16 prisons that have been transformed into luxury hotels

As crime rates continue to fall, countries around the world are realizing their abandoned jails and prisons could be better served to house a different kind of resident: tourists.

Some facilities have been so transformed as to be unrecognizable, while others preserve some of the original aesthetic.

From Boston's chic Liberty Hotel to the spooky iron-clad corridors of the Jail Hotel in Switzerland, here are some of the most drastic transformations from prison to hotel.

Talia Avakian contributed to an earlier version of this article.

SEE ALSO: Abandoned Dutch prisons are being used to house refugees — here's what they're like inside

Alcatraz Hotel: Kaiserslautern, Germany

The Alcatraz hotel in Germany was a prison from 1867 to 2002, when it was refurbished to include 56 rooms for guests.

You have the option of sleeping in the newly-renovated rooms or in one of their "cell rooms," where you'll find three levels of original cells from the prison including barred windows, shared toilets, and even what they consider to be a traditional prison breakfast of pumpernickel bread and jam. 

Best Western Premier Hotel Katajanokka: Helsinki, Finland

Hotel Katajanokka was a former county prison where prisoners would await trial. It is said to have hosted Risto Ryti, Finland's fifth president.

Today, the Best Western hotel still houses its original brick walls and includes the Restaurant Jailbird, where you can see original inscriptions from inmates along the walls. The rooms, designed with a minimalistic style, were made by combining two to three of the former cells and offer luxurious amenities like saunas in the larger suites. 

Four Seasons Sultanahmet: Istanbul, Turkey

You'll barely be able to tell that the Four Seasons in Sultanahmet used to be a jail in 1918, until you take a closer look at its details.

The old wooden doors that lead to the lobby are from the original jail and engravings from an inmate in 1938 detailing the names of former inmates can be found on a marble pillar inside.

The hotel offers a luxurious stay, converting the former exercise courtyard into a beautiful outdoor dining area and the watchtowers into elevator shafts. Plus, it's close to some of the area's best sightseeing stops like the Hagia Sophia Museum and the Topkapi Palace.