My stay at Mama Shelter, Singapore

I don’t usually write “reviews” or even write blog posts specific to accommodation I’ve stayed in when travelling, but I really wanted to share more about my experience at Mama Shelter Singapore as it was a very positive one, considering the hotel had been open for less than a year at the time I stayed there in March 2026. This is not a sponsored post. Mama Shelter was a hotel I would consider staying at again and had a few things about it that were quirky and unique, which pertained to my style and interests. Mama Shelter is a chain of hotels that are vibrantly designed, non-conventional, and have a fun aesthetic and vibe. Mama Shelter Singapore opened in November 2025.

🧳 Booking the hotel

My previous stays in Singapore were at large and expensive chain hotels (like Marina Bay Sands) and I was travelling solo this time, so the decision on where to stay was entirely mine. I initially had an urge to stay somewhere not-so-central but decided that convenience was the most important thing. I booked my stay through Booking.com, because I wanted to go through a cashback portal to get a percentage back on the amount I spent. The availability on Booking.com seemed to accurately reflect what was on the hotel’s website. It was non-refundable and the dates of my stay could not be changed, but I rarely change stuff like this when travelling, so I just double-checked before I completed the booking.

There were a couple of options for a room with a bunk bed (!!!) and a room with a terrace. A terrace sounded nice enough, but given that Singapore is very hot and humid, I didn’t see much use for a terrace if I was only going to be popping out for two minutes at a time before it got unbearable (haha). The bunk bed really seemed fun and novel, but I also value comfort, and I started thinking how much I’d hate climbing out of the bunk bed and using a ladder to get out of the bed for whatever reason (like using the toilet). If I remember correctly, it would have cost about $50–100 extra, and I was in a very penny-pinching mood when I was booking my holiday. So I chose a room with one queen bed. The cost averaged to about $230 SGD ($250 AUD) per night for 5 nights. This was quite good considering that many other hotels were verging on $300+ dollars per night.

📍 Location

I took the MRT from the airport to the hotel. I arrived later than predicted because of the time I spent at Changi eating and then browsing the shops with Daniel, but that didn’t seem to be a problem. It took almost an hour to get to Somerset, the closest MRT station. The proximity to this station was very good, but the nearby building construction and the crosswalks/pedestrian crossings to get to the hotel felt a bit annoying. I imagine the construction might be complete or less of a bother now, but there was a whole section that didn’t have a footpath and meant that you either had to walk on the road carefully, or cross to the other side, which felt inconvenient for such a short walk.

On one day, I ordered a Grab from my hotel, and it was a little tricky getting them to pick me up because of the construction happening around the hotel and there not being a large area for pickup and drop off in front of the hotel. There is a small driveway that can be used but it can seem a bit tucked away. Otherwise, the location was convenient, with some restaurants just across the road with some cheap eats, and a very short walk to Somerset and the closest mall.

🛎️ Arrival and check-in

The exterior entrance of the hotel is vibrant, with a big red old style phone booth that stands out, and well manicured plants. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows give you a little glimpse into the bar and eating and entertainment area. I have to admit that even after a long flight and feeling very tired, and there being no way I would go and entertain myself at the bar, the vibe of the hotel was exciting to me.

I was given a very warm welcome when I arrived. The staff were very friendly and continued to be very helpful and friendly throughout my stay. I had forgotten that I got breakfast included with my accommodation, which includes one meal and one drink from their delicious a la carte menu. During my stay, I tried almost everything on it (more on that later). There was also a rooftop pool, which had not been advertised at all. 😆 But judging by their website, I think that all Mama Shelter hotels are built to have a rooftop pool and bar. I was prepared with my swimming gear regardless. The bar was not open during my time there—I believe it simply hadn’t opened yet due to the hotel being new.

At the front desk there were stickers up for grabs—everyone loves a sticker even if they don’t use them, right? 😂 I could take as many as I wanted. I made sure I grabbed a whole bunch on the day I checked out.

