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KGB Hotel
An old Soviet prison in Latvia has been converted into a hotel.

Liepaja Prison, Latvia

“This 'hotel',” writes Tim Bryan, “proudly bills itself as 'unfriendly, unheated, uncomfortable and open all year round'. But that's the point. A stay here is reality tourism writ large, a chance to experience at first hand (albeit handcuffed for part of the time) the brutal, degrading regime of a damp, rotting red-bricked naval jail built in 1905 to house the czar's mutinous sailors. New management took over in the 1970s: the KGB.”

So instead of a Presidential Suite with an ocean view, everyone will only have the choice of either solitary confinement or the interrogation room. Instead of pleasant greetings from a cheery staff, patrons will be welcomed with gun fire and barking orders from (former) Soviet prison guards. And instead of signing the guestbook, you'll be processed, photographed and given your arrest card.

Liepaja Prison, Latvia

And if you want to make your experience even more(!) unique, simply contact the management for information.

Then let us know what these “top secret” details are.
3 COMMENTS —
  • amarc
  • December 9, 2006 at 1:46:00 PM CST
  • There's a similar prison-cum-hotel (albeit without the KGB history, as far as I know) in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It's called the Hostel Celica and was converted to a hostel with each "cell" designed by a different local artist. Fun place to stay.


  • Anonymous
  • December 9, 2006 at 10:05:00 PM CST
  • What a great concept. I always thought that parts of Alcatraz would make a great hotel.


  • Gregor Lenasi
  • October 17, 2008 at 4:30:00 AM CDT
  • There is a public tour of all the cells which happens every day - which is pretty disconcerting of you are actually in your room at the time!

    All that said the hostel is very clean, staff very friendly and there is a good range of facilities in the hostel.


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