arrest hotel is a penitentiary redesign by van der valk

‘the arrest hotel’ by van der valk design, in roermond, the netherlands

the arrest hotel opened in the city of roermond, in the netherlands in 1863 — although at the time it was hosting a different type of guest. what is now a luxury hotel was once a correctional facility with over 150 holding cells, eased out of its penitentiary life in 2002 and renovated in 2007 by van der valk design into 36 pristine rooms and seven suites (aptly named ‘director’, ‘warden’, ‘lawyer’ and ‘judge’). while the structure retains its neoclassical facade, cast iron staircases and monumental cell block, many luxurious modern skins have been added or recast.  old steel doors were re-installed as bathroom entryways and missing door handles were replicated to maintain aesthetic consistency throughout the architecture. while the windows will remain forever barred, the telltale signs of the building’s past have become elegantly woven in a boutique hotel program. stainless steel and wild oak flirt with architectonic reminders of simple prison life.

guest rooms are in the original cells

 bedroom

privacy within each of the bedrooms is achieved through the installation of hunter douglas RB500 roller shades as window coverings.their fabric can be customized to match any interior’s overall design aesthetic.

the dining room incorporates a view of the barred windows

original steel doors now lock the bathrooms

interior views of the bathroom

the cell block corridor  is now a flexible space for lounging and events

(left): the original cell block contains the guest rooms(right): the corridor is spacious enough to hold large scale dining events, such this scene with the waitstaff

bar area

a view of he exterior courtyard

fitted with a world-class restaurant and stainless steel motifs, the architecture only hints at its past life