STAR ratings and other categorisations can be useful shorthand for conveying information about hotels and restaurants but sometimes they are blunt instruments and the new Mama Shelter hotel, opening in Singapore this September, is a case in point.
Mama Shelter resists the vocabulary of ready-made labels and has one reaching for an oxymoronic term like budget luxury. On the one hand, rooms are small, with queen-size beds and some have bunk beds but sheets are satin cotton, some bedrooms have private balconies and all have large screens and sound proofing.
There are two swimming pools, one of which doubles as a stage for DJ sets and live performances, and the rooftop enjoys an air-conditioned restaurant and deckchairs for sunset cocktails. Another restaurant, at ground level, has its own bar and a brasserie-style menu; Sunday brunches, always a big draw in Singapore, will attract local and tourists alike.
A medium double at Mama Shelter
The Paris-born Mama Shelter hotel brand has been around since 2008, accumulating a score of properties around the globe but, until now, none further east of Europe than Dubai. The design team behind the Singapore hotel, Dion & Arles, also worked on Mama Shelter Shoreditch.
Their signature style displays colourful décor, patterned textures and a playful quirkiness that results in whimsical touches to the interior decoration but also, in the Singapore hotel, a hand-painted ceiling mural by Parisian street-artist, Beniloys, that took three months to create on site.
First-ever Mama Shelter bunk rooms
Centrally located in the city state and with an ethos of affordability without sacrificing comfort, Mama Shelter Singapore should have an instant appeal for tourists valuing utility but appreciating a choice of bedrooms and a design-conscious environment.
by Sean Sheehan
Rooms from S$190+ per night, inclusive of breakfast for two guests, on bookings made before 31 August. The opening offer is valid for stays from 23 September 2025 to 28 February 2026, subject to blackout dates and availability.
For reservations, visit mamashelter.com/Singapore.