Spooky Stays · Cornwall
Bodmin Jail HotelHotel · Bodmin, Cornwall
Luxury cells. Granite walls.
A prison full of ghost stories.
Sleep inside a four-star hotel created from the old cell blocks of Bodmin Jail, with dinner in the former chapel and paranormal experiences next door.
Find your jail stay on Hotels.com
A luxury cell with 200 years of prison history outside the door
Bodmin Jail Hotel is one of the rare haunted stays where the building itself is the experience. Modern bedrooms are formed from three original prison cells, while granite walls, ironwork and the great cell-block landings remain around you.
Explore the historic jail, book an evening Ghost Walk or After Dark experience, have dinner in the former chapel and then sleep inside the old prison walls. Few stays join dark history and genuine hotel comfort this neatly.
Stay type
Historic prison hotel
Location
Bodmin, Cornwall
Setting
70 luxury cells
Postcode / Eircode
PL31 2PL
About Bodmin Jail Hotel
Bodmin Jail Hotel occupies the restored shell of the former prison, with 70 luxury bedrooms created from the original cells. Three cells were combined to form each guest room, preserving the scale and atmosphere of the jail while adding modern comfort.
The Chapel Restaurant occupies the former prison chapel, while the Lounge Bar sits within the historic complex. A 24-hour fitness suite, reception and on-site parking make the stay much more practical than the setting suggests.
The granite walls, ironwork and cell-block landings preserve the prison’s character around the modern bedrooms.
Choose your cell
Current accommodation includes Luxury King or Twin Cells, Family Cells and accessible rooms. The old walls remain visible, but the rooms are modern, spacious and comfortably furnished.
You do not need to chase one numbered “haunted room”. The atmosphere comes from sleeping inside the converted cell blocks themselves.
A brief history
Bodmin Jail opened in 1779 and remained in use until 1927. Tens of thousands of prisoners passed through its walls, including men, women and children, and 55 people were executed here.
After decades of dereliction, a major restoration retained the historic granite, bars and cell-block structure while converting part of the prison into the present hotel.
The ghosts of Bodmin Jail
Reports collected over the years include unexplained footsteps, voices, touches, shadowy figures, sudden cold and the sound of keys. Selina Wadge, executed here on 15 August 1878, has become one of the best-known names attached to the jail’s ghost tradition.
The jail’s ghost lore draws on its prison history, with stories of former inmates and staff attached to the old blocks. Reports are told across the wider site as well as around the hotel.
Selina Wadge
A distressed female presence is often identified with Selina, although that identification is tradition rather than proof.
Footsteps, keys and shadows
Recurring reports include prison sounds, voices and figures moving through the old blocks.
Most Haunted investigated Bodmin Gaol in 2005. Our episode review looks back at the visit and the controversy that followed it.
Read more about the ghosts of Bodmin Jail →
Read our Most Haunted review →
Have you stayed here?
If you have a story from your stay at Bodmin Jail Hotel, share it with Spooky Isles →. Tell us when you visited and which part of the hotel you were in.
Before you stay
Rooms: Luxury King/Twin, Family and accessible cells.
Food and drink: The Chapel Restaurant and Lounge Bar.
Facilities: 24-hour reception, fitness suite, Wi-Fi and on-site parking.
Accessibility: accessible cells are available; contact the hotel about individual routes within the historic building.
Check current pet arrangements, breakfast inclusions, attraction tickets and cancellation terms for your selected rate before booking.
Explore during your stay
The adjoining jail attraction is the obvious first stop, with Ghost Walk and After Dark experiences. Beyond it, explore haunted Bodmin, Bodmin Moor and Cornwall’s wider dark history.
Find jail visits in our Events Guide →
Explore Haunted Bodmin →
Museum and evening-experience admission can be separate from the hotel stay, so book the attraction you want rather than assuming it is included.
Explore nearby
Use Bodmin as a base for Cornwall’s darker landscape, from the jail itself to Bodmin Moor and nearby historic houses.
Bodmin Jail Ghost Experiences
The adjoining attraction runs evening Ghost Walk and After Dark experiences.
Find Bodmin Jail experiences in our Events Guide →
Haunted Bodmin & Bodmin Moor
Explore local ghost stories, moorland legends and darker Cornwall.
Read our Haunted Bodmin guide →
Other haunted stays
Plan another night away with our collection of haunted hotels and inns.
Browse Spooky Stays →
Events and attractions
Check current dates and booking details for a jail experience during your stay.
Search our Events Guide →
Make Bodmin Jail your next spooky stay
Explore the jail, eat in the former chapel and then sleep in a room carved out of the old cells. Few properties combine a comfortable stay and dark history this completely.
