The Jailhotel - Lucerne

The only thing missing was a mirror, but then, in a jail cell mirrors were most likely not a part of the decor.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

They aren't kidding when they say "Jailhotel" as the rooms are old jail cells. It was a little creepy at first but we didn't mind as we were looking for a cheap place to stay for two nights in a good location. The location is excellent and as we weren't planning to spend any time in the room, the room was sufficient for its purpose. We didn't mind that […] the room was small, the bathroom was smaller, or that the two twin mattresses were on the floor but I was a bit bothered that there weren't any window coverings and you look straight across the narrow road into another building- weird, especially when it's dark outside and the lights are on. Otherwise, the hotel served its purpose for our visit and we enjoyed Lucerne. Would recommend if you want a cheap hotel in a good location. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The hotel was great! It is located in the heart of old town, very easy to walk to all of the attractions. It was a unique experience, the jail was in use until 1998. The hotel is located above a nigh club, but we emailed ahead of time and asked for a quiet room and they gave us a corner room which was very quiet. Only thing, I wish there was a lift […] in the hotel. It was hard carrying our luggage up 3 flights of stairs. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The hotel is old and our room was dirty. The sheets on the bed were damp and dirty.

Genuine Expedia guest review

The Jailhotel provided a truly unique experience. It's not quite like being in jail but intentionally bears a close resemblance. The rooms are small and have few amenities but are adequate for a very simple night's sleep. Breakfast is simple but generous. Maintenance is somewhat lacking but overall the room we used was actually quite comfortable - as […] long as our expectations were adjusted to what the Jailhotel is able to offer (as a converted jail). With the heavy doors and bars, it could be the safest place in town! Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

absolutely junk hotel..no phone..no TV..no wake up service..no food..

Genuine Expedia guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The building was nice. The staff was nice. The room zero.. The bed on the floor. No curtains. There is a rave bar located on ground floor. It opens 10 pm - 4 am this is all you hear!!!!! Had sound machine on I Pad wide open and still couldn't sleep. I've sleep better in a real JAIL!!!!!

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Most horrible hotel I have ever stayed in. Hotels.Com should remove it from the listing. The condition of the hotel is horrible, the attitude of their staff is unacceptable. Their amenities are just useless.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

The rooms are very small and you can't see outside as the bared windows are high up. This place is loud. Every voice echoes down the halls. Also, weekend bar/rave downstairs echoes through the building. So, you can hear the thump of the music all night. Also, this place is not service orientated. No public phone or eating place. If you need to park […] your car it is across the bridge and you will be walking and paying. If you have big bags, good luck dragging them up the stairs... no elevator. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Would recommend this hotel for the price only. The room and attached shower and toilet is too small for 4 people. The hallway is dark and scary sometimes. They should always leave the llight on instead of sensor only. No elevator and we have carry our luggages up to third floor.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

A concept hotel that is very popular with young people. It is pretty loud as there is no carpeting to absorb sound so bring your iPod if you want to sleep before 1:00 am. You will also want an inflatable pillow as the pillows are pretty thin.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

catering to the youth- I would recommend the Jailhouse. Fun theme. A good breakfast. Clean. But as Seniors we did not find the beds comfortable- We thought we booked a double and it was definitely a single room with two single cots pushed together leaving no floor space . We had to put luggage up on the window sill and climb on the bed to do so. We […] had 1 glass- 1 towel etc. The staff rectified that promptly but space was uncomfortable. The location was great in the old city. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We were pleasantly surprised with the quality of the accommodations. We were in the Barbara's suite and it was quite comfortable. No disco on Wed nights so no noise except birds in the early morning. Breakfast was wonderful - after a week of paying too much for one pet it cup of coffee - the jail house breakfast was a definite winner. Fresh baked breads, […] Swiss butter and jam, cereals, juice, milk and great coffee. The bed was comfortable and the bath was clean and well-stocked. The location is great and close to the river. A little weird staying in a jail cell, but it was overall a good experience.d Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

We didn't enjoy our stay at Jail Hotel. It's neat that the hotel was actually a jail, but not worth the fact that we slept on a foam mattress with boards underneath. There is also a club on the ground floor that will keep you up until 3am. Not recommended unless you are on a very tight budget and can't afford anything else.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

so much smoke. previous guest's underwear was under the sink. I knew it was a jail but it was too adventurous for us. breakfast was excellent.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

If you are looking for a step up from a hostel experience and you like the idea of having a trendy nightclub within your hotel, then this is the place for you. It was an interesting experience to stay in a converted jail, and they definitely retained the look and feel. Be aware that this hotel has a minimalist approach, so don't expect a lot of amenities. […] For instance, there is absolutely no internet access offered by the hotel. They do offer free earplugs, which you will need since the sound of dance music and crowds in the street will come in every open window. Not a bad place, so long as you know what you are getting into. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Given the price we paid for this hotel, we were pretty disappointed with the size and therefore comfort of our room. Apart from that, the location was good and so was the breakfast. But then everything in Switzerland is ridiculously expensive so I guess we should have expected it.

