A five-minute walk from Lille Europe station, Mama Shelter offers an affordable stay which brings together quirky interiors, brilliant brunches and a scenic rooftop bar. Previously only seen as a cursory stop on the Eurostar's route to Paris , Lille has oft been overlooked as a city-break destination. Yet since becoming the European Capital of Culture in , the capital of the Hauts-de-France region has been keen to show off it's charm.
Created by the Trigano family, Mama Shelter is slowly beginning to monopolise boutique, budget hotels across the world with hotels in 11 cities and six countries. Only an hour and 20 minutes from King's Cross, Lille makes for an ideal weekend trip.
Around an unassuming corner just a five-minute walk from Lille Europe station, Mama Lille is a towering silver structure teetering atop iron stilts, and oddly reminiscent of a biblical ark albeit perhaps a rather futuristic one. Clashing colours and prints make up the hotel's interiors, with quirky carpets, graffiti by local artists adorn ceilings, and retro arcade games and table football with all-female, multi-racial players are dotted throughout the hotel.
With the city set to become the World Design Capital in , Mama Shelter's eccentric decor and unconventional design is a promising start. Rooms at Mama Lille aim to provide comfort while retaining the hotel's whimsical character. Boldly patterned carpets are paired with minimal, concrete ceilings, perfectly directing attention towards the room's centrepiece: a double bed topped with crisp white sheets.
Rather strikingly, bedside lamps are without shades, instead donning Mexican wrestling masks - another witty addition from Starck. White-tiled bathrooms have a pop of pale pink, a soothing break from the brazen decor in the rest of the hotel. Buffet breakfasts offer a selection of cold and hot options, from yoghurt and fresh fruit to bacon and eggs. Don't miss Mama's brunch, from pm on Sundays during which a vast selection of sweet and savoury food is constantly topped up. Next to the lobby, slide into cosy booths in the hotel's retro-themed restaurant.
