Mama Shelter Bordeaux Centre

Hotel Description

You know what? I wasn’t expecting much from Mama Shelter Bordeaux when I first walked up to it on Rue Poquelin Molière – I mean, it’s tucked into this quiet side street in the city center, and from the outside it looks pretty understated. But honestly, that’s kind of the point. The moment you step inside, there’s this whole different energy going on. The lobby has this industrial-chic thing happening with exposed concrete and these quirky design touches that actually work (Philippe Starck was involved, which explains a lot). It’s the kind of place where you immediately feel like you’re staying somewhere with personality rather than just another cookie-cutter hotel.

The rooms are compact but clever – and I mean really clever. Everything has its place, the bed is surprisingly comfortable for a 3-star, and the bathrooms have these rainfall showers that honestly made me linger longer than I should have each morning. What I really appreciated was how quiet it gets at night, which is saying something since you’re literally in the heart of Bordeaux’s city center. You’re maybe a 3-minute walk from Place Gambetta, and the tram stops right there if you want to head out to the wine regions or over to the Cité du Vin. Actually, speaking of wine – their rooftop bar is where locals go, not just hotel guests, which tells you everything you need to know about whether this place gets it right.

Here’s the thing about staying here: you’re not paying luxury prices, but you’re getting that boutique hotel experience that makes you feel like you discovered something. The staff actually knows the neighborhood – like, they’ll tell you to skip the tourist traps on Rue Sainte-Catherine and point you toward the better wine bars tucked away in the backstreets near Saint-Pierre. Check-in was smooth (they speak English well if your French is rusty), and there’s no pretentious attitude despite the hip design. I’d say the only minor downside is that breakfast isn’t included in most rates, but there are about six cafés within a block where you can get proper croissants and coffee for less anyway. If you’re looking for a place that feels authentically Bordeaux without breaking the bank – somewhere you can walk to dinner, stumble back after exploring the wine scene, and actually enjoy spending time in your room – this is it.

Rooms

• Medium Mama Double Room with 1 large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Large Mama Double Room with 1 large double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Classic Twin Room with 2 single beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• Small Mama Double Room with 1 double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• XL Mama Doublec with 1 double bed for 3 adults, 2 children
• XL Mama Triple with 3 single beds for 3 adults, 2 children
• MEDIUM MAMA Twin Room with 1 single bed for 2 adults, 1 child

Reviews

• Lotem from Israel (9/10)

  The room was in great condition
  Clean and welcoming
  The staff were very helpful and welcomed me nicely
  Nice terrace on the upper floor, great environment
  Lovely breakfast

• Kafetzaki from Greece (8/10)

  Great staff, Great Vibe, Nice restaurant, Good location

• Scott from United Kingdom (8/10)

  Art branding originality bedding dog gifts and welcome to guests and dog

• Louise from United Kingdom (8/10)

  Comfortable, funky design

• Andrea from Italy (9/10)

  Beautiful place and great staff: kudos

• Sandra from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Great location
  Chose a bigger room so was perfect otherwise would have been a bit right.
  Restaurant on site and on the Friday night they had good dancing music on
  This time we had views on the cinema…much nicer than the Monoprix side.

• Sandra from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Great location and Mama Shelter is a great chain
  Restaurant on-site

• Mark from United States (9/10)

  Had a nice funky vibe and a nice rooftop bar. The staff were very helpful and informative. The bed was large and comfortable with many alternatives for lighting effects.

• Isabelle from Belgium (8/10)

  Great location, only a short walk from the town center. Parking available, on reservation !
  Roof top bar !! Very nice staff in the restaurant, nice food as well.
  Dj set great 🙂

• Leandra from France (7/10)

  Fun vibe. Good music. Liked how the tall tables lighting made the space feel more intimate despite being in a huge room.
  Pet friendly- yay!

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities