Jailhouse Accommodation

Fantastic experience: Stayed here as a solo 17-year-old traveller in Nov 2024 and it was definitely worth the price. Room (single room): The room was effectively a Jail cell with some furniture. I could comfortably walk around and had space for most of my stuff everywhere. The bed was alright, im about 5ft 8" (180-190cm) so it was a bit of a squeeze but other than that (no fault of the place) it was an amazing bed and room. Only downside was the charging ports were far away from the bed, so if you like having your phone close to you at night you may need to adjust or bring an extension cord. Bathroom/tiolet: This is the only thing I didn't like about Jailhouse. It seems as though they haven't updated the men's tiolets since it was an operational prison. I love the authenticity but I think bathrooms are one of those things you update. The tiolets are super cramped and sore as to sit on, so if you tend to be on the tiolet alot I'd not recommend this place sadly. If they ever update the tiolets I'd love it. Communal space: I never used the shower but the shower set up itself seemed really good, what you'd expect to see in a bathroom/shower set up. I didn't visit the laundry or kitchen (purely didn't need to) but the foyer areas were really good. During 9pm to 8am the bedroom sector is a quiet zone and is light up in some really low but awesome colored lights. I quite enjoyed the communal areas. Overall I would highly recommend this place, especially for people like me (solo youth travellers) as the process is really easy (reach out to them to discuss your own situation). The price wasn't the best but considering my circumstances it wasn't horrible. Highly recommend

Fantastic experience: Booked a single room for one night. Unique stay, comfortable room.

Fantastic experience: Served my time and wasn't tempted to creep past the guards to escape... Not going to lie, I was a bit creeped out by the thought of sleeping in the same room as possible paedos and murderers, but the whole place had a warmth to it (maybe because I spent a lot of time in the common areas and the central area had some warm blue lighting!) That being said, the beds were extremely comfortable and extra blankets provided to combat the colder temperatures that the architecture of this building presents.

Fantastic experience: Pretty cool accommodation. Can't fault it.

Fantastic experience: Visited friends in Christchurch and attended the Kiwis vs Australia match at the Apollo Stadium, which is a short walk from the Jailhouse. It was a very convenient accommodation for me. The orbiter bus route is nearby and there are also a lot of close by parks, including Hagley Park which is within a ten minute stroll. The facilities are shared but never had an issue when wanting to shower. The Jailhouse is an interesting, well kept, good value for money accommodation and two staff members were of note for their friendliness and helpfulness, Tess and Mariella - gold for them both. The entrance is home to a couple of friendly cats and my friend and I built them a small house to escape the elements Would return!

Fantastic experience: Loved this hostel, for the novelty if nothing else. The room was basic but had everything we needed, and the beds were comfy. Toilet/shower facilities were good and so was the kitchen. The building itself is chilly, but you're provided with extra duvets and heaters. ONLY down side is that sound does travel here due to the nature of the building, so louder guests can be heard echoing through the halls, but this isn't the fault of the accommodation. Would deffo stay here again :)

Negative experience: Worst jailhouse ever , I was expecting to have a dirty bunk all to myself but instead it was way nicer than expected. They didn't even lock me in, I was free to go whenever I wanted. A true jail house accommodation.

Positive experience: Booked the day of my stay, was fast to get access information to the location. Being able to check yourself in and access rooms via codes was wonderful. Bathrooms were very clean and the showers I loved. Kitchen was great. Staff were lovely and helpful. Amenities I cannot fault, a tv room, puzzles n games, places to chill, books to read, very welcoming.

Fantastic experience: Great experience to share with my grandson.. Grey nomads..enjoy this place..clean and interesting

Positive experience: Nice hostel with a great concept, just 40 minutes walk from centre is kinda meh

Positive experience: It's actually a historical jail which I didn't know when going there. The aesthetics are fantastic and the rooms are pretty nice. Mine had a private bathroom as well but the showers were located outside. The only downside I found was the kitchen: pretty small, dirty, unorganised and not spacious at all. They need more fridges, I didn't know where to put my food tbh. You can check-in late with them which is nice. You need just a code to get in. In terms of location it's not the worst, it's not the best. If you're just walking around it's probably 35-40 minutes walking from the main attractions so... Yeah.

