HOTELS Malmaison Oxford - Converted Castle Prison

Malmaison Oxford - Converted Castle Prison

Location:

Oxford United Kingdom West Europe
CastleJailLuxury

‘And I sentence you to be taken from here to Oxford Castle Prison where you will be hung from the neck until dead’ - is what guests of the Oxford Castle Prison would have heard before arriving at this imposing building.

You, however, are far more likely to hear the words, ‘can I take your bag, sir?’ Happily, capital punishment was abolished in the UK in the 1950s, and the prison closed its doors in 1996.

It is now a unique luxury hotel in one of England’s most famous and beautiful towns. Considering their more sensitive guests, the parts of the prison used for executions have been turned into offices, not bedrooms – which is nice.

Here, you have the unusual opportunity of staying in Oxford Castle, which was first built by William the Conqueror in 1086 and has been beautifully maintained.

The castle's interior has been refurbished into a heritage and shopping center. With Oxford's famous architecture and history on your doorstep, you will have plenty to delight you during your stay.

Book Online

PRICE FROM $228

Malmaison Oxford Castle Entrance

The grand entrance will take your breath away with its massive medieval castle towers.

Malmaison Oxford lobby with pool and huge screens

Malmaison's lobby has a dark theme and a mixture of heritage elements, like the chandelier mixed with modern furniture, large screens, a pool, and chess tables.

Malmaison Oxford bar
Malmaison Oxford Jail cells

The former cells are now modern rooms open from the prison block.

Malmaison Oxford jail converted to hotel

It's so spectacularly renovated that you might forget its original role.

Malmaison Oxford cell door

The doors are original, but you get a modern hotel key card instead of a guard closing you in.

Malmaison Oxford cell door opening to the room

The doors may look intimidating, but it's worth knowing that the parts of the prison where the capital punishment happened were converted to offices and not rooms.

Malmaison Oxford inside the room
Malmaison Oxford room

And as you will notice, some of the higher class rooms are so luxurious you would never say they used to be a part of a prison.

Malmaison Oxford bathroom

For example, the selfstanding bathtubs with candles in the bathroom.

Malmaison Oxford interior

Book Online

PRICE FROM $228


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


Related hotels

Schloss Lieser - The Luxurious Hogwarts Castle in Germany's Mosel Valley

Schloss Lieser - The Luxurious Hogwarts Castle in Germany's Mosel Valley

Schloss Lieser is a majestic hotel that visually resembles Hogwarts rather than a classic hotel with ornate staircases and beautifully preserved rooms. It lies in the heart of Germany's scenic Mosel Valley, right on the banks of the Moselle River. The hotel has stunning views of the rolling hills, vineyards, …

Glenapp Castle - Scottish Fairytale Fortress by the Ocean

Glenapp Castle - Scottish Fairytale Fortress by the Ocean

Have you ever dreamed of staying in a Scottish castle? Well-hidden in nature, the 5-star Glenapp Castle is one of the most beautiful in Scotland. Its luxury, period style, rare furniture, exquisite food, and magical gardens make it so unique. Glenapp Estate is located south of Ayrshire, just a few …

Schloss Elmau - Wellness and Cultural Hideaway in the Bavarian Alps

Schloss Elmau - Wellness and Cultural Hideaway in the Bavarian Alps

The Schloss Elmau is a 5-star castle hotel near Garmisch-Partenkirchen that offers several luxurious spas, top-class concerts, libraries, bookstores, and rooms with glorious Alpine views. Elmau Castle is located near the town of Krün in the Bavarian Alps, about 100 kilometers south of Münich. The secluded luxury resort can only …

The Bodmin Jail Hotel - Sleeping in Cornwall's Most Notorious Former Prison

The Bodmin Jail Hotel - Sleeping in Cornwall's Most Notorious Former Prison

The stone walls are thick enough to have withstood demolition attempts in the 1930s, and the barred windows remain resolutely in place. But these days, the only thing being executed at Bodmin Jail is an ambitious vision to transform one of Britain's most forbidding historical sites into a luxury hotel …

The Interlude Hotel at Pentridge - Australian Prison turned into a Luxury Spa Hotel

The Interlude Hotel at Pentridge - Australian Prison turned into a Luxury Spa Hotel

On the outskirts of Melbourne, HM Prison Pentridge used to host famed criminals of various guilts, from serial killing to planting fake bombs to raise awareness of the nuclear threat. Although Australia's incarceration rate is on a slight uptrend, some aging facilities need replacement. And when that happens, historic buildings …

Hotel Kakola - Finland's Largest Prison Turned Into A Boutique Hotel

Hotel Kakola - Finland's Largest Prison Turned Into A Boutique Hotel

This is the story of how Finland's former largest and most dangerous prison was turned into a boutique hotel. Kakola Prison was opened in 1863 to host notorious criminals behind the thick granite walls. The correctional facility was built on Turku's second highest point, the Kakolanmäki Hill.

Grand Hotel - A Journey to America's Last Great Summer Palace

Grand Hotel - A Journey to America's Last Great Summer Palace

On a tiny island in Lake Huron, where the clip-clop of horse hooves replaces the rumble of engines and fudge shops line cobblestone streets like something from a Dickens novel, sits one of America's most gloriously anachronistic hotels. The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island isn't just a place to rest …

Six Senses Fort Barwara - Seven Centuries Later, Rajasthan's Fortress Opens Its Gates Again

Six Senses Fort Barwara - Seven Centuries Later, Rajasthan's Fortress Opens Its Gates Again

Deep in Rajasthan's dusty heart, where the Aravalli Hills rise like ancient guardians from the desert floor, something rather extraordinary has happened to a 700-year-old fort. What was once home to real royalty now hosts a different sort of aristocracy: the well-heeled traveler with a taste for the theatrical. Six …

El Fenn Hotel - How Two Friends Built Marrakech's Most Theatrical Hotel

El Fenn Hotel - How Two Friends Built Marrakech's Most Theatrical Hotel

What started as a house-hunting expedition in 2002 has morphed into one of Morocco's most photographed properties. Howell James and Vanessa Branson thought they were buying a holiday home in Marrakech's ancient medina. Instead, they accidentally acquired a string of crumbling buildings that would become El Fenn – a maximalist …

ROMEO Hotel Roma - Inside Zaha Hadid's Final Hotel Project

ROMEO Hotel Roma - Inside Zaha Hadid's Final Hotel Project

Walk through Rome's historic center, past centuries-old churches and crumbling ruins, and you'll eventually find yourself confronted by an unusual sight: a pair of doormen who look more like nightclub bouncers than hotel staff. Welcome to Romeo Roma, where getting through the front door requires more than just wandering in …