Having never stayed at a Mama Shelter hotel before, I was interested to see what the brand had to offer. So I decided to try out the Mama Shelter Prague.  The chain is described by Accor as “a place to live life to the full: it’s affordable, irreverent, popular, sassy, and sexy. A haven that Mama has created for her guests. Much like a mother who cares for her children, Mama looks after travellers as if they were her own”.

It’s quite the description. Clearly, Mama Shelter is trying to market itself as being a little different to your typical hotel. After reading more about the brand, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the Mama Shelter Prague hotel.

Mama Shelter Prague Hotel Location

The Mama Shelter Prague hotel is located in a good area of the city, albeit a thirty minute walk from the Old Town. Alternatively, you can use Prague’s good public transportation system and be there in just over ten minutes. It’s also close to Letna Park and the river – two good options if you like an evening stroll. In terms of restaurants and bars, I didn’t discover too many interesting places nearby, although there are a few different choices if you do want to dine close to the hotel.

There’s also a fairly large shopping centre located next door, which also has a supermarket. This was our last night in Prague. The airport is around 25 minutes away from the hotel and we paid around €13 to get there.

Arrival

The arrival and check-in process was fairly standard. There was little in the way of small talk, but it didn’t take long to get our keycards. The reception/lobby space is nicely designed. I found the hotel architecturally interesting. It was built in 1967, and definitely has a Soviet feel to its design. The hotel have done a fairly good job of maintaining some of the key features in the public areas, while obviously modernising the space extensively.

The reception area has different seating spaces, and there are also a couple of table football games, if that’s your thing. This meant the lobby was always fairly busy and noisy, which was fine – but it didn’t feel particularly enticing (for me, anyway).

The property has two lifts, and one of these was out of action for some of the stay. The lifts are slow – very slow! It wasn’t unusual to have to wait upwards of 5 minutes before it was available.

Accor Status Recognition

I have Accor Platinum Status, and was upgraded from the lowest room type which is called a ‘Medium Mama Double’ to a ‘Large Mama Double’. Apart from being slightly larger, I failed to identify any other difference, and certainly wouldn’t have paid extra for this room.

I was also given a drinks voucher without having to request it. This was valid for wine, beer or a soft drink. Shortly after arriving in the room, some grapes were delivered, alongside two small bottles of water. As far as welcome gifts go, this was certainly in the ‘low effort’ category.

The Room at the Mama Shelter Prague Hotel

I have to be honest. I didn’t like the room style of the Mama Shelter Prague hotel.

Of course, style and design preferences are very much a personal thing and I’m sure lots of people who stay here really like the overall aesthetic. For me, it didn’t work, and I far preferred my stay at the Century Old Town MGallery Prague.

During the day, the room was bright with large windows. We were on the highest floor (10). This meant we had good views out to the city. Unfortunately, it also meant that on an August day, the room was a sun trap. This wouldn’t have been a problem if the aircon worked, but it did not. Instead, the aircon system appeared to be blocked at 26 degrees. No amount of adjusting the controls lowered the temperature. The minimum the room ever got to was 24.5 degrees – which I find too warm for sleeping well.

I did raise this with reception, and to be fair, the team member I spoke with was sympathetic. The only solution, however, was a small table fan. While appreciated, it obviously wasn’t going to help lower the overall temperature of the room.

During the evening the room was very dark. This is because there are only wall lights in the room, which are obstructed by some rather interesting lamp shades. I like dimmed lighting if it’s done properly. Instead, the room felt dark and just a bit depressing. This isn’t helped by certain design features – such as the chipboard wall behind the television and the jet black ceilings.

In terms of comfort, the bed was fine – although unremarkable. Unfortunately though, the thick duvet alongside the non-existent aircon made for an uncomfortable night and I only managed to get a couple of hours of decent sleep.

The Bathroom at the Mama Shelter Prague Hotel

The bathroom at the Mama Shelter Prague hotel is best described as basic and functional. The walls are tiled white, which is paired with a pastel pink ceiling. The shower worked well, although the water pressure could have been slightly better.

I really disliked the provided amenities. These consisted of two tiny bars of soap. The soap is advertised as being designed for washing both your hair and body. I’d recommend just bringing your own – it certainly does not work as a shampoo. The minimum I’d have expected is a liquid soap dispenser for showering.

Bars and Dining at the Mama Shelter Prague Hotel

Next to the reception area, and on the ground floor level, you’ll find the bar and restaurant. It’s actually a nice space, especially because there is a large outside area. On a Wednesday afternoon in August it was moderately busy.

The service, however, wasn’t friendly and very slow. It took at least 15 minutes to be served, and we felt more like an inconvenience. We didn’t try out the breakfast or any other meals, so can’t comment on these.

Recommended?

For a one night stay, we paid €93. I don’t think this was bad for August. Unfortunately though, I don’t think the stay was good value for money. Primarily, this is because of the aircon (or lack of) which meant it was difficult to sleep, and wasn’t a particularly comfortable stay.

The design wasn’t to my taste, and I’m not sure I’d rate it much higher than an Ibis. As such, I probably wouldn’t return and will probably give the Mama Shelter brand a miss in the future!