Grand Hotel Nord-Pinus in Arles Reopens After Restoration by Maja Hoffmann and Duro Olowu

The historic Grand Hotel Nord-Pinus in Arles has reopened at the end of 2025 following a comprehensive restoration. The hotel, located on Place du Forum—immortalized by Vincent van Gogh in 1888—has hosted Napoleon III, Henry James, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Jack Kerouac, Ernest Hemingway, Boris Vian, Maria Callas, Yves Montand, and bullfighters Luis Miguel Dominguín and Antonio Ordóñez. Current owner Maja Hoffmann, founder of LUMA Arles, commissioned Anglo-Nigerian fashion designer Duro Olowu for his first hotel project. Olowu described the interior redesign as a 'total work of art,' incorporating custom furniture, fabrics from his personal archive, and West African textiles with an 'Afro-check' touch. The 25 rooms each have distinct character, with Murano glass appliques and handmade local ceramic tiles evoking Van Gogh's starry skies. The bar Le Cintra features a replica of the original zinc counter, and the restaurant Le Comptoir is now run by Italian chef Antonio Altamura, who blends Italian roots with Camargue and Provençal products. The restoration preserved the 18th-century building's exterior and interior elements like the wrought-iron staircase, while removing old wallpapers to reveal original features. Hoffmann, who also owns other Maisons d'Arles properties, aimed to modernize the hotel without losing its unique atmosphere.