames, the first Ruby in France

The press release from IHG Hotels & Resorts and Ruby, dated 5 October, officialises the brand’s debut in France. The tourist office reports that guests have been welcomed since 28 September, for a hotel whose delivery was originally scheduled for late 2025.

The building stands on the corner of Avenue Robert-Schuman, between the Vieux-Port and La Joliette, a few minutes from Le Panier. Saint-Charles station is 5 minutes away by metro, and Marseille Provence airport is approximately 45 minutes away by public transport.

What does Ruby’s “Lean Luxury” entail?

Ruby summarises its concept in two words, “Lean Luxury”: accessible luxury, without room service or minibar, with self-service check-in, cashless payment and a non-smoking hotel. IHG classifies Ruby in its “Premium” segment, not among its luxury brands.

Ruby’s signature bar-café remains open 24/7, serving everything from barista coffee to cocktails, local wines and light snacks. IHG describes it as a rooftop bar; official photos show a lounge bar on an upper floor, facing the port and Notre-Dame de la Garde.

“La Belle Re-Belle”, lavender and punk stripes

The decor has a name, “La Belle Re-Belle”: tones of lavender, sun-bleached stone and the Mediterranean, disrupted by stripes, punk touches and nods to the “anti-style” of the 1980s. A musical programme and evening concerts complete the picture. For Michael Struck, founder of the Ruby Group, Marseille was “a natural choice”.

237 rooms from 14 to 26 m², from Nest to Wow

The 237 rooms range from Nest (14 to 16 m²) to Cosy (16 to 18 m²), Lovely (19 to 23 m²) and Wow (22 to 26 m²), the latter two also available in “High Floor” versions on the upper levels. Inspired by luxury yachts, the layout combines oversized beds, walk-in rain showers and blackout curtains.

Music enters the room with Marshall amps and Bluetooth speakers. Dogs are only allowed in Wow rooms, for €30 per stay.

IHG owns the brand, Ruby Group operates it

IHG Hotels & Resorts acquired the Ruby brand, without its hotels, on 18 February 2025 for 110.5 million euros. Born in Germany in 2013, it has become the 20th brand of the British group, which features in our ranking of the groups with the most hotels. The development, design and operation of Ruby Lilou remain with the Ruby Group, the independent company that created the brand.

The property is owned by La Française Real Estate Managers, which purchased this former BNP Paribas office building off-plan in 2023. Restructured rather than demolished, based on plans by Gensler and CFCL, it is connected to the Thassalia marine geothermal network. The brand itself has 42 hotels open or in the pipeline and aims for more than 120 within ten years.

Ruby Yani, coworking on the 1st and 2nd floors

Opened at the same time as the hotel, Ruby Yani Workspaces is the first Ruby Workspaces space in France: approximately 1,000 m², more than 126 flexible desks, private offices, meeting rooms and phone booths. Subscriptions start at €60 per month, with a day pass at €30, including access to the rooftop terrace.

A 300 m² rooftop terrace open to Marseillais

At the top, the 300 m² rooftop terrace looks out over the city towards the Mediterranean; it is open to guests and locals alike, from morning until late evening. The 8th-floor terrace also houses a small outdoor pool.

For proper laps, see our hotels with swimming pools in Marseille; for a five-star with a spa, Hotel C2 has renovated its own, above the Vieux-Port.