15 hotels that used to be prisons

Merikasarminkatu 1, 00160 Helsinki, Finland

Hotel Katajanokka was a former county prison where prisoners would await trial. It is said to have hosted Risto Ryti, Finland's fifth president.

Today, the Best Western hotel still houses its original brick walls and includes the Restaurant Jailbird, where you can see original inscriptions from inmates along the walls. The rooms, designed with a minimalistic style, were made by combining two to three of the former cells and offer luxurious amenities like saunas in the larger suites.

Tevkifhane Sokak No. 1, 34122 Sultanahmet-Eminönü, Istanbul

You’ll barely be able to tell that the Four Seasons in Sultanahmet used to be a jail in 1918, until you take a closer look at its details.

The old wooden doors that lead to the lobby are from the original jail and engravings from an inmate in 1938 detailing the names of former inmates can be found on a marble pillar inside.

Other than that, the hotel offers a luxurious stay, converting the former exercise courtyard into a beautiful outdoor dining area and the watchtowers into elevator shafts. Plus, it’s close to some of the area’s best sightseeing stops like the Hagia Sophia Museum and the Topkapi Palace.

Pollartstraat 7, 6041 GC Roermond, Netherlands

Het Arresthuis was known as one of the most intimidating jails after it opened in 1862. Today, the 105 prison cells have been transformed into around 40 large-sized rooms.

The chic re-design of the rooms won’t resemble the hotel’s past, but its original cell doors will. You can relax in the hotel’s sauna and gym, stroll outside its patio and herb garden, or take a tour to learn more about its history.

75 Nicholas Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1N7B9

Canada’s HI-Ottawa Jail, now a hostel, used to be the Carleton County jail from 1962 through 1972. The jail became notorious for being home to some of the most inhumane treatment of criminals at the time, with up to 150 prisoners living in tiny cells lacking heat and plumbing.

The upstairs of the jail used to be the execution center, with some claiming to have witnessed haunting ghosts of former prisoners during their stay. A large majority of the building remains in its original condition, including gallows, cell bars, and stone walls.

Metelkova 8, 1000 Ljubljana

A former military prison, the Hostel Celica is now an incredibly hip hostel.

Each of the cells have been re-designed by artists and architects to offer playful designs with bold colors and prints. Though they might not look like the original cells after a new paint job, the rooms still maintain their original bars, windows, and doors.

Manomai Street, Ban Mano, Luang Prabang 00600, Laos

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.

Löwengraben 18, 6004 Luzern, Switzerland

Built in 1862, this hotel was a prison from the 19th century up until 1998.

You can spend the night in one of the actual eerie prison cells or sleep in what was once the director’s office, now converted into a luxury suite. The library has original books that were once read by the prisoners.

Thanks to its buzzing bar, the hotel has become a favorite for backpackers.

Invalidu iela 4, Liepaja, LV-3402, Latvia

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 today it intentionally maintained many of its original elements to feel like an authentic prison.

From sleeping on an actual prison bunk to getting your mug shot taken, the hotel works to make you feel like you’re actually in prison. There's even barbed wire fencing.

In 1649, a wealthy brewer named Jochum Ahlstedt rented parts of Stockholm’s Långholmen island, building a residence known as Alstavik.

When the State acquired the residence in 1724, it was used as a penal institution for women, expanding over the next 250 years as a prison until it closed in 1975.

Today it's a youth hostel that still retains its original metal doors, barred windows, and ladders connecting inmate bunks. There is also an on-site museum where you can learn about the building's history by reading engravings along the walls.

Oxford Castle, 3 New Road, Oxford OX1 1AY, United Kingdom

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.

Today you'd never know that this boutique hotel was once a prison, as its filled with luxe modern amenities and decor.

215 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114

Boston’s Liberty Hotel used to be the Charles Street Jail, housing prisoners for around 140 years before its renovation into an ultra-chic hotel.

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.

Oostelijke Handelskade 34, 1019 BN Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Lloyd Hotel has a rich history, serving as an accommodation for immigrants, a shelter for Jewish refugees during the Nazi regime, a prison from the beginning of the Second World War until 1963, and finally a juvenile detention center.

Now, the hotel has 117 rooms designed by Dutch artists to offer a contemporary feel and eclectic features like swings hanging from wooden beams and spiral staircases. The hotel also has rooms with beds that can sleep up to eight people at a time. It hosts four different mezzanines, a large terrace, a restaurant, and a bar.

25 Margaret Street, Mt Gambier, South Australia

This hostel-style accommodation was a prison from 1866 through 1995.

It’s not luxurious, as a large majority of the complex still maintains the prison’s rusted and bolted rooms, though there are some non-cell rooms to sleep in. That's why it is mainly known as a budget accommodation for backpackers. You can also dine in the original mess hall of the prison.

Unitas, Bartolomejska street 9, 110 00, Praha 1

Czech freedom fighter and former president Vaclav Havel was housed in the prison that stands today as the Unitas hotel, an accommodation for budget travelers and backpackers.

The Secret Police had used the property years ago to set up cells in the basement, until it was shut down in 1989. The rooms of the hotel were constructed in the original convent cells and offer simple but cozy spaces that leave behind resemblances of their haunted past.

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