Pharrell Williams is transforming the Saint-James & Albany into a palace overlooking the Tuileries
Facing the Tuileries gardens, a historic 1751 building is about to undergo a radical transformation. The Saint-James & Albany, on rue de Rivoli, is set to be reborn under the creative direction of Pharrell Williams, producer, designer and men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton, in partnership with the joint venture formed by Mohari Hospitality and Omnam Investment Group. Announced at the end of 2024, the project is already shaping up to be one of Paris’s most exceptional future palaces.
A historic building entirely reimagined for ultra-luxury
The renovation covers the full 14,000 sq m of the existing property. Parisian architecture firm Valode et Pistre, which previously worked on the Bvlgari Paris hotel, is leading the project. The ambition is unambiguous: to deliver an offering that meets the standards of a true Parisian palace.
The programme includes 106 rooms and suites, dining spaces, several bars, a pool, a spa and a fitness area. That figure stands in stark contrast to the 200 keys the property previously held. Cutting the room count by nearly half sends a clear signal: the future hotel is targeting the ultra-luxury segment, where space, discretion and bespoke service take precedence over volume.
Four private apartments at the heart of the Saint-James & Albany
One of the most telling features of the project is the creation of four exceptional residences within the north wing of the Charles X building. These apartments will have their own address on rue du 29 Juillet and a separate entrance, while residents will still have full access to all of the hotel’s facilities.
This hybrid model, somewhere between a private residence and a bespoke hotel service, responds to a growing demand in prestige hospitality. It offers the intimacy of a home alongside the amenities of a palace, without the constraints of a conventional hotel room. For ultra-high-net-worth individuals, it is a concrete and genuinely distinctive proposition.
- 14,000 sq m entirely restructured
- 106 rooms and suites, down from 200
- Pool, spa and fitness area included
- Dining spaces and several bars planned
- 4 private apartments with an independent entrance on rue du 29 Juillet
Pharrell Williams, now a serious player in luxury hospitality
This Parisian venture marks Pharrell Williams’s second foray into the hotel world. In 2021, he opened The Goodtime Hotel in South Beach, Florida, in partnership with entrepreneur David Grutman. With the Saint-James & Albany, he takes a significant step further by entering the Parisian palace market, one of the most demanding in the world.
His profile as a designer and creative director at Louis Vuitton lends him particular credibility in this space. In prestige hospitality, visual identity and sensory experience carry as much weight as location or star rating. The collaboration with Valode et Pistre, a firm with a strong track record in luxury, only reinforces that coherence.
A buoyant market for this future Parisian palace
No opening date has been announced yet. Even so, the broader context works in the project’s favour. The European luxury hotel market could reach $53 billion by 2033, driven in part by the growing number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals worldwide.
Within that landscape, the renovated Saint-James & Albany is positioning itself in a very specific niche: establishments that combine architectural heritage, an exceptional location overlooking the Tuileries, and services tailored to a discerning international clientele. The reduced room count, the creation of private apartments and the choice of a signature architectural practice all confirm this direction. This future palace is not looking to welcome more guests, it is looking to offer each of them a rarer experience.
