Name: Jailhouse Accommodation
Address: Lincoln Road, 338, Christchurch, 8024, NZ

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jul 2026

Caoilte

Second time staying here, excellent as always.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jul 2026

Caoilte

10/10, coolest place I've stayed. I hope you get your fish and chips for this review haha.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

17 Jun 2026

VINÍCIUS

Too many annoying notices posted all over the place. The cleaners frequently make you leave areas while they’re cleaning. Overall, it’s not a very nice hostel and is overpriced for what it offers

Self

2/10

Poor

31 May 2026

Lewis

The showers were filled with girls hair all over the floor in bathroom and shower aswell as black dirt on the floors no towels or mats in bathrooms smelled like piss and wet clothes floor in the room could do with a vacuum as there was white stuff on our floor aswell as hair we had dirty sheets on our bed

Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 May 2026

Lisa

Unique, historical place to stay with well appointed, light and sunny places to sit at tables or on lounge suites on the ground floor, where there is also a separate movie room and kitchen. Second floor boasts another cosy lounge room, further seating area with tables and a small book library and lots of original cell rooms which are the accommodation. Apparently there is a pool room (pool tables) on 3rd level. We found it quiet, good value for money and loved staying somewhere so completely different and fun.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

09 May 2026

Heather

The bunk was so comfortable, the room very clean and unusual; bars on the windows and thick walls and stripey linen. I will stay again.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

08 May 2026

Ian

As expected for a hostel met expectations.

Self

8/10

Excellent

07 May 2026

Channing

Clean room, in the city centre ish.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2026

T G A Buma

Clean comfortable room.
Kitchen was messy.
Rubbish overflowing on to kitchen floor from overfill bin.
Lacking fridge space.
Guest fridges were full of food in large bags, marked staff. I noted a separate fridge for staff which was also full.
Needs addressing.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2026

Claudine

Great place for a quick stay with no frills

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2026

Amanda

Easy check in with codes ( if you read your messages properly 😂)

Clean, basic but comfy beds . Great night sleep.
Would highly recommend staying here.
Staying is a historic jail is definitely something else 😊

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

13 Apr 2026

William

Please make contact with me directly via email
[email protected]

10/10

Exceptional

29 Mar 2026

David

Enjoyed my time there & if i need a room in Christchurch in the future, this would be on he top of my list

Self

10/10

Exceptional

24 Mar 2026

Rico

I love our stay there

Partner

2/10

Poor

19 Mar 2026

Jeffery

I didn't go. You keep sending your emails to me. I keep telling you I'm in the UK and you need to check your contact details and write to the right Jeff Bellamy but no one in your organisation is capable of doing that.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Feb 2026

David

Despite having worked in a prison, this iconic venue brought home a taste of the reality even with comfortable beds and the freedom to come and go.

It's not the staff's fault, but some inmates need to learn the meaning of the silent period routine.

Glad we came back for a second stay, even though the setting has lost its novelty value for us...

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2026

Nigel

Sophie welcomed us and looked after us really well. Give her a gold star
Our room was clean and tidy, if sparce, but it was exactly what I expected

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2026

MARY

Quick and easy check in. Explained everything perfectly

8/10

Excellent

09 Feb 2026

Harry

Friendly and helpful staff; comfortable room, suitable amenities.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 Dec 2025

Mary

Clean and helpful staff

10/10

Exceptional

05 Dec 2025

Kyler

Loved the history and concept. Friendly staff and good amenities for a hostel. 10/10 would stay again and recommend everyone visit at least once.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

30 Nov 2025

Douglas

Inmates were not given towels, so couldn’t take showers as front desk was not available.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

27 Nov 2025

Anthony

Safe, comfortable place to stay, thank you.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Nov 2025

Anthony

Clean and well set up room, clean toilet/shower facilities.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

21 Nov 2025

Sharon

Amenities were

10/10

Exceptional

03 Nov 2025

T G A Buma

Clean and organised.
Thick walls, so no noise 👍
Have stayed here many times.
Not disappointed.
AAA+++

6/10

Pleasant

20 Oct 2025

T G A Buma

No Towelss.
Isn’t that hospitality 101???
Otherwise a comfortable stay.
👍

Business

10/10

Exceptional

28 Sep 2025

Will

Lots of fun, not for everyone but we loved it. Make sure you take a towel, can hire one but not supplied as standard.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 May 2025

Gerard

Great central location. The history of the building certainly adds fun to the stay, and the humorous touches that play on that history is cool. The security and keyless system works really well making the place feel very safe.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2025

Ian

Two thumbs up. Excellent stay

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

01 May 2025

Pauline

We like the casual clean facility it has some quirky messages referring to the history of the jail. We appreciate the affordable cost, nice clean sheets and plenty of puzzles/games to play. Nice to make our own coffee when we want.
Only thing that needed more attention was the door was locked when we returned late from the ToTo concert. The code to get in wasn’t given to us. Luck someone was there reading so they could help us. Apart from that we loved it. We be back.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Apr 2025

T G A Buma

Nice Stay!!!

