As Daily Mail readers will know, going to prison is a bit like staying in a hotel. Well, in the case of the Malmaison Oxford, that's true since, until 1996, the hotel really was a fully functioning prison. Since then, it has also featured in a number of TV series and movies, including Bad Girls and Vinnie Jones' Mean Machine remake. It was also the prison inhabited by Ronnie Barker in 1970s classic Porridge. I got a taste of life on the inside when I attended a work-related event in Oxford. It was well above my normal class of hotel (work's budget usually stretches to a Travelodge), but since another company was paying, I got to sample this "luxury ...  Read the complete review

I stayed at the Malmaison in Oxford at christmas time and I can't say I enjoyed it! We won a nights stay through a radio competition and were really excited about staying there as we have always wanted to experience what it was like. The Hotel itself is gorgeous, beautiful surrounding and a beautiful building. We stayed in a double room which was converted from 3 cells. The room was lovely with a large bed and an amazing bathroom, it had a large bath and huge shower and a heated tiled floor. You could tell it was 5*. As we went a few days before christmas, the hotel was beautifully set out with christmas trees and decorations. There were 2 large ...  Read the complete review

*Restaurant only review* As our glitzy hen party descended upon the Malmaison in Oxford I was very relieved to note a sense of class, as having never been on a hen night before, I had imagined all sorts of tackiness and debauchery! Thankfully I was able to leave my anxiety and sense of dread at the door and relax into a great evening at this unusual eaterie. A former Victorian jail, the Malmaison has been designed to retain the original features and character of the building, whilst adding a luxury never before seen in a prison. A tall order, but one that is pulled off with flair and elegance. The hotel is set in Oxford city ...  Read the complete review

Wow, what a hotel... if anyone wants a special treat, has a special ocassion or just fancies a romantic getaway then this is the place for you. I got a really great deal and only paid £80 for the room through a late booking site. I called beforehand to ask them to arrange some champagne in the room amd the staff were really helpful and made sure it was on ice for when |I arrived. The hotel is an old prison building and it has been maintained to still have that feel. The rooms are the old prison cells and are absolutely breathtaking. the decor is so impressive, the walls are all of thick stone with heavy metal beams everywhere. There is a dvd player and stereo in ...  Read the complete review

We were looking for a hotel for a special occasion, it was our wedding night. Due to having three children it had to be special as they would be coming on our honeymoon with us so this night was just ours. We had planned that day to a very fine detail from outfits to canapés to catering to the marquee in our garden. The location had to be close by as we didn't want to leave our party too early as people had traveled from all over the world to be with us on our special day. Then a little gem was recommended to us. The newly opened Malmaison hotel in Oxford. This was a quirky and luxury boutique hotel in the heart of Oxford and built in the old Oxford prison. ...  Read the complete review