By Katie Wilson
Need a Shoreditch hotel stay that won’t break the bank? Mama Shelter London ticks all the boxes.
After spending years going past it on my way to work, this summer I finally stepped through the doors of the London outpost of this boutique hotel chain, that opened in the capital back in 2019.
Starting life as a single hotel in Paris nearly 20 years ago, the ‘urban refuge’ hotel chain has since expanded into Belgrade, Prague, Luxembourg, Rome, Zurich and even Dubai, as well as many other parts of France. A Mama Shelter Singapore is also scheduled to open later this year.
Extremely playful in its design, the Mama hotels are feel-good spaces with, in their own words, ‘a sprinkling of cheekiness’. Think affirming messages written in your room, the lift, lobby or restaurant that instantly perk you up.
If the hotels in Europe and beyond are as fun as the London one, I’d have no hesitation in booking a room. Here’s what to expect when you check in.
Mama Shelter London Shoreditch review
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Getting to Mama Shelter London is easy. I went to Bethnal Green Tube Station and walked the five or 10 minutes to the entrance on Hackney Road, not far from where Columbia Road Flower Market is held every Sunday. It’s also on several bus routes if you’re coming from the City.
Inside, you’re greeted by a fun reception area with lots of seating, from brightly coloured sofas and fringed armchairs to graffiti-style artwork daubed on the ceiling. While not Moroccan-themed (the hotel chain is Parisian), the colours, patterned rugs and plants everywhere give those vibes.
After a swift check in, there was more fun to see. Chaise longue seating with Art Deco lamps that seemed to be a chill out area, and a huge mirror with the words ‘Mama loves you’ written on the mirror – which they love doing here, and I’m here for it. Another told me ‘you look gorgeous’ (thanks!).
As I entered ‘heaven’s door’ (the lift), there was more writing on the mirror inside. This time it said the date, how many degrees it was outside – 30C, as it was during the June heatwave – followed by ‘have a great day!’
THE ROOMS
Rooms here are simple, but quirky – with more writing on the mirrors to make my day. It’s nice to be told ‘welcome home’ when you’re at a hotel, and it was certainly starting to feel that way. Even the body cream in the bathroom had a message for me – ‘Mama has a soft spot for you’. Oh stop!
Rooms look largely the same, but come in small, medium or large sizes. My large room had a double bed adorned in my favourite crisp, white bedding, a sofa/table area and bathroom with a shower, which is everything you really need.
Though I’ve stayed in fancier hotels, I’ve never had a Tweety Pie or Sylvester the Cat mask in my room before. They seem to love a Looney Tune here. You can also watch free movies on the TV should you want to.
FOOD AND DRINK
Downstairs behind the reception area is where you’ll find the bar and restaurant. Again, interiors are quirky and fun. I particularly loved all the fringed lampshades that created an almost jellyfish-like effect across the room. And they played old cartoons and films on the TVs, which I appreciated.
The food was pretty good too. I went for a trio of small plates – Crispy Teriyaki Chicken, Hummus and Flat Bread and the Artichoke Arancini – but bigger plates on offer include a Chicken Katsu Curry Burger (£16.50), Fish and Chips (£18.50), Crab and Mussel Pasta (£24.95) and Sirloin Steak (£31).
This is where a ‘help yourself’ breakfast is served around the bar in the morning. Choose from continental pastries, and yoghurt with fruit, to a full English. You can also sit out on the terrace that wraps around the building if the weather is behaving itself.
In the mood for a bottomless? Mama Shelter London doesn’t have just one option – there’s five. Wednesday is wings, Fridays is fish, ‘Mama gets tipsy’ on Saturdays or you can ‘Pimp Mama’s lunch’. They even do a bottomless Sunday Roast.
EXTRAS
Guests can also sit in the pretty Garden Bar terrace (pictured above), which can be covered or not, depending on the weather. Fancy a sing-a-long? Book one of the karaoke rooms downstairs and belt out a banger. There are over 10,000 tunes to choose from. Just follow the lip printed carpet to find them.
OVERALL VERDICT
Mama Shelter London is one of the most playful hotels I’ve ever stayed in and I loved it. Quirky furniture, fringing everywhere and Looney Tunes masks. On paper it doesn’t make sense, but in real life it works. As for the messages written on the mirrors in rooms and around the hotel, more of these please. Perhaps a hotel that ‘talks’ to you is the way forward.
Rooms start from £160 a night
Book a stay at Mama Shelter Shoreditch here
*The Boutique Handbook visited as part of a complimentary PR stay, but we always give honest reviews
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