Genuine Expedia guest review

This hotel is clean, but I really do not think it compares to other 3 star hotels (especailly in Lucerne). The jail theme does suggest a minimalistic approach, and that is kind of fun. There were several times when it was difficult to find help (the desk was often unmanned). The location, however, is very practical. Perhaps best for younger travell […] ers. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

no elevator, a bit scary when walking alone in the hall way on 2nd floor, breakfast is not bad, nice staff,

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Room was good for the money, actually a little more roomy than the pics indicate. My room had private bath in the room and 2 twin beds. No lift so that might make a difference to some people. I wouldn't say it was noisy there at night, but occassionally you could hear the 'bass' of the nightclub. This was mostly from around 11 pm. to 2 am. Only one […] block off of main shopping and restaurant district and about a 10 minute walk to train and boat piers. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Basic hotel within walking distance of most sights. Rooms small but adequate

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Stayed 1 night in a standard room. Concept was interesting, and while amenities are minimal, we expected that going in. We didn't expect to be violently woken up at 7:30am (!) to construction happening inside the hotel, just outside our room. Unrelated construction outside would be annoying but understandable; construction inside the hotel, especially […] at that hour, is utterly inexcusable. To add insult to injury, the construction workers were apparently smoking, filling our non-smoking room with the smell of cigarette smoke. Not exactly the jail experience we were looking for. Also, be warned that sound carries in general -- we could clearly hear other guests talking in the hallway, and that Wi-Fi is only available in the lobby. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Avoid if you want to avoid young people off their faces on alcohol and partying in the hotel rooms. There is very little sound proofing and the halls of this old jail reverberate with every sound. A novelty experience only and I will not be returning.The hotel is understaffed, (receptionist doubles up with dining room duties) - especially in the morning […] and the dining room looked like a bomb had gone off, with no tables cleared, no clean places to sit down and no refreshment and replenishment of the self-service counter. No lift and no car-parking nearby, nightmare for independent travellers. Some cells / rooms are missing curtains, so if you can't sleep in the light, avoid. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

I've booked two double suite rooms but both was worst!!! I'll not recommend this hotel to my family and friends.....

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Revolving door of 20-something tour groups. Loud. Need earplugs. If you want the "good" breakfast, wait until the tour groups leave for the better food to come out. Other than that, I still have to say that it was a cool experience to stay in a former prison.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

It's authentic, but not worth the money.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Very small room,no tea and coffee facilities.,2 night stay and room not cleaned on the middle day. Towels tiny but then again we were in jail. Bed comfortable.Breakfast quite nice but no toaster,we are Aussies after all who enjoy their toast at breakfast.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Hi, I stayed in this hotel for two nights. The rooms offered to me was pathetic. - The room looks really old with poor light, broken walls. - Large window, but no curtains. Evenone from next building can see the room 'completely'. - in built bathroom, But no exhaust fan. Very bad toilet smell in the room, which has no way to go out ( No windows for […] the bathroom either ). - Double bed offered was really, two single bed placed nearby. But the single bed will slide apart and you would fell down soon. - No room service after first day. When I cam back in the night, we to desk to get new bed spreads & bathroom towels. They said no helpers available, and i have to change on my own. - Very poor hotel in any standard for the family to stay. Pls. stay away from this hotel. - I request hotels.com to remove this hotel from the listing. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

If I had one more chance, I don't think I'll try again. Weird odor, weird tiny noise in the room all day long, annoying especially when sleeping. What the jail~