Positive experience: Such a unique place to stay. There's lots of info about the history of this old jail. Great value, only 95 for a twin room, although they are old cells, so are quite small. Only complaint is there are a lot of backpackers staying here and not everyone is respectful late at night. My friend and i were up almost all night for the noise others were making. Overall, it was a good place to stay at great value, definitely recommend giving it a go!

Fantastic experience: Loved staying in a cell! Such a cool thing to do, immaculately clean too. Lots of shared space to chill in. Easy to book direct.

Fantastic experience: Have stayed here 4 times on various different occasions. Very unique location with the converted jail feel really being leant into. The kitchen is well stocked with utensils and is large enough for many people to cook at once. While fairly central there's still a bit of a walk / drive to get into the centre of town however the route along Hagley Park is great on a dry day. Food options near the hostel are plentiful with a variety from restaurants to fast food within a few minute walk. The rooms have always been of a clean standard when I've stayed and the check-in process was really simple with codes sent out close to the check-in date.

Fantastic experience: Great repurposing of a historical building. The rooms are obviously small but the communal spaces are great. Wi-Fi does not reach the rooms when door is closed. Artefacts and stories to read on the walls.

Positive experience: I really loved the themed hostel. I sleep in a big dorm, but everyone was being very quite. Also outside the doors, they are paying attention to a calm environment at night. There is still other rooms avaible to stay up late and have a good time. In the kitchen you can find all you need for cooking. The bathrooms could have been a bit cleaner but this is also the responsibility of the guests. It is very practical that you get pins and get walk in and out a you like. It is not looking in the center but near it (20-30min walk).

Fantastic experience: A perfect stay in Jail! The kitchen is perfectly clean, the commons area are quiet and you can go at the entrance to be more loud, the staff is very nice and welcoming, the bus stop right in front of the hostel. Just perfect!

Fantastic experience: A really nice place to stay at! A little out from the city centre but it's reachable within a half hour walk. The history of it and the theme that goes along with it is really fun and cool to experience! The kitchen could be a little bigger but it was fine, the dorm rooms were very spacious and the beds comfortable, no complaints there! Check-in was also very easy via the app and you had your "keys" that way too. And last but not least the cat was very sweet :D

Fantastic experience: Really nice, unique accommodation in Christchurch. 30 min walk, 10 min bus or 10 nzd uber to the centre. Everything is in jail-theme and some really cool pieces have been conserved from the original prison. The rooms aren't particularly soundproof and wi-fi isn't the best in your room, but would definitely still recommend!

Fantastic experience: I could only stay one night but I would have loved to stay longer. It's such a special experience staying at a place that used to be a prison. Staff was really kind Can only recommend it!!

Negative experience: We booked a double bed in a private room. I want to love this place. The vibe, the location and the staff are all excellent. The building is amazing. But this is the second time I've stayed in two years and beds and mattresses are very hard, lumpy and resulted in both of us having a sore back and little sleep. A stay is only as good as the sleep you have. I will not come back.

Fantastic experience: Very clean, quiet and a great place to stay

Fantastic experience: Really nice hostel with a cool vibe , lots of space for chilling out or if you needed to get work done , kitchen well equipped and staff ensure cleaning up after yourself is followed which makes it a nice experience. Every room also has an allocated box for all their dry foods which is very combiners/keeps things from being chaotic. Rooms are on the small side but naturally given it’s an old jail.

