Jailhouse Accommodation

Jailhouse Accommodation is such a fun hostel to stay at. It's practically brand new -- it was a working jail up until 1999, but then about a year or so ago it was totally revamped and turned into a hostel. It still feels very much like a jail inside when you walk in, only it is friendlier, cleaner, and quieter than we'd expect any jail to be.

There is a great TV room with a large selection of DVDs to watch. There is a patio area at the front gate of the hostel when you first walk in -- on a nice day you'll find a lot of people outside here, enjoying the weather. The staff is extremely helpful and always easy to locate, as there is a button at the check-in desk where you can page the manager anytime of the day if no one is at the desk and someone will come help you.

The rooms are great -- extremely clean! We stayed in a ten-person room with a bathroom attached to it. The bathroom looks like it hasn't been renovated since jail times. It is extremely dark and not fancy at all -- we guess that's the look they were aiming for. The communal bathrooms are much more up to date and the toilets are by far the coolest toilets we've ever seen (they have barbed wire in them for the jail look). Also, it really feels like a jail when you look outside your window and see rows and rows of barbed wire. It's fun to tell your friends and family that you spent the night in jail!

The atmosphere is great -- they have extremely friendly staff and many backpackers from all over. Make sure you take a picture at the front gate, which still looks very much like a jail from the front. Also, be sure to notice all the signs around the hostel with jail humor (including, if you don't check out on time, you'll be sent to jail).

-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review