Serge Trigano, Co-Founder Mama Shelter

Posted in People on 15 December, 2023

Founded by Serge Trigano and his two sons, Jérémie and Benjamin in 2008, Mama Shelter now has 17 properties spanning three continents, nine countries and 14 cities. Self-billed as ‘urban refuges’ the hotels are instantly recognisable and positively buzz with bon viveur. In conversation with SPACE, Serge discusses the core values at the heart of the brand, the Instagram effect, and the importance of keeping it local.

What was the original concept behind Mama Shelter, and what were the core values you shared as a family?
My father, Gilbert Trigano, co-founded Club Med after World War II, the European ‘all-inclusive’ holiday clubs. We wanted to echo the same human values of Club Med but modernised – especially in the design. In every Mama Shelter, our focus is to create a social and fun environment for guests and locals alike. With communal dining tables, oversized football tables for eight players, island bars and retro arcade games, every small detail has been carefully thought of to achieve an energetic environment for all to interact. The fun extends right through to the bedrooms, each with cartoon masks hanging from the sides of the bed.

Much like a mother who cares for her children, Mama looks after travellers as if they were her own. She does so through five main avenues: the ultra-design and comfy rooms; the unique, quirky interior decoration; the homemade, high-quality menus; the year-round happenings at each of the locations, and the cutting-edge Ateliers.

Mama Shelter Rennes

What was the industry’s initial reaction when you launched the original Mama Shelter in 2008 and did you anticipate how successful it was going to be?
We launched our first outpost in Paris on 5th September 2008, and we are delighted that Mama Shelter’s journey to date has seen strong global expansion. The beginning was quite difficult, as none of the investors believed in our new concept and we met with 80 of them until the right one came along. Most of the industry expected us to fall flat on our faces, but it turned out to be quite the success. All our hotels and new openings are key projects as we strive to grow globally. One key to our success has been to keep growing in the cities we love while staying true to our DNA. Mama will continue to expand as long as we continue to be popular, affordable, beautiful and fun. However, one move we didn’t anticipate was becoming part of Ennismore in 2021, the creative hotel group rooted in cultures and destinations, with a global collection of entrepreneurial brands.

How important is it that local residents feel a part of the Mama Shelter family?
One important pillar at Mama Shelter is that our properties are just as much for locals as they are for tourists. We think of the operation as a restaurant with rooms – a gathering place for locals that is also accommodating for tourists stopping by. Many of our hotels offer fun activities – such as karaoke or cinema rooms – which really help attract regulars. Mama Shelter Lisboa for example, is popular for its regular DJ nights, and the centrally located Mama Shelter Rennes has recently opened with the city’s first-ever rooftop terrace, which is a huge hit with the locals. We always strive to become part of a neighbourhood, to be a meeting space and urban refuge that is beautiful, modern, and lively. 

To have Philippe Starck on the original design team, along with Michelin-starred chef Alain Senderens, must have been quite a financial investment for a new brand. Do you feel their involvement was key to Mama Shelter’s initial success?
Yes, the fact that Philippe Starck was on board with us from the beginning was an unbelievable advantage. He helped us to create the concept as well as the design.

Mama Shelter Luxembourg

Our inaugural hotel – Mama Shelter Paris East – was designed by Starck, and also Mama Shelter Marseille, Lyon, and Bordeaux. Then over the years, we have partnered with key players in the interior design industry, for example, Thierry Gaugain, Jalil Amor, Dion & Arles. They have all brought their own twist to the original concept, creating a range of unique yet easily recognisable properties around the world. Now, the group has its own integrated Mama Design Studio led by Benjamin El-Doghaīli.

With such a strong look and brand identity to the hotels, could you tell us how your design collaborations work when creating a new property?
My son Jérémie, who was the CEO of the company, spent a lot of time with the designers working on every detail. He briefed them on his expectations and then worked with them on every step of the project right through to its completion. El-Doghaïli took over as Head of Design from Jalil Amor, our first head of the studio. Jalil himself had worked with Philippe Starck on the first Mama Shelter hotel, so as you can see, there is a strong connection of like-minded powerful artists that have dreamed up our hotels over the years.

When you partnered with Accor in 2014 how did you manage to hold onto your identity?
In April 2014, we joined the international hotel chain, Accor, as part of the Lifestyle segment, and we simply continue to develop the concept as we wish, welcoming travellers and locals throughout the world. The success of this partnership is down to Accor chairman, Sebastien Bazin’s desire to protect Mama’s identity. He gave us free rein to run the show whilst his team of developers looked – and continues to look for new locations every day.

Mama Shelter Marseille

How have guest expectations evolved over the years, and what are the current trends you are noticing?
In my mind, the expectations haven’t changed very much. In a world with so many challenges such as war, pandemics and environmental disasters, the basic demand is still to have a good time – to have fun, have a good night’s rest, a comforting dinner – all with caring staff to look after you.

What has changed is the use of the internet and social media. It’s a new world of technology that has dramatically changed the way the world is today, and especially the world of travel. On Instagram for example, users share experiences from their travels via posts and stories. Many people now choose their destination based on what they see on Instagram, so it is important for us to maintain our bold personality and colourful design to encourage guests to generate eye-catching content. Our interiors, as well as our dishes, are very photogenic.

Judging by your 123K followers on Instagram, there’s a lot of love for the Mama Shelter brand. Who are your target guests?
Mama attracts all kinds of customers no matter how old they are or how rich they are. We attract people searching for a unique experience with a good spirit. The location of some of our hotels that are in close proximity to conference centres – such as Mama Shelter Paris West – welcome huge waves of businesspeople, who also love to use our Ateliers.

Following the recent opening of Mama Shelter in Dijon, could you tell us what makes it special and what guests can expect?
Mama Shelter Dijon is a very special hotel indeed, as it’s the first time we have put a Mama in a historical building. This property is the brand’s 10th hotel in France and the 18th worldwide. We have always loved this city, the capital of the historical Burgundy region in Eastern France. The hotel offers guest rooms overlooking both the Saint-Bénigne cathedral and Burgundian vineyards, as well as CineMama, the hotel’s very-own private 28-seat cinema.

Looking at your recent and future openings, the list is exciting in terms of locations and properties. Is there a target with regards to the brand’s expansion plans?
We are indeed thrilled to continue our expansion all over the world and entering new continents. Next year, we’ll be launching in Dubai and Nice, and in the following years in Medellin, Zurich Casablanca, Singapore, and Downtown LA. With regards to a target, this is something that we discuss amongst ourselves often! Some Accor executives believe there could be 50, whereas I believe that Mama could easily have 100 new global properties over the next 10 years.