How the Hôtel la Prison became an emblematic place in Béziers ?

Samantha de Castro on one of the prison terraces. – F.F.

Samantha de Castro sur l’une des terrasses de la Prison. – F.F.

Il y a un an, le 1er juin, cet hôtel ouvrait dans l’ancien pénitencier de la ville. Aujourd’hui, des touristes font le détour pour dormir en cellule.

Transforming Béziers prison into a hotel-restaurant with 50 rooms and 60 seats? The bet seemed crazy. The old building built in 1857, which adjoins the cathedral, had been disused since 2009 and the inauguration of the new penitentiary center. The constraints linked to a building classified as a historic monument, added to the difficulties of access for construction equipment, were enough to discourage the contractors in the face of the 18 months of work planned. Even the beds had to be lifted from the road by crane! And yet, after 8 million euros spent, and one year after opening, on June 1, 2023, the bet was successful.

"We have tourists who come from all over the world, specifically here, to sleep in the old cells, says Samantha Castro, director and partner. In terms of attendance, it fluctuates between 50% in the depths of winter and 100% in the heart of summer. "At the moment we are at 70%, which is comparable to other hotels in Béziers." Another satisfaction : "We have gone from one-night stays – the curiosity effect – to guests who stay longer".

It must be said that the place is unique. The first glance into the atrium, around which the cells are spread over two levels, immediately plunges the visitor into the prison atmosphere. Behind a double door, one of which is original, guests discover a vaulted space of 16 m2 (a night is charged from 80 to 110 euros for two) where the old graffiti of the prisoners are extended by drawings by artists. The prison is there, but in a three-star version: the windows have been enlarged, and a half-cell houses the bathroom.

Ambiance, art, events…

"We also have more classic rooms, in old offices or administrative premises, adds the director. As we have a total surface area of ​​3,000 m2, there are several atmospheres to choose from, from the cell with raw, monastic walls to the repainted suite with second-hand furniture." In the common areas, numerous works of art and colorful rugs make the Prison "a “bright and happy place”. It regularly hosts seminars, weddings, baptisms and birthdays. Recently, a party was organized by a group of women dressed as convicts, who blended easily into the decor: the raw stone, the old ocher tiles and the rusty gates of the dungeons. ;remind wherever we are.

Each space has been preserved, but has found a new use. The promenade courtyards, in "camembert", house a tasting room or reserves. A swimming lane has been created on an exterior passageway. But the most astonishing thing remains the view, or rather the views. Whether on Cathedral Square or the Orb, the Prison offers a unique view of the city, from sunrise to sunset.

A relationship with Béziers, and the Biterrois, that Samantha de Castro has cultivated since the opening of the establishment. "We regularly host exhibitions , musicians, and visits to the tourist office.Among these guests, there are retired guards who come to talk about their memories. But also, sometimes, the former prisoners: "They tell us that they lived there for a while, they ask to see a particular cell… It's never said openly, but we know right away who they are."

A solid group

L’hôtel la Prison and its 36 employees are part of the Parisian group Mando hospitality, co-foundedé by actor Christophe Lambert. He specializes in in 'atypical' places, such as the Louvre-Richelieu hotel and the café of Music à Paris, the rooftop of reforms & Marseilles. In the region, he also manages the bistro d’O, the Mas de la Feuillade and the Café Pitot à Montpellier; P&eac;tanque & Grabels,

I subscribe to read more