Barabas Hotel
The central prison of Lucerne was built in 1862 and operated until 1998. This historic building was recently repurposed, allowing you to stay in one of the 60 prison cell rooms.
The hotel got its name after Barabas, a brave pacifist man who refused military service, and as a result, he was thrown in jail.
During his long stay, he painted frescoes of everything he missed from his life when he was a free man. You can still find Barabas' wall art in Switzerland's first jailhouse hotel.
Colorful wall art decorates the prison hotel, painted by Barabas, the former pacifist prisoner.
The former cells are now comfy rooms with proper mattresses.
Budget-friendly triple and quadruple rooms with bunk beds are available for backpackers.
There are also the standard single and twin rooms, except they look nothing like ordinary hotel rooms with small windows and security bars.
There is no escaping from here, at least not through the windows! The most special accommodation is the Superior Cell.
These are former interrogation, visitor rooms, and the director's office converted into premium rooms.
Superior Cell Room
If you happen to forget to bring your favorite book with you, fear not, the prison, I mean the hotel has its library with a nice collection of crime novels.
The former prison's courtyard is now home to cozy deck chairs and lanterns encompassed by the greenery planted on the walls.
Only the prison windows staring at you will remind you of the grim past of this place.
Izakaya Nozomi Restaurant
Forget about prison food; Hotel Barabas has a top-notch Japanese restaurant. Izakaya Nozomi is styled as a village ryokan and follows the high-quality dining traditions of its origin country.
After a few glasses of sake, you might want to try some fun games. You'll find a table-soccer table, a billiard table, and darts in the hotel's lounge.
Are you planning to go out for a walk to discover Lucerne? Hotel Barabas is right in the old town close to the Reuss River and Lake Lucerne.