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

I needed a bed to stay for one night in Lucerne. When searching the place online, I realised that Switzerland is an expensive country (not surprised). Then I found this Jailhotel and became fascinated because it's cheap price. The location could not be better. It's in the middle of the old town, all the historic sights are very close. It's also a very […] quit place, there's no traffic, no cows (cowbells!) or churches (church bells) close by! BUT there is a nightclub. On Saturdays they have some live music which can disturb your beauty sleep if you are not a party animal. My timing was perfect - Saturday! I knew this noise trouble and had ear plugs packed in my gears as always but seriously, I could not hear too much noise in my room which was in the second floor. It looked different. It looked like a jail... because it really was a jail since 1862 until 1998. The building was changed to be a hotel in 1999. But the change was not that dramatic, the bars in windows still exist, the doors with old iron locks still exist etc. Most probably the beds were still original, not the best kind but I could sleep. I chose a slightly better room type "most wanted" which included a toilet and a shower in the room. The restroom was built like an ugly one but it worked. Towels, shampoo and soap as usual but no hair dryer (short hair, didn't need). There was no TV in the room. I could survive one night without TV. Wifi is free but works only in the downstairs near the reception and in the breakfast restaurant. Breakfast was quite okay, coffee/tea, bread, gipfeli (=croissant), bacon and eggs, juice, cheese... Probably I would not stay in this hotel more than some nights but still I could return some day. I was going to stay some more nights in a "better" hotel which was booked by somebody else (will post a review later). Compared to the next place, this is worth visiting - at least I can honestly say that I've been in a jail ;) Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

I booked into the Jail Hotel in Luzern because it was cheap and because I could tell people I'd spent a few nights in a Swiss Jail. Obviously, at the price, the amenities were basic but everything was clean and tidy, the staff were considerate and helpful and the breakfast (included) was ample. The Hotel is situated in what I found to be the most interesting […] part of the city and I would not hesitate to recommend the hotel to anyone wanting a cheap, basic stay in Luzern. Thank you. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Too basic. Backpackers only. Really good position- could easily be upgraded. Good breakfast and staff.

Genuine Expedia guest review

Location is central. Walking distance from the train station and the Lion monument. Beds are comfortable. Bath towels are too small. The night is very noisy. I would not recommend it for people who want to relax in a hotel or families with small children. It is indeed a jail experience. Recommended only, if you are out the whole day and want to sleep […] like a log in the night. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

It’s a unique experience to sleep in a Jail room, I wanted to try it out, it’s a great location in Lucern, everything is close, good for 1-2nights, but I would not stay more then that unless you plan to spend most of all your time in town and hope that the weather is in your favor as the rooms are very solitary!!! Well it was a Jail after all.

Genuine Expedia guest review

never go to stay in thais hotle with your family

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

All I can say is it is nothing like the photos that they have in their website. The rooms are very small and only a few of them have windows. It looks and also smells like a jail. Also the reception ran out of adaptors and we could not even charge our phones and camera.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Fine for teenagers but at 50 I am too old for the noise,disco etc. Also dreadful as a woman as they had no bags or bins for sanitary towels. Breakfast moderate. Great though for a cheap stay as very central for Concert Hall and lake.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

not a good choice

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

JailHotel is well located and pretty close to everything. My room and bathroom were both very clean although the bedroom was quite small so I had to hope over my bag to get into bed. The room did not have curtains which was strange, however, I was in a double room so used the spare duvet to hang over the windows as the reception could not do anything […] about the lack of curtains. Apart from the lack of curtains the staff were friendly, breakfast was good (once not restocked when the cheese ran out) and was in a good position to explore Luzern. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Bunks too tall and no safety rail. Shower not very clean. Staff not overly helpful. Breakfast very basic. Great location with Coop opposite and easy walking to main sights

Genuine Expedia guest review

We found this on Hotels.com and whilst the reviews were so-so the price was comparable to mid range hotels in Switzerland and location super. Upon arrival we were handed earplugs. Yes. Because the building turns into a full dance club over the weekend. There was no service to speak of. The receptionist pointed me to the room where we could store our […] bags (arrived a bit early) and watched me battle with two heavy suitcases not even attempting an offer of help. The room is tiny, in severe need of refurbishment (tiles missing, plaster coming off the walls, shower rail coming off, people have written all over the walls about their negative views of the hotel etc etc. Worst for us was - dirty marks (of questionable origin) on the bedding and nothing but hand towels to dry ourselves with. Students were screaming in the hallways and playing their music till the early hours of the morning (around 5:30!). I have no further words, but to recommend you continue your search when you land on this little hole. Read more

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

Fantastic location - about 5 minutes walk from the main station and right in the city centre. Great way to have a prison experience - rooms are converted prison cells meaning they are basic and quite small but very authentic. Unique hotel - not for everyone - but fun for a couple of nights for something different.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

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Genuine Hotels.com guest review

If you do want to experience what jail would be like (close enough), this hotel would be the hotel to try. Please note that there is really nothing in the room i.e. no TV, kettle, glass, or kettle. It was not too bad for us, we managed to sleep through the nights with not many issues, however, will not go there again.

Genuine Hotels.com guest review