16 prisons that have been transformed into luxury hotels

pulse

July 19, 2017 4:32 PM

Around the world, prisons that have fallen out of usage have been repurposed to cater to another kind of resident: tourists.

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As crime rates continue to fall, countries around the world are realizing their abandoned jails and prisons could be better served to house a different kind of resident: tourists.

From Boston's chic Liberty Hotel to the spooky iron-clad corridors of the Jail Hotel in Switzerland, here are some of the most drastic transformations from prison to hotel.

Talia Avakian contributed to an earlier version of this article.

Alcatraz Hotel: Kaiserslautern, Germany

Best Western Premier Hotel Katajanokka: Helsinki, Finland

Four Seasons Sultanahmet: Istanbul, Turkey

Het Arresthuis Hotel: Roermond, Netherlands

Ottawa Jail Hostel: Ottawa, Canada

Hostel Celica: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Hotel de la Paix Luang Prabang: Luang Prabang, Laos

Jail Hotel: Lucerne, Switzerland

Karosta Prison hotel: Liepaja, Latvia

Långholmen: Stockholm, Sweden

Malmaison Oxford: Oxford, United Kingdom

The Liberty Hotel: Boston, Massachusetts

The Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy: Amsterdam, Netherlands

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.

The Old Mount Gambier Gaol: Mount Gambier, South Australia

Unitas Hotel: Prague, Czech Republic

Bridewell Hotel: Liverpool, England

When it opened in 1867, the main Bridewell prison in Cheapside featured 60-90 cells measuring 7 feet by 7 feet and brick walls three-feet thick.

Today, the renovated prison retains its brick-heavy interior but outfits the 85 rooms with full ensuite bathrooms, LED Smart TVs, and a glass-enclosed lounge space that once served as the recreation yard.

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