The Post visits L.A.’s delightfully eclectic new hotel, Mama Shelter.
WHAT: A chic boutique hotel chain with five properties in France and Turkey, Mama Shelter arrived stateside in July with the opening of its 70-room L.A. property. Located in a 1930s building that once housed the legendary Hotel Wilcox, it’s a beacon of glamour designed by Thierry Gaugain, previously Philippe Starck’s head of design. Rooms are stunning — think arching floor lamps, mood lighting and carpeting that resembles tile — and high-tech, with Apple TV and 27-inch Macs. They also, thankfully, have personality; both a Bible and Rolling Stones frontman Keith Richards’ memoir sit atop the bedside table.
WHERE: Tucked away in Hollywood between fabulously frenetic Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards, this is an area L.A.’s creatures of the night call home. See-and-be-seen nightclubs, restaurants and other bustling haunts are all a short walk away.
WHY: Hollywood doesn’t have a plethora of boutique hotels. Instead, you’ll find the much larger (and impersonal) Roosevelt, Loews and W hotels nearby. A rarity for the neighborhood, Mama Shelter is an intimate place with budget-friendly rates that offers a cool, chic vibe and décor, emulating its immediate hipster-meets-Old Hollywood environs.
WORKING WELL: The 1930s Spanish-style lobby is an incredibly eclectic and artistic space. Its ceiling — which has already half-jokingly been dubbed a “West Coast Sistine Chapel” — features colorful chalk-drawn tributes by up-and-coming artists, enlisted by owner Benjamin Trigano, to their “mamas.” There’s also an eight-person foosball table and a fireplace surrounded by dozens of colorful notes with random musings, including guests’ questions about the area and their social media handles so folks can reply.
NEEDS WORK: The rooms would benefit from a few extra amenities, including a stocked mini-bar — a bummer when the munchies strike, although there is a refrigerator — and an iron and ironing board or steamer.
MUST TRY: The Mama Shelter coffee shop, helmed by Benjamin Bailly, serves a droolworthy menu in a cozy space with a long communal table running down its center. Pastries from Farmshop and Intelligentsia Coffee are the highlight of breakfast, while the burger and chopped salad are heartier favorites.
DON’T MISS: Mama Shelter’s rooftop, which is still under construction, will soon offer a majestic 360-degree view of the city, including the iconic Hollywood sign and downtown L.A.’s skyline. Panoramic vistas aside, the rooftop will also feature outdoor films, a Muscle Beach-inspired gym — and, of course, a bar ready to dole out cocktails.
DETAILS: From $149 per night; mamashelter.com.