Fantastic experience: Great place to stay. Intimate vibe, staff are super friendly, and close by to gardens, food, and shops. I also love that there is an area for night owls to hang out without disturbing other sleeping guests. Only thing is that wifi is a little slow in the rooms, but there are plenty of chill spots to hang out and use wifi if you need. Planning on coming back very soon ::)

Positive experience: Rooms were clean and the spaces were mostly clean. The wifi was good when weren’t in the room, the thickness of the door seemed to ‘stop the WiFi’. Good stay and it’s a prison so a unique stay which makes for a good story.

Fantastic experience: Quirky, clean and comfortable hostel-type accomodation in Addington. The area has a good variety of cafés and eateries and a decent pub. Perfect for travelers. Car parking available and walking distance to the city.

Fantastic experience: I had an incredible week-long stay at the Jailhouse Accommodation! The concept of staying in a converted jail was fascinating and added a unique touch to my experience. The staff were exceptionally friendly and accommodating, making me feel welcome from the moment I arrived. The cleanliness of the facilities exceeded my expectations, and the location was perfect for exploring the area. I highly recommend Jailhouse Accommodation for anyone looking for a memorable and comfortable stay in a one-of-a-kind setting. Thank you for the wonderful hospitality!

Negative experience: Disappointed with Jailhouse Hostel's inflexible refund policy. Despite the unforeseen cancellation of my Tranzalpine train journey, they refused any refund, offering no flexibility or understanding. Their automated booking system could easily rebook, but they chose not to. Disappointing experience overall.

Positive experience: I've stayed here a few times over the years. It's a decent hostel in a unique building, pretty cool staying in a prison! Though it does mean that sound carries easily in the main chamber, but the bedrooms do have thick doors. The kitchen is fine, rooms not that big but with super high ceilings so feel larger. It's basic compared to some other hostels, such as the shared bathrooms and having to pay extra for towels, but is an experience to stay at.

Positive experience: Not so far from city centre, a different experience for accommodation. You don’t have wifi inside the room because of the original doors.

Positive experience: Was very clean and felt safe as I was on my own. Fun to meet people from other countries. Toilet facilities a bit challenging as I am in the older age group! Only one for ladies downstairs shared with men for shower as well

Positive experience: Although the Jailhouse is situated a bit out of the city centre it's worthwhile booking your stay here. The building still embodies the former prison vibe and some historic information is available on site. The dorms are simplistic and can feel crowded due to the former prison cell layout. However, if you upgrade to a private room you definitely won't regret your stay. The beds give a good prison impression they are a bit small for a tall person, a bit worn out, nevertheless clean with proper bedding. The facilities on site are just fine, only the industrial shared kitchen is a big plus.

Fantastic experience: A great hostel ! The place is unusual, you feel good there, it's warm, calm and pleasant. The staff is pleasant and do a good job, everything is clean and tidy. It's very good to stay here, we can say without doubts that it's a good place to spend time and explore the city and surrounding areas. Small bonus they can also keep your bags for a while.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic stay. Rooms were chilly but that’s the nature of staying in such a historic building. Hot water bottles and blankets were provided. A really interesting building and close to the city

Fantastic experience: It’s in the name, basically you are sleeping in a refurbished ex Jail/prison rooms. It’s clean and love the big kitchen with all sorts of utensils, kitchenware and cooking equipments. Room and bed is clean and operated with minimal staff onsite. Walking distance to all amenities.

Negative experience: Applied for accommodation refused because I'm an older single female they wanted in asked a lot of personal questions which I didn't feel when necessary to rent a room would not recommend this place to anyone

Positive experience: I love the idea of the place. I booked an isolated room. It is small as what I expected for a jail booth. The only problem for me is that on the day I went there, there are people in the neighborhood riding their motorcycles back and forth with a loud noisy exhaust pipes, it is irritating and not good in the ears. I will not recommend the room for one if you are claustrophobic. This place is good for backpackers.

