We take a look inside Accor’s first Mama Shelter offering in the Middle East.

Due to land in Bahrain before the year is out, Mama Shelter’s inaugural property in the country is set to make plenty of waves. We find out more about this exciting project located in its capital Manama.

Mama Shelter in Manama

Accor’s well-loved lifestyle brand Mama Shelter is set to make its Middle Eastern debut this year. Still on course to open in the third quarter of 2020, despite international slowdowns within the hospitality industry due to coronavirus, this 160-key property will be located in a prominent spot in Manama.

The project is the result of a deal struck between French hotel giant Accor and GFH Financial Group (GFH) and will bear the distinction of being the first Mama Shelter property in the world to front onto the sea. The hotel will occupy a prime waterfront location in Manama’s Financial Harbour and form part of GFH’s Harbour Row development.

Mama Shelter CEO Jérémie Trigano said: “We discovered a beautiful site in the city of Manama on the banks of the Arabian Gulf and a modern, forward-thinking partner, GFH properties, brought to us by the Accor team. The chemistry was there and we, therefore, decided to bring the Mama magic to the country, with the hope of opening in 2020.”

What to expect from Mama Shelter Bahrain

The property will boast 160 well-appointed rooms executed in Mama Shelter’s signature fun, vivacious style that oozes comfort and minimalism. Guests can also avail themselves of the hotel’s main highlight, a rooftop pool and terrace offering sea views across the harbour and cityscape.

“Mama Shelter Bahrain is the first Mama hotel which will face the sea,” said Benjamin El Doghaïli, head of Mama’s Design Studio. “The design has been thought out in two ways.

“Firstly, the relationship with the sea as it is a waterfront hotel. The second is to propose a lifestyle experience which refers to the nomadic aesthetic and the hospitality from the inner part of the region. Just like a chic camp that just stopped in front of the sea to play table football and dance with our artists.”