Hotel Review: Mama Shelter, Paris

While we were in Paris, Ruth and I stayed at Mama Shelter, having recently read a review of the opening.

Designed by Phillipe Stark the hotel is aiming at the budget end of the market, with some rooms at less than 100 EUR a night. As you'd expect the hotel is pretty design conscious with a young and funky look. There is graffiti on the carpets, polished concrete, black and orange bedrooms and a stylish bar. It sounds as though it could be dreadful, but it is pulled together with aplomb.

I think the hotel hit all the right notes for this segment of the market. The beds and bedding lived up to the 5* luxury hype. There was free internet on a 24'' iMac in every room and a useful information board on every floor listing local events and the upcoming weather. Everything else was pretty minimalist.

It isn't in central Paris and there isn't a lot to do in the local area. However, you can't have everything and the Metro is pretty easy to get around on. My only frustration was the ridiculous keyboard they give you to work the iMac, the mouse didn't work!