Fantastic experience: In France prisons are overcrowded with criminals, in Christchurch jail is full of tourists. Unic experience, the facilities are clean and great. The staff guy is super cool we watched The Shining in the cinema cell. Best hotel in Chch !

Fantastic experience: Best hostel we’ve stayed at so far in New Zealand! Very clean facilities, super friendly and helpful staff (shoutout to Freya!), and a welcoming environment that makes it easy to meet other travelers.

Positive experience: Relatively good price, clean, beds are okey, you have pins to enter so you can not lose keys, has kitchen that was quite clean when I was there, the sleep times were respected and it was overall quiet and a good calm atmosphere, it was a bit cold inside in the month of october, this place actually was a prison once which makes it feel a bit special, people were very friendly, not super close to the Center.

Fantastic experience: This is our third time staying here at this hostel. The accommodation is very unique and in a decent location, close to many shops etc. Staff are always friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend staying here. Perfect little backpackers.

Fantastic experience: Besides the fact that it was a jail back in the day, I loved that everything was jail themed (in a fun way) jaja. Staff was súper responsable and friendly and would keep everything clean and tidy. Kitchen was very organized and fully equipped to cook almost anything. Glad to have stayed here!

Negative experience: This place is extortion. They only have UNPAID employees, so this place really is a jail. I was trying to figure out why this was the coldest (in temperature and emotion) place I ever stayed and found out they work six days a week, sometimes on call all night or day without a single penny of pay! How is someone supposed to eat and survive? Of course no one's cares about caring for the guests or feel of the place. Awful. It's also a terrible location for seeing the city or touring around.

Fantastic experience: Well run establishment. Clean and comfortable accommodation steeped in interesting history. Easy and efficient check in and check out with friendly staff. Sociable outdoor cat that guests enjoyed interacting with (including our group). Quick uber trip from train station, so super handy location. We all enjoyed our time behind bars

Fantastic experience: One of the cleanest hostels I've ever stayed in! The staff are also really friendly and helpful. The location is pretty convenient and extra points for the amazing hot showers! Thanks Freya for all your help! :)

Fantastic experience: Did everything within their power to help accommodate my severely Autistic friends from the US and the UK. Very nice owner with a good sense of humor. Cheers.

Positive experience: For the price this place isn't worth it. You'd be better off spending a bit extra and getting a hotel room. Towels are an extra to hire even though a room is 80 dollars. The jail theme whilst clever makes it a certain level of quality that doesn't fit the price imo. The front entrance area is nice and the pins to check in and grt to your room are good

Positive experience: Fun place for the experience of staying in a former jail but book a chiropractor if you stay longer than 1 night. The beds are too small if you're over 6ft tall and are quite uncomfortable.

Fantastic experience: Property=ex-jail (love the theme) And the props for photos… inspired!!! Staff Patrick was lovely, super patient and helpful. The athmosfere was :| but ok. On the fridge and the ‘pantry’ It would be great to have a shelf “to share” so I can leave my food on departure. The kitchen was always clean. 10 stars!!

Positive experience: It’s the second time visit. Still great experience. Full of history of prison if u never stay in prison before. Come n experience how prison life like. Ppl here all friendly n come from worldwide. U can stay for short or long term for discount. Great location to botanical garden n many yummy coffee shops.

Positive experience: This accommodation is no frills and basic but clean and inexpensive. I only stayed one night in a dorm room which has 5 double bunks and sleeps 10 people. I found the others sharing the dorm were quite and respectful to each other. So if your not fused and want cheep accommodation it was fine and I'dbe happy staying here again. . The cost of one night was $46.00 and if you want a shower it cost $3.0 for a towel which good.

Fantastic experience: Really enjoyed the stay Everything was cleaned daily The staff was super nice and helping Easy to get around from the location I would choose it anytime again

Fantastic experience: Absolutely amazing location and team. Thanks to Freya and all the team at Jailhouse for an amazing stay during my time in Christchurch! :)

Fantastic experience: Definitely one of the better hostels I stayed at in NZ so far. Awesome building, great vibe, clean bathrooms, clean rooms and not too noisy.

