The renovation of the luxurious Maybourne Riviera hotel in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, formerly the Vista Palace, is under legal scrutiny. The hotel, perched above Monaco, was transformed into a five-star retreat under the ownership of former Qatari Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, but now faces allegations of planning violations that are exposing issues beneath its glamorous exterior.
The Maybourne Riviera’s renovation, a costly project designed by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, opened its doors in stages beginning July 2021. This debut came just a month after municipal inspectors granted approval with only minor remarks. However, this “favourable” approval contrasted sharply with warnings issued just months earlier by Apave, a construction oversight agency. Apave raised serious concerns about structural and fire safety, and threatened to withdraw its support for the project unless remedial action was taken.
Next week, representatives from the Société d’Exploitation et de Détention Hôtelière Vista (SEDH), the Qatari investment structure behind the project, will appear in the Nice criminal court. The case will address planning irregularities and multiple violations discovered by the inspection team. Notably, the property lies within a protected Natura 2000 zone, which restricts construction to preserve the natural environment.
Complicating the case is a strained relationship between the Qatari investors and their Irish project partner, Paddy McKillen, whom the Qataris claim misled them throughout the renovation. According to SEDH, they only became aware of significant construction risks in early 2021 through Apave’s warnings about serious “material and immaterial disorders.” These defects, Apave warned, could impact the structure’s cold integrity and fire safety—issues Apave said might preclude the hotel’s opening.
The SEDH has reportedly documented over 6,000 construction flaws, which were logged by a bailiff. Many of these issues, the Qataris allege, stemmed from a lack of quality control by the Irish contractor, who did not carry mandatory insurance coverage.
As the court date approaches, the case sheds light on tensions between the Qatari investors and local authorities. In 2023, the Roquebrune-Cap-Martin municipality reportedly considered a permit modification that would retroactively authorise the project’s size overages. Internal emails reveal an emissary from the Emir’s office reassured the mayor that the modification would avoid the appearance of favouritism—a claim at odds with local opposition’s longstanding concerns over planning non-compliance.
With court proceedings set to begin, the Maybourne Riviera’s construction saga underscores complex challenges at the intersection of luxury development and regulatory enforcement in one of France’s most iconic landscapes.