Great place to stay.
Parking is a problem if you’re late in.
One mess up was that Key Code instructions did not arrive until after we had already checked out the following day.
Possibly because of a late/last minute booking.
Staff were able to resolve this problem via a phone call. So no problem.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

31 Mar 2025

Lynne

Jailhouse rocks

2nd stay. Great place. Walkable to train station and into christchurch.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

31 Mar 2025

Thomas

Had difficulty with my prepaid booking... took many back-and-forthsd to get their mistake sorted... not easy or fun when travelling with limited access to cell coverage or time. And I could only find 1 toilet for males, yes 1... 4 showers, but only 1 toilet. There must be more, but noone working there, no layout maps of the building... just not much of anything. Definitely would not recommend nor ever stay there again.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

21 Mar 2025

Eric

Jailhouse

Very original, staying in an old jail is an experience. Everything is clean and staff were very nice and helpful. Kitchens were very well furnished to make your own meals. I recommend.

Partner

4/10

Poor

15 Mar 2025

Glenis

A difference experience when travelling, but could have had a small fridge in the room as the main one was full and we had to leave milk and our food out overnite. Great for back packers.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

02 Mar 2025

Lynne

JAILHOUSE rocks!

Great re-use of a historic building. Light and airy.. no drink rule, nice and quiet with communcal jigsaws. Easy 20 min walk into town and park nearby. Lots of places to eat too.

Self

8/10

Excellent

26 Feb 2025

Ethan

The jailhouse accomodation is a good budget hotel. It had what i needed for a goodnights rest and to charge my devices.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

17 Feb 2025

Ed

Quaint accommodation but could do with more upstairs toilets

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

16 Feb 2025

Francesca

Loved our quick stay and plan to return when we come back through Christchurch. Walls of the rooms were super thick being a former jail so we slept well, bathrooms were clean and staff were very helpful - especially when we called asking after a lost item which they found and have saved for us. Many thanks!

10/10

Exceptional

10 Feb 2025

Elliott

A very novel experience, something you must try!

Loved staying here, not only was it great value for money - but it was also a fantastic experience. Staying in a jail, with your own cell was really fun.

This is a hostel / accommodation so don’t expect anything fancy, it’s basic but it’s very clean and tidy. The other inmates were all friendly that I bumped in too, and there was a great atmosphere about the place. I would definitely stay here again, it’s just a great experience!

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jan 2025

Kevin

A quirky place to stay

What a quirky place to stay. Great facilities and all the amenities you need. A lovely find. Highly recommended

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jan 2025

Ruth

It is a beautifully presented place to stay - I especially enjoyed the quiet area, which guaranteed a good nights sleep, the VERY clean bathrooms, comfy beds, cats to pat, and the only vending machine I have ever used that has all the products at reasonable prices.

My grandson, 13, loved the whole place and wanted to stay for longer.

Absolutely marvellous.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2025

Cassandra

This was the first time I’ve ever stayed in a hostel, and I had such a wonderful experience, I’m definitely going to do it again. First, I LOVE the jailhouse theme! It was so cute and made me feel right at home. Second, it was absolutely spotless. I’ve stayed in five star hotels that were not that clean! The cells were small and spartan (as they should be since it’s a jail!), but the beds were clean and comfortable. The kitchen was fully stocked with kitchen stuff, and I had my own bin in which to store my food items. The shared living areas were well furnished with comfy sofas, recliners, and dining tables and chairs. The place could get a bit noisy, but it quieted down by 10 pm. I would absolutely stay here again! Highly recommend!

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jan 2025

Taidhgin

Cool property

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Jan 2025

Dan

Amazing facility. Bed frame extremely squeaky/noisy

8/10

Excellent

21 Dec 2024

Michaela

We picked this hostel because of the quirkiness of it heing based in an old jail and we were not disappointed. They really make the most of it by having a couple of old rooms set up as old cells and information boards. There are a few different social spaces which was nice and better than most of the other hostels we have stayed in in Aotearoa. It would be easy to find privacy for a phone call for instance. The thick walls mean nothing can be heard from other rooms and everyone was respectful of the quiet time in the main hall after (I think) 10pm. Facilities were generally clean. We were also pleasantly surprised that the room TV came with a Netflix subscription which was great for a cosy evening in! Would definitely recommend.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

11 Dec 2024

Beth

Cool concept - could do with a fan in the rooms

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Nov 2024

Malakai

Would recommend!!!

10/10

Exceptional

08 Nov 2024

Anne

Loved staying in this jail.

Clean, friendly staff, lovely atmosphere. Hot shower, comfortable clean bed.

Self

8/10

Excellent

26 Oct 2024

Steven

No Frills / Great price / location for AM Flights

Interesting short stay in Pod style accommodation. Fantastic location for early morning flights out of Christchurch INT Airport. Take your own food as limited availability in vending machine only. Airport grub or fast-food an option 10mins away.

Self

8/10

Excellent

30 Sep 2024

Joel

Pretty cool to stay at a place that was a jail. I liked the cats there and the bed was fine. Not much privacy though and the upstairs men's bathroom only had one toilet . Good deal though. Where else can you stay at a place that used to be a jail ?