Positive experience: Aesthetically attractive place but generally impractical. The conversion of the building is very well done, and the aesthetics of the place and the way it leans into the buildings history is fun. The toilets were horrendously cramped though and had no plug sockets in them for hair drying and things like that. The showers were also fairly impractical as there was no where dry in them to place toiletry bags as the layout of the shower meant the floors became flooded, and debris from the drain and other peoples showers also floated around as the water rose. The floor became dangerously slippy as a result after. Only one plug socket in there which was hidden under the hand towel fixture and in an incredibly cramped space. The kitchen also contained those horrible metal counters that never seem clean. Food labelling system was great though and the kitchen was well equipped. I literally despise the GOKI key system. Great in theory, but so impractical. Rooms were well ventilated (I stayed in a 10 bed), provided plug sockets and lamps by the bed and wall heaters throughout the room.

Fantastic experience: Definitely the most unique and historical building we have stayed in. Clean, good shower pressure, toilet cubicles are tiny tho. Will stay again, may even bring the kids for a history lesson.

Fantastic experience: Quite nice place, great atmosphere especially for a jailhouse , descent prices aaaaaaand AMAZING STUFF !!! If big bosses are watching, give these gems a bonus!!!!

Fantastic experience: A really nice quirky backpackers in an old jailhouse. The staff were very friendly and approachable - especially Freya who helped us no end with storing our bags! The location is great, both close enough to walk into the centre and get transport to the airport. The room was clean and tidy as were all the facilities. If you are looking for a backpackers in Christchurch then this is your place.

Fantastic experience: This is a very nice hostel. They really lean into the jail theme: you are an "inmate," the staff are "wardens." The rooms are (to my knowledge) all old cells, so they are narrow; many private rooms only have twin bunk beds. There is a lot of common space to eat or relax or use the wifi. The hostel is also close to several great food spots. Drawbacks: -heavy metal room doors mean that the wifi doesn't work as well in the room if you keep the door closed. -the bathrooms and showers are split between the two levels; i.e. men's showers and one stall are on the second level while the urinals and other stalls are on the bottom floor. I'm quite happy with the experience and would book again.

Fantastic experience: A great experience. Many other hostels could learn from this place. The fridge and freezer labeling is exemplary - no ancient rotting leftovers here! A fun take on a prison theme, with great staff members. Kitchen could be improved - the gas hobs are pathetic!

Fantastic experience: Super fun place to stay! Lots of fun bits linked to the theme and museum style information. One of the best hostels we stayed in, the whole place was immaculate, great shared areas and surprising it was wheelchair accessible! The staff were all friendly, Freya went above and beyond to make our stay great!

Fantastic experience: I love this place, totally recommended. Great staff. Thanks team. Don't forget, they are cells but very cozy.

Fantastic experience: Love this place! Such a cool building, friendly and fun vibe, great staff who made us feel at home and great location - near enough to the city but far enough to relax and recoup for the next adventure! THANKS JAILHOUSE and especially Freya for the magical and heartfelt embrace into your kingdom!

Positive experience: Cool place to stay. Definitely an experience. It doesn't really have a backpacker vibe, as there is not many communal spaces and you have to be quiet at certain times (which I like) but there is not much opportunity to connect with others. The cells are cool as. A bit cold but they have heaters. Bed was super comfy Just annoying around 6am people were chatting super loud in the hallway, so I couldn't really sleep longer. Would be cool if there would be separate dining and social rooms apart from the sleeping hallways so people can actually sleep. Good location, about 20 minutes walk into the city. Very clean hostel. You can also store your luggage on your departure day until like 5pm.

Fantastic experience: This was the best hostel I have ever stayed in. The place is just amazing, with interesting rooms, comfortable beds, plenty of pillows, great kitchen easy check in, nothing to fault. Would stay here over a hotel any day.

