The luxurious Maybourne Riviera hotel, perched high above the Mediterranean in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, has become the center of a bitter legal battle involving Qatar’s ruling Al Thani family. Once a favourite retreat of Coco Chanel and Paul Cézanne, the hotel has long been a symbol of opulence on the French Riviera. The Al Thani family, having acquired the property in 2014 and renamed it from its original title, the Vista Palace, poured millions into its renovation. However, the five-star establishment is now embroiled in a court case with French authorities over alleged breaches of planning and environmental regulations, including building on land exposed to seismic risks.
The Al Thanis had envisioned the hotel as a beacon of Riviera grandeur, hiring renowned Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco to elevate its culinary offering. However, the trouble began when rocks started to tumble from the cliffside into the gardens of local residents, leading to a lawsuit filed by Marie-Christine Franc de Ferrière, a former town councillor. Initially concerned about the preservation of the conservation area, investigations revealed what the state prosecutor described as “a total failure to comply with the building permit granted.”
The 90-room hotel has been closed while awaiting a ruling from the Nice criminal court, scheduled for May. During a recent hearing, representatives for the Al Thani family attempted to shift blame onto Paddy McKillen, a Belfast property magnate who had overseen the renovation. Gilles de Boissieu, who manages the family office of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, claimed McKillen had been entrusted with the project, calling him “the god of Olympus” for his ability to manage the brief effectively. However, McKillen, who was sacked in April 2022, denied any wrongdoing, stating that the alleged breaches occurred after his departure. He asserted that all work done during his tenure adhered to the building permit and safety regulations, with 30 French state officers signing off on the plans.
McKillen, who co-owns a whiskey distillery with U2’s Bono, further alleged that the Al Thani family was using the legal dispute to cover up their failure to pay him the €39 million he claims they owe for the project. He also criticized the family over another case in which he was fined €10,000 for being verbally and physically aggressive towards a bailiff sent to his Paris home in connection to an unpaid loan from Quintet Private Bank, which is owned by the Al Thanis. McKillen suggested that his strained relationship with the royal family had led to him not being fully compensated for various projects, including luxury developments in London, Paris, New York, and Los Angeles.
