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As the latest addition to the Mama Shelter group, Mama Shelter Lille continues the brand's unique blend of quirky design, creature comforts and a retro-chic sense of fun. Set in a custom-built property on stilts, a stone's throw from Lille Europe Train Station, you can get the Eurostar practically to the front door - an added bonus. Guestrooms range across the Mama Shelter scale from small to extra large. Interiors were conceived by design guru Jalil Amor and are effortlessly chic, with exposed concrete ceilings juxtaposed against jazzy, monochrome patterned carpets and warm, back-lit headboards. The XXL rooms are the best for families since they offer a separate living room, but at 69 euros it wouldn't break the bank to book separate doubles. Nostalgia-inducing arcade games feature in the hotel lobby, leading onto the cosy bar and restaurant. Sample one of the innovative cocktails at the bar, with plenty of local flavour, while the kids peruse the children's menu. Head through the restaurant to the patio out back for drinks by the firepit. On weekends there are live DJs and a great atmosphere, and the free games will keep kids entertained while parents unwind with a glass of wine. A great base for a city break, particularly for families or young couples.
Families
City Style
Local exploring
Close to nightlife
Museums
Sights nearby
Pet friendly
Full of character
Designer
Less £
Family Suites
Romantic
Contemporary
Disabled access
Child friendly
Quirky
Chic
Restaurant
Rooms
112 rooms in this hotelParking
Private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed) and costs EUR 19 per dayPet friendly
Charges may be applicableMeeting Room
Bar
Family Suites
Safe
Games room
Concierge
Wifi
Satellite / Cable TV
Air conditioning
Suites
Disabled access
Sitting Room
Child friendly
Restaurant
Close to nightlife
Museums
Sights nearby
“Above Christ’s head, to the right, there are two flying saucers,” Julien, our guide, says. I focus on two grey smudges on the stained-glass window and admit that if I squint they could be spaceships. My daughter Natasha and I are told that the modern rose window in the cathedral in Lille, by the Polish artist Ladislas Kijno, shows the Resurrection and the span of life from the prehistoric Lascaux cave paintings (denoted by an orange hand print at the bottom of the window) to mankind’s future in space (the two grey smudges).
Originally published by The Times
Into Lille’s growing verve now comes Mama Shelter, France’s home-grown groovy lifestyle hotel chain. You can see it from the station (which itself is designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas). Built on stilts, with a pitched roof, it echoes Vieux Lille’s medieval heart, but with a great deal more humour.
Originally published by The Guardian
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