As France prepares for a summer of sport with its hosting of the 2024 Olympics, hotel giant Marriott is looking to ride the wave of international interest in the country, by growing its French hotel portfolio.
The group has at least 10 hotels in its pipeline that will open by the end of 2025, enhancing the Marriott coverage in this key European market. Currently, as of mid 2024, Marriott can count up a portfolio of 69 hotels in France, with a presence in 29 cities. The 12,000 rooms feature under 16 of the group’s brands, giving plenty of clear space to launch more brands into the market.
Building owner interest
“We remain focused on strengthening our presence in primary and secondary markets in France in line with the strong demand we are seeing for leisure and resort experiences, as well as for business travel,” said Alexandra Goguet, vice president of development across France and Benelux for Marriott International. “With our captivating portfolio of brands, world-class distribution platform and Marriott Bonvoy, our award-wining travel program, we continue to drive robust growth opportunities with owners and franchisees in the market.”
Included in the roster of openings are three hotels under the playful Moxy brand. Moxy Annecy and Moxy Paris Clamart are expected to open in 2024, with Moxy Nice planned to open in late 2025. These properties will join nine Moxy hotels already operating across France, where the innovative brand has already been well received. Also in the pipeline is a Moxy in the northern port town of Le Havre.
Joining the Moxys are pipeline projects under some of Marriott’s other brands, including Residence Inn Lille, Courtyard by Marriott Lyon East, and Aloft Dijon, which will see the imaginative repurposing of a post office building in the city centre to create the hotel. Further ahead, Bordeaux will be one of the locations for the European rollout of the Fairfield brand, with a 191 room property in planning and expected to open in 2026. In April 2024, Marriott opened its first European Fairfield in Copenhagen, and it is looking for growth at pace across the continent.
Luxury additions
Further openings include the addition of a Tribute Portfolio property in the town of Mougins, close to the French riviera destinations of Cannes and Antibes. And in nearby Nice, plans are well under way for the Hotel du Couvent to open as one of Marriott’s Luxury Collection properties.
A careful conversion of an old convent, parts of which date from 1604, the project involves the creative input of Studio Mumbai, Studio Méditerranee and Festen Architecture and once restored will have 88 rooms as a base for guests to enjoy the French Mediterranean city. The hotel is expected to open for bookings in summer 2024.
