It is very common to hear of Qatari royals snapping up one real estate gem after another. Following news that the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, acquired the spectacular Villa Certosa on the Costa Smeralda, he is also allegedly parting with another property. According to CFNEWS IMMO, the Hôtel du Louvre, the five-star hotel on Place André-Malraux, is gearing up for a sale. This palatial property, though not officially classified as a palace hotel, has belonged to the ruling family of Qatar since 2013. According to the real estate portal, Lazard bank has been given the responsibility of managing the process. The hotel’s association with the Al Thani royals may span the last 13 years, but the property has been iconic for much longer.
The original Grand Hôtel du Louvre opened in 1855, becoming recognizable as the city’s first grand hotel. It was purchased for the Qatari royals through Constellation Hotels Holdings, a Luxembourg-based company. The Hôtel du Louvre was part of a group deal with Starwood Capital involving four hotels from the Louvre group for a total of approximately €800 million. The portfolio included the Hôtel du Louvre, the current Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile, the Martinez in Cannes, and the Palais de la Méditerranée in Nice.
The Hôtel du Louvre, however, stands out for its rich cultural and artistic pedigree. Camille Pissarro painted 11 views from the hotel between late 1897 and mid-1898. Since then, the hotel’s 64-square-meter Pissarro Suite, measuring approximately 689 square feet, has been the pièce de résistance of the property, overlooking Avenue de l’Opéra. In total, the hotel has 164 rooms (down from its original 700) and is located opposite the Louvre, as the name immediately gives away.
The building underwent renovations around 2018, which refreshed the interiors while retaining their classic Parisian character. Architect George Wong worked on the redesign, incorporating high ceilings, decorative moldings, marble, and elegant furnishings, while illustrator Emmanuel Pierre supplied a distinctive artistic layer.
It is fascinating how a single hotel can bridge multiple nations: being located in the heart of Paris, owned by Qatari royals, and linked to the financing of the Statue of Liberty. The original Grand Hôtel du Louvre hosted an 1875 fundraising banquet to support the monument. Because the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France to the United States, the halls of the historic hotel in Paris served as the venue for this grand charity banquet in November 1875 to raise crucial funds.
The Breathtaking Hôtel du Louvre
While location is one of the primary USPs of this icon, one cannot ignore its sheer beauty. From high ceilings, Juliet balconies, and Second Empire architectural details to the bar’s decorative glass ceiling and the Pissarro Suite, there are many impressive elements to admire. The building encompasses roughly 194,000 square feet yet contains only 164 rooms, including 57 suites and culinary gems like the Brasserie du Louvre and L’Officine du Louvre.
As for design, architects looked back at treasured archives, using a 1905 postcard showing the old Salon Napoléon for inspiration. The grandest of them all is the Empire Suite, the largest accommodation on the property, which can be described as a two-bedroom apartment. Priced at roughly $4,000 a night, this suite comes with a massive living room, Juliet balconies, and direct Louvre views that bring Paris inside, comfortably accommodating up to five guests.
Now with the reported sale of this prized possession of the wealthy Al-Thani family, a prospective buyer is not simply gaining a five-star hotel, but also the opportunity to own roughly 194,000 square feet of irreplaceable real estate directly opposite the Louvre, wrapped in more than 170 years of Parisian history.
