Het Arresthuis: Historic Jail Transformed into a Luxurious Modern Hotel in the Netherlands

If you’ve ever thought about spending a night in the slammer, here's your chance to try it out - although with much more style and comfort than typical prison digs. The <a href="http://www.hetarresthuis.nl/en" target="_blank">Het Arresthuis</a> prison in the Netherlands has been <a href="http://inhabitat.com/herzog-de-meuron-to-turn-a-hong-kong-jail-into-flashy-new-contemporary-art-space/" target="_blank">transformed from a detention center</a> into a luxury destination. The interior of the 19th Century jailhouse has been <a href="http://inhabitat.com/yunak-evleri-is-a-5-star-hotel-built-into-ancient-caves/" target="_blank">converted into a sleek 36 room hotel</a> that glows with vibrant LED lights and provides a variety of modern comforts.

Guests of Het Arresthius shouldn’t expect to be confined in close quarters<a href="http://inhabitat.com/rwandas-poo-powered-prisons-are-75-fueled-by-burning-inmates-waste/rwanda-poo-powered-prisons-gtzecosan-3/" target="_blank"> like a prisoner</a> during their stay.

The 150 holding cells that once held some of the Netherlands’ finest criminals have been gutted, and transformed into just 36 luxurious rooms. Seven suites, with names like The Jailer, The Lawyer, The Director and The Judge, are available for even extra space.

The three stories of cell blocks overlook a common area, clad with deep couches and tables for guests to enjoy, meet, or read a book.

The prison courtyard, where prisoners had once performed forced recreation activities, has been converted into a beautiful outdoor café. An additional bar and restaurant welcomes guests inside the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/german-hotel-invites-beer-lovers-to-cozy-up-inside-a-recycled-19th-century-beer-barrel-bed/" target="_blank">converted hotel</a>.

Keeping in the theme of the hotel’s former use, Het Arresthius even hosts historic <a href="http://inhabitat.com/new-danish-prison-ward-will-feature-animal-husbandry/falster-state-prison-1c/" target="_blank">penitentiary</a> dinners. A great table invites guests to sit communally on the first floor of the cell block, where dinner is served and slides from the jail’s history are shown. Guests even get a signature black and white striped cell block hat to get into the mood!

The beautiful Het Arresthius hotel is another example of adaptive reuse, fusing a bit of history with a modern function.