From Prison to Luxury Hotel
Japan's oldest prison, Nara Prison, is set to become a luxury hotel, opening in 2024. The facility was built in 1908 and was known as one of the Meiji Five Great Prisons. It was designed by Keijiro Yamashita and was one of the finest examples of modern architecture for its time. The prison was closed in 2017 due to structural integrity and not meeting earthquake standards.
Luxury ryokan operator Hoshino Resorts is changing the prison to an upscale hotel and expects it to revitalise tourism in Nara. The prison hotel site is close to Todaiji Temple, which houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana. The new hotel will feature 48 guest rooms, and the guard quarters will become guest lounges. One of the buildings will become a museum to show guests what the original prison was like.
I would like to stay at this hotel when it opens, but I am pretty sure it will be out of my price range!
4 comments:
As long as you don't have to commit a crime to stay there!
This idea was used in Stockholm, where the old state prison became a youth hostel.
https://langholmen.com/en/hostel/
Pamela: I am with you I would love to stay there in the opening in 2024.
Catherine
That's cool! I wonder if it will become a really luxurious hotel to stay in, or if the price tag is more about the experience itself.
The front façade is beautiful, don’t know how they would make the old cells into luxury rooms. I would also like to stay there.
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