Why are branded residences arriving in Paris?
London, New York, Miami, and Dubai have long developed private residences combining luxury real estate, major brands, and hotel services. Paris, despite its status as the world capital of luxury, had largely remained outside this trend. This anomaly is now beginning to disappear.
In this article
- Why does Paris arrive so late?
- Why is the market changing now?
- Maybourne Saint-Germain: the flagship project
- How many residences are expected?
- What are international buyers looking for?
- Why is the standalone model suitable for Paris?
- Is it possible to reach €70,000/m²?
- Can Paris become a major global market?
Why is Paris arriving so late to the branded residences market?
It's almost a paradox: Paris is one of the world's capitals of luxury, but true brand residences are still extremely rare there.
The reason is not a lack of attractiveness. It lies primarily with the city itself.
Paris has few large vacant lots, few completely vacant buildings and a strongly protected architectural heritage.
To create a large-scale branded residence, an operator ideally needs to control an entire building, have sufficient space for apartments as well as for services, and then succeed in integrating the necessary transformations into a particularly constrained urban and heritage environment.
The first luxury is finding a building in which such a project is simply possible.
Knight Frank also highlights the fragmentation of Parisian real estate ownership: combining several lots or completely freeing up a large building can become a complex operation.
So why are branded residences happening now?
Because the demand for the very high-end international market is evolving.
The wealthiest buyers are already familiar with the residential standards offered in London, New York, Miami, Dubai or in certain major resort destinations.
They wish to find a comparable combination in Paris: private property, security, services, wellness and simplified management.
International Mobility
The very wealthy often own several residences and travel between several capital cities.
Search for services
Concierge, housekeeping and security services facilitate the use of a residence occupied only part of the year.
Paris remains Paris
Culture, gastronomy, fashion, heritage and lifestyle retain a global appeal.
New limited offer
The small number of new ultra-luxury programs reinforces the uniqueness of the operations that are able to be developed.
Need for security
For a second home, the presence of a professional operator can become a real purchasing criterion.
Wellness
Swimming pool, fitness, spa and longevity are now among the expectations of a segment of the ultra-premium clientele.
Is Paris truly entering a new phase?
The numbers remain tiny in volume, but investment intentions are becoming much more significant.
These figures clearly demonstrate the unique characteristics of Paris.
We're not talking about hundreds or thousands of additional apartments. We're talking about a few dozen homes that could introduce a new way of conceiving ultra-luxury residential living in Paris.
Maybourne Saint-Germain: the project that could change the market
The most emblematic project currently is The Maybourne Saint-Germain, announced for 2027.
The Maybourne group, known in particular for Claridge's, The Connaught and The Berkeley in London, is developing its Parisian project in the Îlot Saint-Germain, a historic 17th-century complex located on the left bank.
The project will combine a 101-room and suite palace-style hotel with 23 ultra-luxurious private residences .
23 residences in the heart of Saint-Germain
Seven residences are planned for rue Saint-Dominique with interiors designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon.
Sixteen others, located on rue de l'Université, are designed by Laura Gonzalez.
Owners will have access to a private 25-meter swimming pool, the hotel's rooftop pool, and the Surrenne wellness and longevity club.
The value of this project therefore goes beyond the simple creation of 23 apartments.
He is introducing into a historic Parisian building a residential organization that until now has been much more familiar to buyers in London, New York or Dubai.
Why is Saint-Germain-des-Prés a symbolic location?
Because the project could have sought to reproduce a completely standardized international luxury.
On the contrary, he chose one of the neighborhoods most deeply associated with Parisian identity.
Saint-Germain combines heritage, culture, galleries, gastronomy, proximity to the Seine and historic architecture.
The challenge is to deliver international luxury residential services without erasing what makes Paris desirable.
This equation could become the defining characteristic of Parisian branded residences: less gigantism, more heritage, more confidential projects and a much finer integration into the existing urban fabric.
How many branded residences are actually expected in Paris?
Knight Frank estimated in its Residence Report 2025/26 that the identified projects could bring only 50 to 60 branded or semi-branded housing units to the Parisian market.
The figure is spectacular precisely because it is small.
In a metropolis the size of Paris, a few dozen units constitute an almost microscopic offering.
But research published by Knight Frank in September 2026 also shows a much broader interest from investors.
Up to 15 funds and developers are currently looking at Paris
According to Alison Ashby, Head of Paris Prime Residential at Knight Frank, up to fifteen funds and developers are studying the market with the aim of creating branded or serviced residences.
Several are particularly interested in the transformation of historic office buildings.
The difficulty remains the same: few buildings offer sufficient size, configuration and potential to make this type of operation economically viable.
It is therefore necessary to distinguish between the interest of investors and the number of programs that will actually be carried out.
Not all of the projects studied will become branded residences.
What are international buyers looking for in Paris?
They are no longer just looking for a large square meterage. They are looking for a residence that can function in their absence.
This development directly extends the one we studied in our report on luxury pied-à-terres in Paris .
Why are branded standalone residences suitable for Paris?
A branded residence does not necessarily need to be attached to a hotel.
The development of the standalone, i.e. a residence operated without an adjacent hotel, is particularly interesting for Paris.
It allows for the pooling of restaurant, spa, staff, housekeeping and numerous hotel services.
But it usually requires a very large property complex.
It allows for the creation of a more confidential program in a smaller building.
The facilities can be reserved for owners only.
In a city where large buildings are scarce, this second option can open up more possibilities.
It also appeals to a clientele that seeks the standards of a luxury hotel while wishing to retain the privacy of a true private residence.
