Hotel points · By Patrick Karsh ·
Ruby, a hotel brand in the IHG Hotels & Resorts family, has opened its first hotel in France. Ruby Lilou in Marseille has 237 rooms, a bar and café open around the clock, and a rooftop terrace that looks toward the Mediterranean.
IHG announced the opening on October 5, 2026, in its news release. For IHG One Rewards members, the useful detail is that the hotel can be booked through the IHG One Rewards app.
Where it is
Ruby Lilou sits between the Vieux Port and the La Joliette district, close to Le Panier, the city's oldest quarter. IHG says the Joliette metro stop is a three-minute walk away. Marseille Saint-Charles train station is five minutes away by metro. The airport is about 45 minutes away by public transport.
That location works for a short city break. You can walk to the old port and Le Panier, and the Calanques are close enough for a day trip.
The rooms
The hotel has four room types, which Ruby calls Nest, Cosy, Lovely and Wow. The design draws on yachts and on Marseille's ties to the sea. IHG lists these features:
- Oversized beds.
- Walk-in rainfall showers.
- Blackout curtains.
- Marshall amplifiers and Bluetooth speakers in the rooms.
The shared spaces get a lot of attention. They include a 24/7 bar and café with barista coffee, local wines, cocktails and light bites. The 300-square-meter rooftop terrace is open to hotel guests and locals. Music runs through the hotel, with live acts in the evening.
Room rates start from 130 euros a night for one person, with breakfast, according to IHG. That is the opening price IHG quoted. Rates will move with dates and demand.
A workspace next door
A Ruby Yani coworking space opens alongside the hotel. It is the first Ruby Workspace in France, with more than 126 desks, private offices and meeting rooms. Members can use the hotel's rooftop terrace. IHG lists memberships from 60 euros a month and day passes from 30 euros.
What it means for IHG One Rewards members
Ruby is one of IHG's brands. IHG's release says guests can book on the hotel's website or Ruby's site, and IHG One Rewards members can book in the IHG One Rewards app.
Before you book, check the points and status details on the hotel's IHG listing. The release does not say how many IHG points a night costs or which elite benefits apply at Ruby hotels.
More Ruby hotels to come
Ruby Lilou follows Ruby Frida in Stockholm, which opened in June 2026. IHG says Ruby has 42 open and pipeline hotels around the world, mostly in large European cities. This year Ruby has signed its first US hotels, in Chicago and New York City, and its first hotel in Belgium. Over the long term, IHG says it aims for more than 120 Ruby hotels within ten years.
"Opening Ruby Lilou marks an important milestone for us as we debut the Ruby brand in France," said Michael Struck, Ruby Group's founder and CEO, in the release.
My take
Ruby is a good fit for a short city trip where you want a central bed and a lively bar more than a big room. I would check the points price against the cash rate before booking. At a hotel that starts at 130 euros with breakfast, paying cash may be the better deal.