Stéphane Durand
Mama Shelter: the urban hotel with cheeky luxury
Mama Shelter: urban refuges where luxury becomes freedom
In fifteen years, Mama Shelter has redefined the meaning of urban hospitality. Combining demanding comfort, attention to detail and a touch of whimsy, the group has created a hybrid model where luxury rhymes with conviviality.
Behind this affectionate name lies a family of visionary entrepreneurs: Serge Trigano, former president of Club Med, and his sons Jérémie and Benjamin. Together, they have imagined a vibrant, accessible urban refuge, where travelers are welcomed as guests in an unusual home.
Design, boldness and local roots: when Mama Shelter shakes up the codes of hospitality
The first Mama Shelter saw the light of day in 2008, in the 20ᵉ arrondissement of Paris, far from the classic tourist circuits. The tone was set: explosive décor, a warm atmosphere and a clear objective: to anchor each establishment in its neighborhood, making it a meeting place for visitors and locals alike.
The Mama Shelter signature is also a strong visual identity. Philippe Starck designed the first Mama Shelter establishments, with an abundance of decor and an audacious blend of humor and design. Other designers such as Thierry Gauguin, Maxime Dion & Florence Arles, Jalil Amor and Benjamin El Doghaïli (Mama Design Studio) have enriched this universe with local interpretations faithful to the Mama spirit: uninhibited, generous and impertinent.
The attributes of the Mama Shelter Tribe: when the hotel business becomes a playground
In 2021, a discreet but major turning point was reached at Mama Shelter: the management of the brand was entrusted to Cédric Gobilliard, a hospitality professional who had previously worked for Disneyland Paris and Club Med, among others. A natural appointment for the man who, for several years now, has worked closely with the Trigano family, founders of the brand. Under his leadership, Mama Shelter continues to expand boldly, while remaining true to its quirky, popular and cheerful DNA.
He ensures that each new address is conceived as a living space rooted in its territory, where locals and travellers meet in a setting combining art and design. Under his impetus, the Mama brand has spread all over the world, always selecting places with a history. Today, the brand boasts some twenty hotels and has no intention of stopping there: Zurich in summer 2025, Lake Como, Casablanca, Cape Town and Amsterdam are among the next destinations announced.
Who's it for? Lovers of urban escapades with a touch of madness.
Why Plume loves Mama Shelter
Because beyond the rooms and rooftops, Mama Shelter breathes soul into the city. At Mama Shelter, travel is not a fixed itinerary, but an open-hearted experience: an impromptu dinner with strangers, an aperitif on a rooftop where the light slowly fades, a playlist that becomes the soundtrack of a weekend.
We love the way each address tells a story, rooted in its neighborhood and its people. Nothing is standardized: in Nice, the Mediterranean spirit infuses every detail; in Zurich, Swiss style is boldly celebrated in a festive spirit; in Paris, creativity explodes in joyful aesthetic chaos.
We also love this uninhibited luxury, with its soft bedding, Mama Skin treatments and meticulous design... but without ever forgetting the essential: human warmth and the desire to share.
Mama Shelter is a vibrant urban refuge for those who like to travel with lightness, curiosity and a touch of impertinence.
Three Mama signatures to (re)discover
Mama Shelter Nice: the jewel of the Côte d'Azur
In Nice, it's not just the sun that shines: Mama Shelter has planted its colorful flag to warm up the Côte d'Azur with a healthy dose of cool. With its arty frescoes, twisted southern flavors and vibrant rooftop, this urban retreat blows a wind of freedom across the Mediterranean. A rooftop in Nice A stone's throw from the Promenade
Mama Shelter Zurich, the latest addition to the collection: an expanding tribe
On July 31, 2025, Mama Shelter opened its first Swiss address, setting up its colorful world in the heart of the Oerlikon district. Just a stone's throw from the train station and ten minutes from the airport, this bustling district, known for its creative spirit, offers the perfect playground for Mama Shelter's DNA: urban, accessible and festive.
Mama Shelter Paris East: the inimitable
Stéphane Durand A rooftop hotel in Paris Forget overly sophisticated palaces: here, love of design rhymes with love of everything. From its former parking lot, the very first Mama Shelter electrifies eastern Paris with its rebellious spirit, Starck decor and rhythmic nights under the stars. An endearing pop UFO where people come to love, feast... or just relax.
