The Cote d’Azur capital of Nice is one of the most popular summertime destinations from the GCC – luring travellers with its faded grandeur of the Old Town, its charming portside dining and easy access to Riviera hotspots like Cannes, Monaco, St Jean Cap Ferrat, Antibes and more. But for such a well-trodden and famous city, Nice’s hotel scene has lived in the shadows of its shiny neighbours, with just a handful of exceptional properties, including grand dame Le Negresco and stunning design-led boutique Hotel Amour. But things are stepping up, with a handful of new openings in the last year, including the announcement of a very exciting new spot: Mama Shelter Nice.

Bringing the naughty French brand to the French Riviera for the first time, Mama Shelter Nice will open in June 2024, offering what few of the summertime city’s properties do – a rooftop pool – along with a trendy restaurant and bar and quirky, colourful interiors that one wouldn’t expect from a Nicoise establishment.

Born in Paris in 2008 by Serge Trigano and his sons Jérémie and Benjamin, the Mama Shelter brand has shaken up the hospitality scene with its daring ‘urban refuge’ establishments, offering ‘nurturing’ (hence the name Mama) approachable properties that are trendy, beautiful and in top destinations – often with tiny rooms available. The group quickly fell into the hands of Ennismore (behind 25hours, Hoxton, Mondrian and more), and has since expanded across the globe to 14 cities – including new openings in London, Rome, and now Nice.

Mama Shelter Nice will set a new standard for boutique hotel experiences in the historic oceanfront city, set back from the famous Nice Old Town on Boulevard de Riquier near Mont Baron – a stone’s throw from the enchanting Riviera resort village of Villefranche-sur-Mer (so charming, it stood in for St Tropez in the filming of Emily in Paris). The property will have one restaurant, the beating hub of the hotel, with walls splashed with colourful graphic design servicing Argentinian barbecue and Mama Shelter French comfort-food classics, to the sound of vibrant music.

Perfectly bijou, travellers on a budget can check into the classic Mama Shelter ‘cosy’ room, allowing them to enjoy the Mama Shelter Nice experience at a lower price point, and all rooms have 100% satin cotton sheets, come with free movies (including their signature X-rated offerings) and have organic toiletries. Larger in size, the brand offers very straightforward room categories like ‘Small, Medium, Large and XXL’ – XXL sleeping up to five people.

But what will truly set Mama Shelter Nice apart from its Nice counterparts is the rooftop swimming pool, a surprising rarity in such an in-demand Riviera city. The pool will be covered in glittering bisazza mosaico and offer views across the city, including the Alps and ocean, with sunloungers and canopies for those who want to relax in the glorious Cote d’Azur sunshine.

Mama Shelter Nice is open for bookings starting in June 2024 and is currently offering 20% off stays. mamashelter.com/nice, @mamashelter

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