Accor brings Mama Shelter hotel brand to Dubai

Dubai has been selected for the first Mama Shelter hotel in the Middle East.

Olivier Granet, managing director and chief operating officer of Accorhotels MEA, announced the brand’s regional arrival during a panel at the Arabian Investment Hotel Conference at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

He said the Dubai Canal-side project is being “fast-tracked” but didn’t give an opening date, although added it would be before 2020.

Mama Shelter is positioned as a trendy, casual boutique brand from Cyril Aouizerate and the Trigano family (ClubMed) with designs by Philippe Starck.

“The idea is to create something new and different, about welcoming people around an F&B experience,” said Granet.

“It’s something which is simple but at the same time authentic. You’ll find different generations and social categories – it’s really about the experience.”

Alongside four hotels in France (Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lyon), Mama Shelter is present in Los Angeles, Prague and Rio de Janeiro. Accor bought a 35 per cent stake in Mama Shelter in 2014.

Accor opened ibis Styles Makkah this week, the first international economy-branded hotel in the city, and recently announced it will manage the largest Mercure globally in Dubai from May 19.