If you’re looking for a hotel in London, the Mama Shelter Hotel Shoreditch is a fantastic option, offering a variety of facilities in the vibrant Shoreditch district. Compared to hotels in the city centre, the rooms here are slightly larger, and public transport makes it easy to reach key attractions.

Curious about our experiences with the Mama Shelter Shoreditch London? Check out the extensive review below.

Mama Shelter Hotel Shoreditch -Location

This hotel is a half-hour drive from London City Airport (LCY), an hour and a half from London Heathrow (LHR), and somewhere in between from London Gatwick (LGW).

Mama Shelter Shoreditch is easily accessible by public transport, sometimes even quicker than a taxi and much cheaper. Bethnal Green Underground Station (Central Line) is a 15-minute walk away, and the Pritchards Road bus stop is opposite the hotel, with buses 26 and 55 going to the city centre.

Other hotels in Shoreditch include The Hoxton, Travelodge, Premier Inn, Hyatt Place, and citizenM.

Reception Experience

After a great KLM Cityhopper flight in the Embraer E190, I arrived in the evening at London City (LCY). From there, it’s a half-hour taxi ride, but given the astronomical price for a British taxi, I chose public transport (DLR and Central Line). Conveniently, I could check in with my American Express card.

You can get off at Bethnal Green station and then it’s a 15-minute walk through a residential area. Alternatively, the double-decker bus stops right in front of the hotel at Pritchards Road (Stop HK).

When I arrived at the hotel, it was evening, and I was the only one checking in. The receptionist was very friendly and handled the check-in quickly and efficiently. I handed over my passport and credit card, and shortly afterwards, I received the room card. An upgrade was unfortunately not possible due to high occupancy. I asked about the welcome drink for Accor ALL members, which was not offered spontaneously. However, she gave me a paper voucher for a welcome drink.

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Rooms at Mama Shelter Shoreditch

Mama Shelter features 194 rooms, with somewhat unconventional but practical names: ‘Small’, ‘Medium’, and ‘Large’. The Medium Mama Double room is what I’ll be discussing in this review.

The Room: Medium Mama Double

Finding a hotel in London is certainly not difficult, but hotels in the city centre can be very expensive and often have small rooms. Staying in a neighbourhood a little further from the centre can be a smart choice, especially if you consider public transport connections.

When you enter the room, the bathroom is immediately accessible on the right, with a large mirror on the left. There’s no separate luggage stand, but you can easily place your luggage on the floor.

In the bedroom, there are two single beds with a bedside table in the middle. There’s also a safe. The left bed has sockets, but the right bed does not, which is a bit inconvenient.

At the back of the room is a wooden bench with a large table, perfect for working. Next to the bench is a piece of furniture with a kettle and tea cups, along with a mini fridge for cooling drinks or food.

Opposite the bed is a large TV on the wall, showing both local and international channels and offering on-demand content to watch for free.

The Bathroom

In this Medium Mama room, the bathroom is accessible via the door immediately to the right upon entering. The bathroom is a bit small, and the shower offers limited space to move, but it features a rain shower. Organic amenities, including hand soap and body lotion, are provided, and additional amenities can be requested at reception.

Breakfast Buffet at Mama’s Restaurant

I had never been to a Mama Shelter hotel before, but I found the breakfast buffet to be extensive and impressive. The buffet is set up at the back of the restaurant near the bar, offering both hot and cold dishes.

You can enjoy a traditional English breakfast with scrambled eggs, potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, and fried bacon, alongside various types of bread, fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola. Drinks include coffee, tea, water, and fruit juice, although the coffee is quite weak.

The buffet offers a wide selection for those with a sweet tooth, including Belgian waffles, chocolate rolls, cakes, and more.

Hotel Facilities

Mama Shelter in London boasts several facilities worth mentioning. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but it’s advisable to make a reservation, especially on weekends, as it can get busy with non-hotel guests.

Next to the restaurant is the Garden Bar, and the hotel features several ‘Japanese’ karaoke rooms that can be hired for six people at £22 per person for two hours.

For those wanting to stay active, the hotel offers a gym equipped with new TechnoGym equipment, though the space can get quite hot. Nearby parks provide great options for outdoor runs.

If you need to check out but want to explore more, you can store your luggage at the reception for free. All guests can enjoy free WiFi, which is easy to connect to and offers good speed. Various rooms are available for rent for business meetings, parties, and private dining.

Dogs are allowed in the hotel, with a maximum of one dog per room. However, parking is limited, with street parking available and larger parking options a bit of a walk away.

Accor ALL Benefits

Mama Shelter is part of Accor and participates in the loyalty programme ALL. However, not all benefits apply to this chain. During my stay, I enjoyed the following benefits:

• Early check-in or late check-out. I used the late check-out of 13:00. Normally that is 12:00, so that is not much later. This is possible, but then you have to pay extra. 
• Welcome drink: according to the hotel, this benefit does not apply to Mama Shelter. Fortunately, I still received a voucher for a drink at the bar. But I heard from friends who also stayed here that they had received nothing at check-in. For them, there was a welcome gift waiting in the room. 
• Earn Status and Reward Points with a 24% Reward Points bonus. 

Mama Shelter also participates in the Dis-loyalty program, providing standard discounts on hotel stays and food and drinks across various hotel chains. Membership costs €15 per month, with regular promotions available.