Can branded residences in Paris reach €70,000/m²?
Maybourne Saint-Germain has already set the bar at an exceptional level.
Knight Frank mentions levels of approximately €60,000 to €70,000/m².
These values obviously do not represent the Parisian market as a whole, nor even the entire prestige market.
They concern a particularly rare ultra-luxury program, combining Saint-Germain-des-Prés, historical heritage, hotel services and an international brand.
This is the potential positioning of an extremely specific residential product that seeks precisely to create a new market category.
Information published in 2026 also indicates that the first residences marketed on rue Saint-Dominique found buyers off-plan at average values exceeding €50,000/m².
These levels show the existence of a demand capable of absorbing prices much higher than the Parisian average when the product has sufficient scarcity.
Does a branded residence automatically cost 20 to 30% more?
No.
Knight Frank mentioned premiums of around 20 to 30% for certain branded residences compared to conventional residential products.
But this indication must absolutely not be transformed into an automatic coefficient applicable to any Parisian apartment.
The brand
It can provide trust, services and international standards.
Real estate
Address, architecture, light, layout and quality of the building remain fundamental.
The services
The bonus only makes sense if the promised benefits are actually delivered.
Will Paris copy London, Miami, or Dubai?
Probably not.
And perhaps that is precisely what makes the Parisian market interesting.
In some cities, branded residences may be developed in large new towers comprising hundreds of units.
Paris imposes a different logic: existing buildings, limited volumes, architectural protection and very low land availability.
New towers, large equipment, strong brand visibility and sometimes very large programs.
Rehabilitated heritage, small number of residences, very high-end services and high level of confidentiality.
Parisian luxury may therefore not reside in the size of the project, but in its impossibility of being reproduced.
Can former office buildings become the new battleground for residential luxury?
This is one of the most interesting leads revealed in 2026.
Knight Frank indicates that several investors are currently looking at former office buildings to develop branded residences or serviced residences.
The logic is understandable.
A large office building owned by a limited number of owners may be easier to control than a residential building divided among several dozen co-owners.
But not all offices can become residential palaces.
Floor depth, natural light, circulation, facades, urban planning regulations, heritage and the cost of transformations can make certain operations impossible or economically unrealistic.
Truly compatible buildings could therefore themselves become highly sought-after assets.
Why is this market of so much interest to developers?
Because a branded residence can create a real estate category that is very different from a traditional residential program.
Partnering with a recognized brand can help reassure an international clientele, facilitate global marketing and justify much higher standards of finish and service.
But the model is also complex: brand licensing, operating contracts, charges, services, real estate constraints and extremely high expectations from owners.
We have dedicated an entire section to the workings of this category: what is a branded residence in luxury real estate?
Will branded residences replace the traditional Parisian apartment?
No. Their volume will be far too small.
The Haussmannian apartment, the private mansion, the penthouse, the reception apartment or the old pied-à-terre will retain their own markets.
Branded residences add a new option at the upper end of the market.
It is probably in this encounter between historical architecture and contemporary hospitality that part of the future of ultra-prime real estate in Paris will be played out.
Can Paris become a major global market for branded residences?
In terms of value and influence, perhaps. In terms of volume, the constraints of the city make an explosion much less likely.
The global market, however, is accelerating sharply.
The Knight Frank study published in September 2026 now covers nearly 1,800 existing or developing projects, more than 200 brands and 90 countries.
Paris is therefore entering this market at a time when it is becoming a true component of global luxury residential real estate.
But the capital has a paradoxical advantage: its inability to produce on a massive scale.
The real indicator to observe in the coming years will therefore not only be the number of projects announced.
We will need to look at those that actually manage to be authorized, built or rehabilitated, marketed and operated sustainably at the promised level of service.
Key takeaway: Why are branded residences arriving in Paris?
They are arriving because the expectations of the international ultra-high-end clientele have changed.
Having a prestigious address is no longer always enough. Some buyers also want concierge services, security, wellness facilities, management and services comparable to those they are used to in other capital cities.
Paris can meet this demand, but in extremely limited proportions due to its heritage, its scarce land and the difficulty of converting large buildings.
The Maybourne Saint-Germain, with its 23 residences planned for 2027, is the emblematic project of this evolution.
And the interest now shown by many investors suggests that other deals could follow.
He discovers a new way to add service to it.
Exploring the new codes of luxury real estate
Sources and method
Article documented in September 2026 based on the latest publications dedicated to the development of branded residences in Paris and around the world.
Knight Frank estimated in its 2025/26 study that the identified projects could bring less than 60 new 100% branded or semi-branded apartments to the Parisian market by 2027.
In an analysis published in September 2026, Knight Frank also indicated that up to fifteen funds and developers were now exploring opportunities in Paris, particularly in former office buildings. This reflects growing interest, but does not necessarily mean that fifteen projects will actually be completed.
The Maybourne Saint-Germain, slated to open in 2027, is planned to include a 101-room and suite hotel and 23 private residences. Residents will enjoy access to a 25-meter private pool, the hotel's rooftop pool, and the Surrenne wellness and longevity club.
Knight Frank places the announced positioning of the program at around €60,000 to €70,000/m². These levels relate to this ultra-luxury project and do not constitute a general reference for the Parisian real estate market.
The Knight Frank 2026 global study now covers nearly 1,800 existing or developing projects, more than 200 brands and 90 countries.
Sources consulted: Knight Frank – The Residence Report 2025/26 and The Residence Report 2026, Maybourne Group and specialist trade publications. Updated: September 2026.