Mama Shelter London - Shoreditch

It was only a matter of time before the ultra-hip Parisian-born Mama Shelter hotel brand turned up in London, and there was never any question of it happening in the West End, either — Hackney Road, between Shoreditch and Bethnal Green, is the perfect site for the affordable, accessible, youth-focused Mama Shelter London Shoreditch. Behind this dark and somewhat minimalist exterior is a hotel that’s overflowing with visual interest, inspired not only by the most tasteful period of mid-century modernism but by the Seventies and Eighties as well.

Certain Mama Shelter signatures like superhero masks are present here, and there’s an understandably Parisian accent to the hotel’s visual language. But there’s also quite a lot that’s tailored to England as well, including Liberty prints and a sort of mismatched country-house assortment of furnishings. Rooms vary in size, and while none venture into luxury-hotel territory, they’re plenty comfortable, with basics like plush beds, modern bathrooms, and quality soundproofing all present and accounted for.

Naturally, the hotel’s public spaces are equally as important as its rooms; there’s a bustling French restaurant and a lovely courtyard garden bar, as well as a pair of private karaoke rooms that can accommodate up to 15 singers each. And this corner of London has plenty to recommend it to Mama Shelter’s guests, from London Fields and Broadway Market to the nightlife of Shoreditch proper.