Mama Shelter London

We've been coming to the restaurant for brunch for just over a year. The atmosphere is lovely, and the staff are friendly and efficient. Reception has often felt dismissive, but we'd assumed that came with a busy, fast-paced place. Today was busier than usual, though there were plenty of tables free. We waited at reception for 5/10 minutes before a staff member came over to ask for our reservation name, which we didn't have. He told us to wait twenty minutes because he was busy with other bookings, even though nobody else was waiting and the restaurant was seated. Maybe this sounds pedantic, but the wait itself wasn't an issue. We expected someone to ask if we wanted brunch or drinks, or offer us a seat at the bar. I get that it may have been a busy day, but greeting customers is basic hospitality, and we weren't asking for special treatment. We were left confused about whether we're the kind of customers Mama Shelter wants. We've lived in East London for over thirty years and like supporting local businesses. We know running a complex business like Mama Shelter is challenging, but we can also tell when someone is choosing to be rude and dismissive. After reading some of your reviews, I'm confident you're already aware of the issue and will address it promptly.

The beds were so comfortable that we slept really well, and our room was clean and cozy. Breakfast had a lot of choice, pretty much everything you might want. If you don't eat much, though, the price may be harder to justify. We also tried dinner once. It was decent, nothing special. Friendly, attentive staff and a great location made our two nights very pleasant. Four stars from us.

Breakfast was really nice, though there was no Sunflower spread. That was about the only bright spot. I tried this place for the weekend of 24/01/26, hoping for a change from Premier Inn, and regretted it. The downstairs bar kept me awake until midnight. I went down to complain at 11pm, along with other guests, and they said they'd turn the music down. It took another hour.

After paying online and checking in, we found a musty-smelling room with no closet and just four hangers. We left the window open from the start to air out the stale smell. After our first day out, we came back to a room that had barely been cleaned: the bedroom rubbish was gone, but the bathroom bin wasn't emptied, the bed hadn't been made, and towels weren't replaced, including the ones we'd left on the floor. Our phone charger and adapter had also disappeared. Reception didn't answer when we called, so we went downstairs. They gave us a charger but no adapter and said they'd speak with housekeeping the next day. When we asked again, we were told nobody admitted taking it and nothing more could be done. Now we lock anything valuable in the safe or our suitcases. It feels like management's only response to missing belongings is to ask staff to own up. Bring your own toiletries, too. They only provide a combined face, hair and body wash. The kitchen closes early, and takeaway food can only be eaten at the tables by the lobby's front door, where it's freezing.