WELL, it was a prison, but the former Oxford Jail is now a luxury hotel.
Now the Malmaison Hotel, it was originally built as a Norman fortress in 1071 during the reign of William the Conqueror.
It was later extended during the Victorian Gothic period and served as HM Prison Oxford from 1888 until 1996.
The once dark chambers and passages deep under the former castle cum prison are now home to a modern dining room, bar and gymnasium.
Today the guest rooms upstairs are adorned with velvet sofas and Black Watch carpet but the iron-barred windows remain.
In the main prison block every three adjoining cells have been turned into bedrooms with private luxury bathrooms.
With its castellated walls, stone entrance and towers adorned with arrow slits, this building has featured in films such as The Italian Job starring Michael Caine and The Spy Game with Robert Redford.
This former prison is just one of the interesting hotels where Toursgallery guests will stay on their 22-day escorted tour of England, Scotland and Wales on August 5. It is priced at $13,880 per person (land only).
For more information, call 1300-307-317 or email travel@toursgallery.com, or click here.