I’ve stayed in some weird places before, but before this summer I couldn’t say I’d ever stayed in a prison. That changed during my recent trip to Béziers, France, where I learned about one of the country’s most unique accommodation options: Hôtel La Prison in Béziers. I immediately booked two nights in this unusual hotel.
In this review of Hôtel La Prison in Béziers I’ll talk about the history of this property, the location, the hotel rooms (yes, I stayed inside an actual prison cell!), the amenities and whether or not I’d recommend a prison hotel to other travelers. Keep reading to see if you too might want to get locked up for a night or two!
Disclosure: I paid in full for my stay at Hotel La Prison in Beziers, and did not disclose that I was a blogger. This is an unbiased review.
The History of Hôtel La Prison in Béziers
First and foremost, la prison is no longer operational. However, that is a fairly recent development. The prison here opened in 1867 and was in use for more than a hundred years. For several years it held the region’s guillotine, which was decommissioned in 1949 after being used to execute two young men who robbed and killed a local doctor. The guillotine fell out of favor but the jail remained crowded until a newer facility opened west of the city center in 2009, at which time the prison here closed.
Converting the prison into Hôtel La Prison took about five years of planning and eighteen months of renovation work. The hotel officially opened its doors in July 2024, and I visited two years later in the summer of 2026.
My Room in a Cell Block in Hôtel La Prison
I wanted the full prison experience, so I booked one of the “cell rooms” in Hôtel La Prison. I knew this was risky because it was summer and these small rooms didn’t offer air conditioning (only a ceiling fan), but I figured that if prisoners could get locked up for life here, I could survive two nights.
As you can see from my photos, my room was an actual prison cell. It’s crazy to think that more than one person might have slept in the small space, which now house a small desk, clothing rack and double bed, with a rug covering the original flooring. Above the bed there was a window with dark curtains and a beautiful view of the countryside across the river.
My room also had a spacious private bathroom, which had a large sink and shower. Basic toiletries were available in the shower but I’d recommend bringing your own.
As you might have guessed, my stay at Hotel La Prison happened to be at the exact same time that Europe was experiencing a crazy heatwave, with daytime temperatures consistently above 35° Celsius and nights staying around 30°, with no escape from the heat. Unfortunately my decision to book a room without A/C ended up being a bad idea, so I only recommend reserving these rooms between September and June. In the summer months, enjoy the prison atmosphere in one of the rooms with A/C, or wait and book at the last minute after you’ve checked the weather forecast and confirmed it won’t be record-breaking heat.
Other Rooms at Hôtel La Prison in Béziers
There are other rooms at Hôtel La Prison that are not in the actual former cells. These include a family suite, an “atypical” room that sleeps up to six people, “cozy” rooms that are more spacious and a few “comfort” rooms that have air conditioning.
Hôtel La Prison in Béziers Amenities
Since my room didn’t have air conditioning, I beat the summer heat by taking a morning, afternoon and evening dip in the twelve-meter seasonal swimming pool on the hotel’s terrace. During the heatwave, the pool and the lounge chairs that surround it were busy, with anywhere from one to five other people there each time I visited.
I’d be lying if I said I also used the 24-hour hotel gym, but I did check it out and I can confirm it exists! There were a few aesthetic cardio machines, a weight bench, a yoga mat and an exercise ball.
Hotel La Prison also has a number of common areas where you can relax, chat or check out the contemporary art work that fills the halls. One of these spaces is a wide outdoor terrace between the pool and restaurant, while another is an indoor lounge just off the reception desk (cold drinks are available for purchase if you’d like to relax with a refreshment).
Breakfast at Hôtel La Prison
Hotel La Prison serves a breakfast buffet each morning for €15. The buffet includes scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese, fresh fruit, yogurt, cereal, milk, bread and pastries. There are also fresh local juices and a machine for coffee-based drinks like espresso, cappuccinos and cafe lattes.
The hotel restaurant (Bistro La Prison) has a beautiful terrace and a nice lunch and dinner menu, including a reasonably-priced formule at lunch. However, at the time of my visit there was only one vegetarian option for each course and they weren’t that appealing to me, so I opted to eat at restaurants in town instead.
The Location of Hôtel La Prison in Béziers
Hôtel La Prison is located in the historic center of Beziers, beside the Cathedral of Saint-Nazaire. The Old Town is at your doorstep, and the hotel is situated on the side of a cliff that overlooks the Orb River and the Canal du Midi. The streets around the hotel are packed with local restaurants and cafés.
A really cool feature of Beziers is the Agropole elevator system, which is located directly behind the hotel. These three elevators can take pedestrians up and down the hillside between the hotel and the Pont Vieux bridge. It saves you a massive uphill walk if you want to go down and stroll along the river.
How to Get to Hôtel La Prison in Béziers
In general, the historic center of Beziers is not well-connected to the train station. I was very committed to saving money so I tried to take a bus to the hotel, but the bus was overcrowded and overheated, and it was still a fifteen-minute walk from the nearest bus stop to the hotel. I can’t recommend arriving at Hotel La Prison by bus.
On the way back to the train station I bit the bullet and had the hotel book me a taxi. The driver charged me €18 cash for the five-minute, two-kilometer ride (I don’t believe taxis in Beziers use meters).
If you’re coming by car you can drop off your luggage at the hotel and then head to the free parking across the river or the paid parking at Les Halles.
Is Hôtel La Prison in Béziers Worth It?
Yes, I would say that Hotel La Prison in Beziers is worth it! Staying in the converted prison is a really cool experience, and the rooms are quite comfortable outside of freak weather occurrences. Once you arrive at the hotel, the location in Beziers just can’t be beat. I can definitely recommend Hotel La Prison for a one- or two-night stay in Beziers.
Other Hotels in Béziers
Prisons not your vibe? Béziers has lots of great hotel options, and by booking early you can often get a great rate. Here are a few other properties I would consider in town:
La Villa Guy & Spa – About five minutes east of the historic center, this beautiful 19th-century villa has been converted into a boutique hotel. There’s a pretty outdoor pool, a sauna and a steam room, but the real highlight here is the spacious and airy rooms.
Hotel in Situ – In the same villa district, this hotel features a more modern and contemporary design. The back garden houses a bright sun terrace and swimming pool.
Le Flourens by Paul Riquet 1609 Residences – This company has several vacation rentals in the heart of Béziers, and this is my favorite location of them all, right in front of the market. If you’re comfortable with some stairs, the building’s plain facade and entrance hide beautifully renovated apartments with all the amenities you could ask for, including A/C and a washing machine.
Domaine de Manteau-Bleu – If you’re coming to Béziers by car to sail down the Canal du Midi and see the town’s famous locks, this is the perfect bed and breakfast option for you. It’s located just across the river from the boat launch, and host Marielle serves up a beautiful farm-style breakfast in her family home.
Before you go, check out these related travel guides:
🖼️ The Best Hotels in Collioure, France
A Complete Review of Les Grands Buffets de Narbonne
♥️ The Best Things to Do in Perpignan, France
The Best Things to Do in Figueres, Spain
The Best Things to Do in Tarragona, Spain
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