Positive experience: Everything about this place is awesome. Great service, clean, kitchen has all you need and it's creative. If you want and like a quiet place this is for you. I do like that too but I just find it a bit too quiet as if I'm in a university library. Also you can't drink alcohol here. Not expecting to get drunk in a hostel but its the only place I've seen that they don't allow alcohol so keep this in mind when booking here

Positive experience: I was sceptical about this one, bit the price for a single room was too good to pass up. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised! They lean into the jail theme, with staff called wardens etc. However they have made this ex-jail feel cosy. With small hangout spaces and enforced quite zones from 9pm. Rooms were surprisingly spacious and a comfortable temp, may be a bit chilly in winter though. The showers and toilets are a bit squashy. Would stay again in a heart beat. This hostel uses smart keys(on your phone) which I liked but may not be for everyone.

Positive experience: A must do, stayed in a shared room with on suite toilet, each bed gets an allocated locker. It is bunk beds that can be n bit disturbing if the person you're sharing with is restless. Bed was comfortable with the power outlet within reach.

Fantastic experience: It is self service, so service is average. Nice place in addington, clean toilets, showers and kitchen, quality/price average. It is and historic jail so rooms and ambient are awesome, they even have costumbres in casé you wanna take some funny shots with em

Fantastic experience: Interesting place to stay. Beds were pretty comfy. Room felt very safe. Bit loud, echoey but makes sense with high ceilings and everything being rock and metal. Shared bathrooms were pretty clean. I would download Goki app so you don’t have remember the passwords to all the doors. Not very accessible friendly. But fun for backpackers! Great pool table upstairs and tons of seating and common areas! Definitely worth the experience! Some interesting memorabilia and stories around the walls

Fantastic experience: A very good value for your money! Well managed. Automatic digital keys. Communal shared restroom. One single toilet, 3 sinks and four showers in the mens room. Rooms are actual jailmate cells. Beds are twin sized and have mattress clean sheets and extra blankets available. Bath towels are $3.00. Good idea to bring slippers/sandals for the showers. Showers are hot and have great pressure (a huge plus). Plenty communal tables, chairs, couches, TV and pool table rooms. Bring food. Communal kitchen on first floor has refrigerator and stainless steel counters. Adequately stocked with pots, tea kettles, and cookware.

Fantastic experience: There's nothing luxurious about this historic jailhouse in accommodations, but it's a comfortable place to lay one's head and shower, in between trips.

Fantastic experience: The Jailhouse is my goto place to stay in Christchurch. I stay a couple of times a year. It is clean and safe. It is little away from the city centre, but a bus route can get you there in about 20 minutes.

Fantastic experience: The Jailhouse is one of the better hostels I’ve stayed in. The beds are super comfy, there’s no noise pollution and all the rooms only have one bunk in them so you don’t have to sleep with 7 other people in a room. The common areas are nice and there’s a massive kitchen with space to store your food. There’s even self check in!

Fantastic experience: I surprisingly enjoyed it. High ceilings, white walls, decent stone structure,large rooms. No key, code locks on doors. Polite and respectful tenants.Not far away from cbd. Parking available for free Mattresses could be more firm. Looked like very few restrooms.

Fantastic experience: Jailhouse is clean, spacious, and centrally located. Just down the street from Hagley Park, Jailhouse is walking distance to native bush, beautiful botanic gardens, and plenty of cute little eateries and coffee houses. I came to Ootautahi Christchurch for work and do so every few months. I would stay here again as it was the perfect base to walk to work and then walk to my favorite places along the river and in the park.

Positive experience: Nice hostel, Wi-Fi doesn’t work in the room (only in common area). Rooms are pretty small and no central AC FYI. Overall did the job and there’s limited parking spaces so get there early! For a hostel this is what I expected and a decent experience! Thanks!

