The building of the hotel Het Arresthuis dates back to 1863. For nearly 150 years, it has operated as a prison before finally closing its doors in 2007. A total of 105 former prisoner cells were restored into stylish rooms whilst retaining some bits as a nod to its heritage as the original doors. The four luxury suites were given apt names: The Jailer, The Lawyer, The Director, and The Judge. The old prison hallway's striking look is a reminder of its past. It's been converted into a lounge, and instead of loud jailbirds, you'll find peace, colorful led lights, and extravagant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There is no curfew either. You'll go to your room whenever you want.
For most of our prison hotel selections, the penitential history seems like a faraway fairy tale. For the Het Arresthuis Hotel in Roermond, the Netherlands, however, the switch from dangerous lock-up in 2007, to the glamorous voluntary resort in 2013 is so fresh that you might still hear the screams of former inmates echoing in the corridors. Hopefully not though.
Hotel Het Arresthuis Roermond – Luxury Prison Hotel [Video]
One of those is the Het Arresthuis hotel, which opened as a jail in 1863 and closed in 2007, only to reopen a few years later. A total of 105 cells were converted into 40 luxury rooms, and the courtyard is now a fine-dining terrace.
A hip contemporary hotel located near the center of Luang Prabang, the Hotel de La Paix used to be the town prison. Now, the hotel has been renovated to include 23 spacious suites with private gardens, including some that have pools.
You can still see a few of the prison's original watchtowers. The hotel is beloved for offering a private and serene environment where guests can walk through its gardens or take a dip in its large outdoor pool.
If you're feeling brave, head to the Karosta. The hotel was once a jail that used to house inmates for the Tsarist navy and the KGB, and it intentionally maintained many of its original elements to feel like an authentic prison.
Nearly 1,000 years old, the Malmaison Oxford used to be a castle before it was turned into Her Majesty's Prison Oxford. It remained a prison until 1996, before being converted into one of the most luxurious prison hotels available.
The outer appearance of the prison remains unchanged with its iconic brick walls, but inside is a hip, modern hotel that has sleek decor and modern design. Head to the Alibi bar, which used to be the location of some of the jail's cells, or check out the CLINK restaurant where you can dine in the nooks of the other remaining cells.
The Het Arresthuis jail in Roermond, which dates back to 1863, was in use for nearly 150 years before finally closing its doors in 2007. After a makeover from Dutch hotel group Van der Valk, a total of 105 prisoner cells are transformed into 40 rooms and suites that open out to a lounge in the old prison hallway.
The Het Arresthuis hotel opened in spring 2011, but is not the first prison to be converted into a guesthouse. Others include the Malmaison Hotel in Oxford, England, and the Jailhotel Lowengraben in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Well, we have the perfect vacation planned out for you! grand and grotesque, these prison hotels are some of the most interesting and informative places you can check out this holiday season. We have a list of the top 10 resorts and hotels that were formerly prisons constructed to house criminals.
Het Arresthuis situated in Roermond is luxurious, elegant and very comfortable. Strategically located in the southern part of the country, the hotel boasts of a huge atrium, authentic prison cell suites, a huge cell door, and chandeliers which connect the place to its past.
Hi Ottawa Jail Hostel in Ontario Canada takes the theme of haunted hotels a notch higher. Constructed in 1862, the prison was infamous for the inhumane treatment and torture doled out to the prisoners. The building with its huge wrought iron gates, tall stone columns and overbearing white walls look very intimidating for a first-time visitor.
Malmaison Oxford, built in 1870 is the perfect vacationing spot for history buffs who want an authentic experience and some first-hand information of how prisoners lived back in the day. Most of the rooms in the A wing of the hotel are still furnished with prison beds, barred windows, small tables and stools. Also, the suites are very compact but very light and airy.
Four Seasons Sultanahmet in Turkey is a prison-turned five-star resort that offers guests a comfortable and luxurious stay as well as an authentic oriental experience. At a glance, the hotel looks like a huge grand palace carved out of stone and marble. A closer look and some research would reveal how years ago Sultanahmet housed criminals within its bright yellow walls.
And while the former prison was not very effective in keeping its prisoners (as there have been instances of breakouts), you can rest assured that the guests would not want to run away from this place anytime soon. The colonial architecture, plush rooms, and luxurious interiors make the place more of a holiday inn and less of a prison hotel.
A new spectacular accommodation on a historic location; the former prison of Roermond. Once a place where nobody came voluntarily, today a luxurious hotel, where people will be happy to have themselves locked up.Comfort Cachot Three former cells have been transformed into one comfortable cachot. A comfort cachot has a double bed, desk, seating area, safe, coffee and tea facilities, mini bar, 2 flat screen tv, IPod docking station, telephone, rain shower, air conditioning, hair dryer, slippers, bathrobes, luxurious bath products and free WIFI.
This pet-friendly hotel plays host to your on-the-go lifestyle without skimping on luxury, with amenities such as a top-shelf minibar, organic bath products, and a killer spa. The recently renovated lobby is a welcome escape from the busy streets outside, with its warm decor and inviting seating areas. From $182/night.
Finding a hotel in New York City for less than $250 a night is nearly impossible. Even if you manage to find one, you may be less than thrilled with the state of your room. Archer Hotel is a delightful departure, focusing on small luxury touches in each room, such as a Nespresso machine and vintage-inspired decor that exudes old New York. From $239/night.
The unimposing Het Arresthuis is located in the picturesque Dutch town of Roermond, close to the German border. Little do many tourists know, this was a house of detention and a state prison until it was opened as a hotel in 2011. Former cells are now a fancy affair, prison walls have been knocked through to create bigger rooms, and while there may still be original bars on the windows, guests will find flat screen televisions, rain showers and comfy dressing gowns and slippers in their rooms. Well-behaved prisoners can also request flowers, chocolate or Rituals beauty products for special occasions.
The Liberty, Boston, USAThere's nothing terrifying about staying at the luxury Liberty hotel, apart from the fact it used to be the Charles Street Jail. Famous inmates include Malcolm X and prisoners of war who had to sleep in cells that were 80 square feet in size. Now the 298 'rooms' have been transformed into beautiful 400 to 800 square feet furnished spaces, with mahogany woods and touches of stainless steel. The CLINK restaurant still honours the building's eerie original features; here guests can sit in parts of the original cells while tucking in to some American grub. 2ff7e9595c
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