Looking for a mini break with a twist? Then look no further than the Malmaison Oxford. A reconverted Victorian prison where you can reside in luxury at his Majesty’s pleasure. Undoubtedly, a unique experience, your stay will provide luxury juxtaposed with jarring history in this tough former penal institution.
Where is Malmaison Oxford located?
Malmaison Oxford’s located in the heart of the historic city centre. It’s a mere ten-minute walk from the train station and within a stone’s throw from the main drag of shops, bars and restaurants. While it’s ideally located for public transport access it also has parking facilities. (£34.00 for an overnight stay, advance booking essential.)
Why did Oxford prison close?
Oxford Castle became a prison following the Civil War in 1230 when it was decided that the Castle’s defences were no longer appropriate for military purposes. Most of the Castle was destroyed during the English Civil War with a new prison complex added to the existing prison building in 1758. However, a report compiled in 1986 deemed the prison to be sub-standard. But the jail staggered on until 1996 when it eventually closed. And it wasn’t until 2006, when it re-opened as a luxury hotel and attraction.
The Malmaison Oxford today
Today, the Malmaison Oxford is a thriving hotel uniquely contained within a medieval castle. It has 95 rooms and suites: converted cells are contained in the A wing with further rooms and suites located in the House of Correction, adjacent to the main hotel. Furthermore, the hotel has a cosy bar and grill restaurant tucked away on the lower ground floor which provides a perfect winter retreat.
The Cell Rooms at Malmaison Oxford
While not for everyone, a stay in a converted cell is a truly thought-provoking experience and reminded me of my lunch at Brixton Prison. Sympathetically restored, the spartan rooms are a throwback to a very different time. The foreboding metal door gives way to a stark cell illuminated only by a narrow window obscured by the original metal bars. Moreover, it’s humbling to realise that each modest room was originally divided into three cells containing up to nine inmates. Below, you can see exactly how cramped this was in an original cell which has been preserved in the hotel.
The austere surroundings are softened somewhat by the addition of a power shower, roll-top bath, sumptuous bed and moody lighting. Similarly, the quirky décor is on-trend with penitentiary-style lockers and rugs decorated with chalk marks depicting time served.
As you’d expect the walls are extremely thick and I suspect noise from next door won’t be an issue here. While certainly novel, you can’t help wondering about the lives of the predecessors who served time here. What brought them here and were they ever released?
Oxford prison’s most famous inmates
The first inmates detained at his Majesty’s Pleasure were said to be rowdy Oxford University students. But the youngest recorded inmate was seven-year-old Julia Ann Crumpling who was detained for seven days hard labour for stealing a pram in 1870. More recent cases include Donald Neilson, (aka the Black Panther), who was an armed robber, kidnapper and murderer who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1976. Neilson is said to have committed more than 400 burglaries and four murders during his reign.
Oxford Castle Tour
These fascinating stories are brought to life on the Oxford Castle tour. The tour includes a visit to the original prison cells with a comprehensive history from the prison’s inception through to its eventual closure. (Standard adult tickets cost £16.20). You can get a small discount on the ticket price if staying at the hotel.
The ticket also includes a guided tour of the Castle’s crypt led by a costumed, lantern-bearing guide. The crypt was rediscovered during excavation work and was later reconstructed by prisoners. Creeping down narrow passageways, the flickering candlelight casts dark shadows around every corner. I’m not surprised to learn that this is the most haunted part of the castle. It’s a fascinating if eerie experience to be contained within cloisters dating back to the 12th century.
Ascend St George’s Tower
Departing the depths of the crypt, we ascend the 101 steps to the top of the 12th century St George’s Tower – one of the town’s oldest buildings. The views give a spectacular panorama across Oxford though sadly no pictures as we did this during late dusk in December when it was freezing cold!
What was filmed at Malmaison Oxford?
Unsurprisingly, the prison site has been a magnet for both film and TV. A fish called Wanda and a string of TV dramas including: The Bill, Bad Girls, Casualty and Inspector Morse were all filmed here. As you’d expect most of this filming took place during the prison’s ten-year hiatus before its transformation into a hotel.
What other prisons have been converted into hotels?
The Malmaison Oxford’s just one of a burgeoning series of former prisons to be converted into hotels. These include: Bodmin Jail in Cornwall which dates to 1779 and was the site of fifty-five executions. Not to be outdone, London’s home to two converted former prisons. The Courthouse Hotel in Shoreditch, located opposite Carnaby Street held the Kray Twins and the author, George Orwell. And at the budget end of the scale is Clink78 in King’s Cross. As a former 200-year-old courthouse, the Clash were famously tried for shooting pigeons. Although not technically a former prison, guests can still experience a former cell converted into a private room for 1-2 individuals.
It’s not often that a stay in a luxury hotel can provide such a thought-provoking experience. While not for everyone, the cell room stay was a humbling experience that brought to life the harsh and cramped conditions that prisoners had to live with. The comparative luxury we enjoyed as hotel guests only helped to highlight the stark difference between then and now.