Converted Luxury Hotels

The Former Lives of Converted Luxury Hotels

Revisit the rich history behind hotels that were once a prison, a colonial headquarters, a music school and more.

Written by Johanna Li

Mandarin Oriental, Prague

Get in touch with your spiritual side with a little rest and reflection at the Mandarin Oriental Prague, built from a former 14th century Dominican monastery. The original architecture was built in 1330, and as homage to its part-Renaissance and part-Baroque past, the new location retains its vaulted ceilings and opulent staircases

Bonus: Follow an underground passage into the hotel’s 5,000-square-foot holistic spa, converted from a former Renaissance chapel. If that’s not enough history for one trip, the private passageway boasts a glass floor, revealing the remains of an underground Gothic church discovered during construction.

The Former Lives of Converted Luxury Hotels

Revisit the rich history behind hotels that were once a prison, a colonial headquarters, a music school and more.

Written by Johanna Li

Capella Singapore

Before Singapore became the economic hub it is today, the island was once a trading port for the British Colony, and what better way to reconnect with its humble beginnings than with a stay at the Capella Singapore, which was formerly housing for the British Coastal Defense Command based on Sentosa Island. Legend has it that just days before the British had given up their post in 1942, they buried their remaining silver in the lawn. While part of their treasure has been recovered, the location of the rest remains unknown. Today, the two most historical bungalows are named Taneh Merah, meaning “red earth” in Malay, and boast private pools, ensuite bathrooms and over 4,000 square feet of living space.

The Former Lives of Converted Luxury Hotels

Revisit the rich history behind hotels that were once a prison, a colonial headquarters, a music school and more.

Written by Johanna Li

Malmaison Oxford

Do you have what it takes to survive a stay in a medieval prison? Thankfully, you will never have to find out at the Malmaison Oxford, a swanky hotel converted from the prison inside a medieval castle. Dying for a chance to embrace the castle’s ancient charms anyway? Enjoy a meal in the open-air restaurant, named The Exercise Yard, or spend a night in the ultra-luxurious Thomas Lowton Robins suite, named after an 1800s Commander in the Royal Navy.

The Former Lives of Converted Luxury Hotels

Revisit the rich history behind hotels that were once a prison, a colonial headquarters, a music school and more.

Written by Johanna Li

The Conservatorium, Amsterdam

1275 saw not only the conception of what would become Amsterdam’s most luxurious hotel, but also the hotel with the richest history. The Museum Square building once saw life as the city’s Rijkspostspaarbank, or savings bank, and later became the first home to the Sweelinck Conservatorium, a merging of three long-established music institutions. Today, it boasts guestrooms that range from 300 square feet to almost 2,000 square feet as a result of its multi-use history.

The Former Lives of Converted Luxury Hotels

Revisit the rich history behind hotels that were once a prison, a colonial headquarters, a music school and more.

Written by Johanna Li

The Liberty Room, Boston

Relive the history of American crime at the converted 1850s Charles Street Jail. Once home to prisoners such as Malcolm X, James Michael Curley and Sacco and Vanzetti, the infamous jail was closed in 1990, but it continues to retain its famed rotunda, originally designed to better separate prisoners by sex and offense. Today, it is a 298-room luxury hotel, boasting sweeping views of Boston’s skyline.

The Former Lives of Converted Luxury Hotels

Revisit the rich history behind hotels that were once a prison, a colonial headquarters, a music school and more.

Written by Johanna Li

Tags:

The Former Lives of Converted Luxury Hotels

Revisit the rich history behind hotels that were once a prison, a colonial headquarters, a music school and more.

Written by Johanna Li

Tags:

The Former Lives of Converted Luxury Hotels

Revisit the rich history behind hotels that were once a prison, a colonial headquarters, a music school and more.

Written by Johanna Li

Tags:

The Former Lives of Converted Luxury Hotels

Revisit the rich history behind hotels that were once a prison, a colonial headquarters, a music school and more.

Written by Johanna Li

Tags:

The Former Lives of Converted Luxury Hotels

Revisit the rich history behind hotels that were once a prison, a colonial headquarters, a music school and more.

Written by Johanna Li

Tags: