In Béziers (Hérault), it is possible to spend a night in a cell without having to deal with the law. The old prison, located in the city center, has been completely renovated to become a hotel.
"The concept exists abroad, we are the first to do it in France," says Tatiana Halimi, of the Mando Hospitality group, which already owns several establishments in Montpellier, Marseille and Paris. The one in Béziers opens its doors on June 1, 2023.
The new establishment is located a few meters from the Saint-Nazaire Cathedral and has a breathtaking view of the Orb. Hotel La Prison
Located a few meters from the Saint-Nazaire cathedral, it offers fifty "cells" from 14 to 60 m2, three rooms that can be privatized and a restaurant with breathtaking views of the Orb which flows below.
The prison past is not hidden
"The challenge was to transform this atypical building into a pleasant place to live while assuming its past. We once thought about renaming the Hotel Evasion or the Fortress, but in the end the best thing was to keep it simple, it's the Hotel La Prison," continues Tatiana Halimi.
See alsoFontainebleau: the former prison will be transformed into apartments
A prison that was in operation between 1867 and 2009 and where the guillotine was even hosted for about ten years.
In fact, the prison past of the site has not been hidden: the corridor leading to the dungeons has for example been preserved, as well as some graffiti on the walls. According to the town hall, which sold the building to Mando Hospitality – among the partners, the actor Christophe Lambert – this new hotel participates in the tourist revival of the city center where significant investments have already been made.
