After conquering music, fashion, and design, Pharrell Williams is taking on luxury hospitality, and he has chosen Paris. The creative director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s collections has partnered to acquire a jewel of the 1st arrondissement, the former Hôtel Saint-James & Albany, facing the Tuileries Garden, with the ambition of turning it into a new five-star hotel. Here is what we know, and what remains secret, about this highly anticipated project.
- 🎤 Who · Pharrell Williams, men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton, in partnership with Mohari Hospitality and Omnam groups.
- 🏛️ What · the acquisition of the former Hôtel Saint-James & Albany, 202 rue de Rivoli, facing the Tuileries and a stone’s throw from the Louvre.
- ✨ The project · transforming this historic building into a new five-star luxury hotel.
- 🗓️ Announced · in October 2024. Reopening date, name, and operator not yet disclosed.
- 🥂 The context · a wave of hotels signed by fashion houses and stars in Paris (Louis Vuitton, Cheval Blanc, Bulgari).
Pharrell Williams treats himself to a Parisian palace
In October 2024, a joint venture bringing together artist Pharrell Williams and two investment groups, Mohari Hospitality and Omnam, announced the acquisition of the former Hôtel Saint-James & Albany. The transaction amount has not been made public. A global music star and creative director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s collections since 2023, Pharrell Williams marks his first hotel investment with this partnership. Note: this is a personal investment via this joint venture, and not a project by the LVMH house.
The stated ambition is clear: to bring the address back to life as a five-star hotel presented as a manifesto of contemporary luxury hospitality, while honouring the romantic heritage of the location. This once again places a global fashion figure at the heart of Parisian hospitality.
The Saint-James & Albany, an 18th-century jewel facing the Tuileries
The future hotel benefits from one of the most prestigious locations in Paris. Located at 202 rue de Rivoli, it faces the Tuileries Garden directly, just a few steps from the Louvre and the Place Vendôme. The building is a private mansion erected in 1751 by architect Michel Tannevot, whose facades are listed as historical monuments. The address cultivates a romantic history: it is said to have housed the residence of General La Fayette, who reportedly received Queen Marie-Antoinette there in 1779.
In its last life, the establishment operated as a four-star hotel with approximately 175 rooms and suites, featuring a spa, an indoor heated pool, and a restaurant. It is currently closed, awaiting the extensive renovation that must precede its rebirth as a palace.
A future five-star hotel with contours still secret
At this stage, it is better to distinguish what is confirmed from what is not. Confirmed: the buyers, the address, the October 2024 announcement, and the project to reposition it as a five-star hotel. Conversely, the purchase price, the name of the future brand, the operator, the architect-decorator, the number of rooms, and especially the reopening date have not been communicated. In other words, the schedule remains a well-kept mystery for now, and it is often through subsequent announcements (construction, chef, brand) that this type of project is revealed.
- The buyers: Pharrell Williams, Mohari, and Omnam
- The address: the Saint-James & Albany, rue de Rivoli
- The announcement, in October 2024
- The project: a new five-star hotel
- The purchase price
- The name and operator of the future brand
- The architect-decorator
- The number of rooms and the opening date
Paris, the new eldorado for designer hotels
Pharrell Williams’ project is part of a broader trend: in Paris, fashion houses and big names are transforming heritage addresses into palaces. The LVMH group opened Cheval Blanc Paris on the Quai du Louvre in 2021, Louis Vuitton is preparing to inaugurate its very first hotel on the Champs-Élysées, and Bulgari has set up shop near Avenue George V. Rue de Rivoli, with this future five-star hotel, adds a key piece to this Parisian luxury chessboard.
Our take
That Pharrell Williams is setting up shop on Rue de Rivoli is no coincidence. After the Louis Vuitton hotel and Cheval Blanc, this project confirms that Paris has become the favourite playground for designers and stars eager to imprint their vision on the world of hospitality. Now, we wait to discover the most anticipated promise: the style that the artist, known for his keen sense of detail and colour, will infuse into this palace facing the Tuileries. We await the next steps with impatience.
