Mama Shelter Paris East: a concept-defining design hotel that still ticks the right boxes

When it opened in 2008, the first Mama Shelter in a then-little known neighbourhood in the east of Paris sparked something of a revolution in the hotel industry with its design-led yet affordable ethos.

Fast forward 14 years and, though the brand has expanded around the world and the concept has been widely imitated, the original 170-room branch, now known as Mama Shelter Paris East, still delivers.

The hotel made headlines when it opened thanks to its interiors by Philippe Starck – black featured heavily in the moody, low-lit, sexy scheme back then and it matched the gritty, up-and-coming neighbourhood.

The Saint Blaise quarter, in Paris’s 20^th arrondissement close to Pere Lachaise, has changed at a Hackney-style pace and the hotel’s décor feels correspondingly brighter and sunnier – if slightly less edgy.

Nonetheless, the industrial-irreverent style remains in the black-walled reception area, neon-look accent lighting, and cheeky chalkboard slogans.

The clubby feel suits a hotel where the bar is a popular destination in its own right, perfect for a nightcap on your way to bed, not ideal if you don’t like walking past tipsy revellers on your way to your room.

The hotel produces its own city guide and a great local map, which is well worth checking out for recommendations a short Saturday stroll away. Le Merle Moqueur is one of Paris’s coolest bookshops, and the hipster delights of Gambetta and Belleville are within walking distance.

Meanwhile, for a taste of real local Paris you can’t beat a stroll around the cobbled streets by Saint Blaise Square full of workers’ cottages and pretty gardens.

The local area is home to some of Paris’s most talked about restaurants and bars so swerve dinner in the hotel and take yourself out for the evening – the aforementioned local guide is a great place to start.

The buffet breakfast on the other had is worth the extra 19€ with a huge array of juices, viennoiseries, breads, charcuterie, cheeses, fruit, and crepes.

Mama Shelter has always been about stripping back the frills to focus on what city-breakers really want from a hotel: comfort, style and utility, rather than space.

Rooms are well appointed and cleverly laid out but while the smallest (cheapest) offer is cute and cosy for two very well-acquainted guests on a budget, it might be worth paying a bit more for a Medium.

Whichever option you choose, however, you’ll find the same quirky features, from Darth Vader masked bedside lights to clear plastic occasional chairs referencing Starck’s classic ghost chair, mostly erring on the right side of quirky.

Rooms from 89€ mamashelter.com/paris-east/