🛏️ The room

The room I chose had a queen bed, and a separate toilet from the shower, with the basin and vanity outside. The layout was kind of unusual. When I walked in, the hall area had the basin and tea and coffee facilities sort of in the same spot alongside the basin mirror. Very interesting. This didn’t bother me too much but it was definitely unusual. I appreciated the small space to hang clothes and the large coat hooks, and a full-length mirror built into one of the sliding doors inside.

The toilet had a bidet, which I appreciated, and the shower was a kind of luxurious rain shower (although I personally prefer high pressure showers). The whole room was quite well stocked with amenities including a Dyson hairdryer.

The bed was comfortable and there was adequate lighting throughout the room, including lamps on both sides of the bed. Both lamps had cartoon face masks hanging off them; I noticed this was part of Mama Shelter’s funky branding. I remember some combination of the lights being a bit too bright and not able to be dimmed, but this is my personal preference.

The one thing that did bother me about the room were the automatic wooden blinds. They really did shut out the light and heat when needed, but there were times during the day when I wanted the blinds to stay open and they would shut on their own. I used to work in an office where it was pretty unpredictable when this would happen—usually it was hardly to do with the amount of brightness or light, and probably more to do with room temperature. Setting the airconditioner to a high temperature was actually still too cool for me (I get easily cold) so I liked the warmth coming through the window, but I could never tell when the blinds would shut. I also hoped for my wet swimming clothes to dry in the warmth of the room, but the automatic closing blinds meant that the room stayed cool so my clothes didn’t dry like I wanted them to. 😅

🍳 À la carte breakfast

The breakfast included one option from the a la carte breakfast menu, and one drink. Generally, there were no limitations to what I could choose for my drink or meal. There was an option to pay extra for a serving of oysters, which was tempting because I rarely eat oysters but I like them every now and then—but I didn’t end up trying them. I got the opportunity to try a lot of things on the menu since I was staying for quite a few days. I could also choose a drink that was either hot or iced, and with soy milk (which didn’t come at an extra charge).

I do recommend getting the breakfast included in your accommodation since it is worth the extra cost, and if you are someone who eats breakfast, it makes it easier to get your morning started versus trying to find somewhere to eat food. The breakfast was from 7:00am until (if I remember correctly) 11:00am, which I felt was a generous amount of time.

On days I had an early start, I had breakfast at 7:00am, while there was another day I managed to explore Jurong Lake Gardens in the morning before returning for breakfast a bit after 10:00am.

🏊🏻‍♀️ The pool

There were two rooftop pools; I forget the actual descriptions but one of them was a shallower one, and closed at the time of my visit, but I used the other pool that was open. It was a well-sized pool that would comfortably fit around a dozen people (more and you would feel like you had less space), and the area was clean and well maintained. On at least one occasion I saw a staff member keeping it tidy. It was very quiet on the couple of occasions I used it. I used it once early in the morning, before the temperatures rose. While there was no one else in the pool, there was another woman enjoying the seating around the bar area.

There were deckchairs around the pool that were nicely set up with soft yellow and white striped towels. The pool itself had a couple of marble tables built into the edge on one side, so you could sit with just the lower half of your body in the pool. Useful if you want to sit and chat with a friend and perhaps have a drink (if the bar is open).

🌟 Conclusion

Checking out was an easy process and I didn’t have an outstanding balance to pay. The staff gave me some home made cookies as a parting gift. They were actually so good, haha, and I ate them in the airport. 🍪

I would recommend Mama Shelter for a short stay in Singapore. They have room options that are reasonable for a solo traveller, a couple, or a couple of friends. The rooms have little considerations and small luxuries that can make your stay a very comfortable one. Although I didn’t attend any events in the bar, it does seem like it comes alive at night, and it’s suitable for someone looking for a bit of casual entertainment and somewhere to get some food and drinks. The staff are very friendly and the rooftop area is decent.

I am sure that since my stay, there have been more improvements, but overall, if you don’t mind funky decor and want a unique place to stay in Singapore for a few nights, Mama Shelter is a great option.