3. Liberty Hotel in Boston’s Beacon Hill – Formerly Charles Street Jail
Closest to home is the Liberty Hotel, located in the heart of Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. After an extensive (read: $150 million) acquisition, renovation, and construction process , the seeds of which were planted in 1991 when the property was acquired by Massachusetts General Hospital, and which came to fruition after Carpenter & Company was designated the developer of the renovation project in 2001, the former Charles Street Jail was reborn when the Liberty Hotel opened its doors in 2007. The jail was built in 1851, and the Boston Granite Style building is cruciform in structure, with an innovative granite edifice and 90 ft central rotunda and cupola.
The original design was a collaborative effort between architect Gridley James Fox Bryant and Rev. Louis Dwight- a prominent penologist who advocated strongly for prison reform. The Charles Street Jail has a storied history- it has housed some of Boston’s most notorious criminals. In 1973, prisoners revolted due to living conditions so poor that the jail was declared unfit and in violation of the prisoners’ constitutional rights. The last prisoners were not removed, however, until 1990. The transformation of the prison into a luxury hotel was overseen by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the Boston Landmarks Commission, the National Park Service, and the Boston Redevelopment Authority to ensure the preservation of the historical features that make this landmark so unique.
Contrary to some of the other hotels we’ve seen, the Liberty Hotel’s guest accommodations are mostly in a completely new, 16 story building adjacent to the historic jail. The original building features more public spaces, linked by historic catwalks. Here one finds the lobby and reception areas, the restaurant and bar, and even a grand ballroom. Within the hotel lobby bar, one can see vestiges of former jail cells. The adjacent building with the majority of the guest accommodations features most of the 300 guestrooms, which include 10 luxury suites with stunning river views. The rooms feature many amenities common in luxury hotels- a private bar, internet access, luxurious bathrobes, but the hotel also offers complimentary bike rentals to explore historic Boston (when the weather permits) and yoga classes.
There are many more former prisons that have been turned into hotels, particularly in Europe, where western civilization finds its historic landmarks from the past millennia and efforts are made to preserve them. Some hotels offer guests a more macabre prison-themed adventure, while some gems have been transformed into some of the most luxurious and beautiful destinations in the world. Whether you are being “held” as a prisoner or treated like royalty, the most important part about staying in one of these hotels is the freedom to leave- although you may not want to!
(Updated) Click here to see – 4. The Lloyd Hotel, Amsterdam. Formerly, almost everything.
Photo Credits
Four Seasons Istanbul
Het Arresthuis
Liberty Hotel