Hotel Liberty

Turning a prison into a luxury hotel is no small task. It helps that Offenburg’s former penal institution, which comprises a pair of simple but elegant brick buildings that date back to the mid-19th century, was somewhat aesthetically pleasing — and it’s essential, too, that the hotel’s designers were interested in preserving some of the prison’s character instead of completely overhauling the place. After careful planning and renovations, the sleek Hotel Liberty opened in 2017.

A new glass-walled addition, now housing the reception and restaurant, joins the two original buildings. Some of the prison’s hallmark features remain, like the curving exposed brick ceilings, bars on the windows, and a gray color palette that feels both stylish and tongue-in-cheek. In the same vein, the buildings’ once-bleak hallways are still dark, but now in a way that feels dramatic and glamorous; the industrial atmosphere remains, but now it’s industrial-chic, the sandstone cellar transformed into a stylish wine bar.

Onetime jail cells are now stylish guest rooms with parquet floors, bespoke furnishings, and modern decor in white, black, and charcoal. Suites feature freestanding tubs and skylights for stargazing, and the rooftop suite highlights the prison’s original timber beams and has its own dining area and library. And downstairs an open-air cocktail lounge occupies what was once the prison yard.