Fantastic experience: The theme of the accommodation is nice. Toilets were clean. Kitchen were well equipped. As a budget accommodation and short stay it is perfect.

Fantastic experience: Awesome old building. Lots of history behind it and they have left tid bits for you to find and read. All super secure and has lots of things to do there. Great spot. Not far from the Riverside Market which is worth seeing in Christchurch.

Positive experience: Unique! We choose the prison cell for our first day of our honeymoon to get used to the pleasures of marriage;) Done up very nicely in prison-style with stories of former inhabitants, this place is a 'must stay' in Christchurch! Very basically equipped, but with love to the detail. I was just missing out on a breakfast or just the chance to grab a coffee in the morning . No glasses or facilities in the rooms or lounge area where you could get something to drink or snacks - just a shared kitchen. Coffee Culture Addington is just 100m around the corner and my best recommendation for your breackie outside in the 'free' world;)

Fantastic experience: Fab, interesting hostel. Very clean, friendly staff. Thank you for making us feel so welcome. Definitely recommend!

Positive experience: Fun Hostel, was an old Jail til the mid 90s, I think. Check-in was very easy with iPad at the front and a code you'll get after booking via email. Booked one room for cheap for one night. Rooms are small, there are no tables to the side of the beds. There is a TV and a heater on the wal Outlets are inconveniently placed away from the bed at the door. But that's ok, you'll get what what you see on the pictures, so no problem here. What I did not see on the pictures were yellow stains on the pillows. A bit sad to have yucky pillows. We saw this late at night, as we were out to eat. There was no staff at the front, only a staff number for emergencies. We figuered that dirty pillows are not really an emergency so just rolled with it. Would recommend this place though. It's cheap, ok located, and you'll get to sleep in a jail. Has typical hostel stuff like movie room, hang outs, billard, darts and kitchen.

Positive experience: I love this place, it was our third time staying here. I don't think I will again as there is a heavy door somewhere that slams until midnight or longer and again around 7am constantly, it might be next door but either way it is really loud and rumbles through the whole jail. It's a shame

Fantastic experience: Awesome accommodation, very typical as it’s an old jail with everything inside describing its history and practice. Kitchen is clean and very well equipped for a shared area! All facilities are great and many common areas to chill outside of your room. Great value for sure

Negative experience: The most disappointing experience. Paid $70 for a single room. Pictures on booking page showed a single bed with towels and a nice atmosphere. Instead I got the smallest bunk bed room with no towel, no soap, no tv and no internet. Person on the front desk was most unhelpful when I approached him for assistance. I wasn’t even told where the bathroom was. I could not recommend this accomodation in all honesty given for an extra $30 you could stay at a comfortable hotel with a proper private ensuite bathroom and proper amenities provided. If you’re looking for the experience of a real prisoner maybe this is the right place to stay but to be honest I think real prisoners in nz get sky tv and heated floors.

Fantastic experience: Hello everybody. Do you want to succeed? It's simple, come to this singular space [It's always a different and interesting experience to sleep in an old neo-gothic style prison.] Spectacular, the truth. Highly recommended because the staff are extremely friendly, the prices are competitive, the rooms are clean, the location is good and the wifi & parking is free. Very grateful, they managed to make me feel at home ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fantastic experience: The staff Kirsty is being extremely helpful to double confirm with us as we accidentally booked the room twice and she really efficient solving our issue immediately! She’s real asset to the company!

Fantastic experience: If you are looking for something exceptional and not just for boring ordinary backpackers, Jailhouse is the best place to stay.! Very clean place with friendly staff, a pool table, two TV rooms, a big fully equipped kitchen and unlimited high speed wifi - just everything you need! Few restaurants and cafes within 100 m , city centre 20 minutes by walk through a beautiful Hagley park. I highly recommend this place!

Positive experience: Cool spot, in a great location. Really unique with lots of chill out space and good facilities. Can be quite noisy/echoey in the main atrium at night, although there are signs to keep people from being to loud.

