April 12, 2012
Starck's Mama Shelter to Land in Marseille
Mark Thompson READ TIME: 3 MIN.
MARSEILLE, France - Mama Shelter is landing... in Marseille. After the successful opening of Philippe Starck's trendy Mama Shelter hotel in Paris in 2009, a new Mama Shelter will open in Marseille on April 12, boasting the contemporary and avant-garde style that has made the Paris location such a trendsetter.
The Paris hotel and bar, which draws in DJs and live music on nights and weekends, has become a wildly popular destination, despite its off the beaten path location in the 20th arrondissement. This new location in the south of France's biggest city plans to also become a destination in itself, with events and special soir�es in the works.
Ideally located right in the center of the city near the Cours Julien district, a vibrant area for art, concert venues and designers, Mama Shelter Marseille will feature 127 rooms starting as low as 69 euros per night. The rooms will boast amenities like 27" iMac TVs, free wifi and satin cotton sheets. Also in the rooms, guests can choose from a large selection of free movies on-demand.
Downstairs, the "Mama Marseille" restaurant will serve food by chef Alain Senderens, known as one of the founders of "new cuisine" in France. The hotel will also feature an "Atelier," which can serve as a meeting space accommodating up to 50 guests, featuring LCD screens, a bar and ping pong table. Mama Shelter Marseille will also offer its own vehicle rental service, from bikes to small cars.
The hotel comes as a precursor to Marseille-Provence being honored as the European Capital of Culture in 2013, when the city will undergo a cultural transformation, welcoming the opening of new cultural spaces and hosting over 400 events around the region.
After Marseille, Mama Shelter plans to expand to Lyon in December and Bordeaux sometime in 2013.
DETAILS:
Mama Shelter Marseille
64 rue de La Loubi�re - 13006 Marseille
Reservations can already be made on their site or by phone +33 1 43 48 48 48
LINK: www.mamashelter.com
A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.