Positive experience: Very interesting historical jail. Now a backpackers. Good access, single bed or bunk accommodation.

Fantastic experience: Backpackers with a difference, you get to sleep in an old world prison cell, made for a fun cheap stay in Christchurch city. Totally recommend it, you will remember a stay here way more than a posh hotel for sure. And for the right reasons.

Fantastic experience: Awesome to stay in an old prison. The staff were super friendly and the other guests were respectful. The free internet doesn't work very well in the rooms which was a shame and the stairs at the back made me nervous without any hand rails but I would definitely stay again.

Positive experience: A nice hostel experience, staff were friendly and very helpful, the room was spacious though the TV rather small. Noise resonated through the building though that was to be expected somewhat - quite fun being in the old jail all in all. Reasonable price and room.

Fantastic experience: BLOODY awesome staff. Clean and tidy. Close to city. All day free parking. Open internet. Real fun place with great character. Get yourself a photo in a Prison Jumpsuit.

Positive experience: I love staying here. Warm, ambient, secure (of course, it's an ex-prison), good value and very close to bars, the Court Theatre etc. Could do with the coffee machine back but Covid caused that. Also, walkable to the Bus Interchange for those who like to stretch their legs.

Negative experience: Not very impressed at all. Student week rooms (which is what I had) are the pinnacle of disappointment. No student will ever be able to afford $380 a week (winz will not cover that cost, considering there are plenty of rooms available for $150 a week which include everything except food, just so you can have an idea on it) for a cell size room nor would they want to, especially during this pandemic, that just seems like highway robbery right there. On top of that, the "fast free internet" barely exists unless you have your door open, which means I have to give up privacy just so I can have somewhat of a joke of connection to do my work. The room I had (cell 27) was in shocking condition. When I opened the door, the first thing I noticed was the floor was moving! On closer inspection I noticed the floor was riddled with silverfish, disgusting! The beds are ok. Staff are exceptional. Quality of life could be so much better for a place rated 4star plus. How it gets that is beyond me the place is not really adequate for the price this hostel is charging. I've received a better quality of life stay with hostels a lot less experienced and with < 3 star rating. I will not come here again and I will not recommend anyone to stay here for an extended stay. Not even going to bother about the state of the kitchen, regardless if people should be clean or not. If you're going to charge such money hungry rates the least you can do is make sure that stayers have a clean kitchen at all times and get staff to maintain it through out the day. You even offer work for accommodation, so there just is no excuse for the lack of maintaining a constantly clean environment for people. The place has awesome potential it just severely lacks execution, as if the owner was like "let's bring it to the bare minimum and then charge premium rates." Not a very healthy display of business is it? Not impressed at all. I was constantly looking forward to check-out day.

Fantastic experience: Good soundsystem in the kitchen, the converted cell-room gave me solace and the pool table was a nice addition. Staff always friendly and helpful. Good cleanliness and tge shower was powerful and hot! ... would consider staying here again

Positive experience: I'm glad I stayed in this amazingly beautiful historical jail. You can check in online with no need to passby reception. I love the Goki App for the room key, no need for a physical key, or use the number codes given, just use your phone. Free pool but needs a bit of repair. Tidy kitchen. The 1 star missing to complete the 5 star is about the mens shower room upstairs, it's always damp, floor, walls, and even the toilet, needs more fan extractor or regular floor mop.

Positive experience: Handy location for the train station. Easy contactless check in and rooms are accessed via an app which is super cool. Stayed in a single room (“cell”) and heard no noise from neighbours and it was well appointed for a short stay.

Fantastic experience: Luv this place. It's clean modern and we'll decorated. Kitchens are a bit grotty due to slack guests but the whole prison vibe is unique. The beds are comfortable and an opportunity to get a photo taken in front of a "admissions/booking in height backdrop in prison garb.