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2024

Uwe

I always wanted to get a feeling of what the inside of a prison looks like - well only kind of since this one has a pool table and TV room and you come and go as you like, very friendly staff, right next to Hagley Park.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2024

Mel

Highly recommend, so interesting. Will definitely stay again.

Leisure

6/10

Pleasant

13 Jul 2024

Hiroki

良かった点: セルフチェックイン、チェックアウトなので気軽に利用できました。あと元監獄なのを活かして博物館みたいになってる内装が楽しかったです。

気になった点: 監獄なので冬は寒いです！湯たんぽはありましたが、暖かくして寝るのには足りずコートを着込んで寝ました。

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

26 Jun 2024

Cynthia

Easy check in. Straight-forward hostel. Quiet.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jun 2024

Tyler

It was very nice with a lot of security features the only problem I had was the heater didn’t really heat up my room!

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

01 Jun 2024

Ian

it's a Jail, enjoy the experience

Jailhouse accommodations is a super quirky unique place. I rented a single cell for 2 nights. Positives - the security code was sent promptly and worked perfectly, this is an old jail exactly as advertised, the wall are thick, the bed was just right, and Staff were helpful.
Cons - if you get a drunk idiot who comes in after midnight and forgets his code between the front door and cell…it takes the staff a bit of time to manage this. The rooms are actual prison cells, so they are small and sparce…. It’s part of the experience so know in advance, enjoy it.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

08 Apr 2024

Liya

Clean, Comfortable & Affordable

One of the cleanest, most comfortable-yet-affordable places I've ever stayed. Extremely friendly staff, and the room was small but very tidy and comfortable. Highly recommend.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

06 Apr 2024

Lily

The kitchen was nice in this property and the spaces to hang out within the building were very comfortable. I really liked the signs explaining the history of the building and the commitment to the prison bit! (cute cat lives outside as a bonus)

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

01 Apr 2024

Virginia

Glss tables ae noising a a surface. Otherwise good spot to stay

10/10

Exceptional

30 Mar 2024

JUSTIN

Absolutely fantastic service went out of their way to assist us
We would be staying here again

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Mar 2024

Joanna

I only stayed here one night. Solo traveller, female in a mixed dorm. Everything was clean, the check-in was done via email so that was easy, there are a few parking spaces so that was handy and everyone in my room was really nice and considerate. I had a very comfortable stay. It's definitely quirky and cool staying in a converted jail house and the lack of visible staff around definitely added to the ominous, abandoned vibe! There's not a great deal to do in the immediate area but it's just south of Hagley Park and in proximity to buses into the center. My only recommendation, which I give to almost all hostels and backpackers, is that the simplest of details really go a long way. Shower cubicles aren't designed to keep guests' fresh clothes and feet dry after they've showered. A shelf for belongings, a mat raised off the floor and a small stool are the kind of details people rarely say thank you for but REALLY appreciate.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

24 Mar 2024

Aaron

The historical information

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

20 Mar 2024

Desmond

Quirky staying in jail cell. But really giod feel.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Mar 2024

alex

an absolutely stunning building, amazing atmosphere

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Feb 2024

Robyn

Unique helpful clean

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

07 Feb 2024

Elise

Really cool place with lots of history and friendly staff. This has been an experience for life, and I will recommend this place to everyone that are going to New Zealand!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jan 2024

Iona

See above

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

21 Dec 2023

Joseph

Unique historic building. Enjoyed our quick overnight stay.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

12 Dec 2023

Jeanette

I was happy with my room but toilet facilities were challenging. Having to share just one toilet in the shower room with the men. Would be good to have another just for women downstairs.

8/10

Excellent

15 Nov 2023

Fred

For a person on a budget that likes to meet people it was nice. Would recommend it for a convenient stay as it’s $4 on the #7 bus from town and if you are smart with the interchange that will get you to/from the airport

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

15 Nov 2023

Achinoam

A particularly cute place, great beds, shared and very clean toilets and showers. I enjoyed very much! One problem that is important to know is that there is no elevator! It was a little (a lot..) problematic to lift the suitcase... other than that, a great place!

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

25 Aug 2023

Susan

Great place to stay overnight - I came in late and left early the next day. Checking in was electronic via email with codes etc, so easy

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

20 Aug 2023

Theresa

Was a fun place to stay. Definitely will stay again

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jun 2023

Sam

This property provided a unique experience with the opportunity to step into another world, that of the jail history, combined with contemporary well equipped kitchen, and comfortable bed rooms eating areas and bathroom.

Business_and_leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2023

Marjolijn

Unique and fun because of its history. Great location. Friendly staff in the evening. Could check toilet rolls in ladies more frequently and put in correctly 😉 Well planned kitchen, dining and lounge areas and bike parking👍Welcoming foyer/reception.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jun 2023

Shane

Not the sort of accommodation I would normally select, given I was working through the week and only wanted a safe, convenient place to sleep, the Jailhouse was perfect in every sense. Will certainly make use of the Jailhouse next time I am visiting Christchurch.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2023

Joel

Self-check-in makes this place. We needed emergency accommodation and really appreciated the no hassle getting in at 3 in the morning

Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Mar 2023

Jean

A very nice stay,at this property.
Perfect for a short stay,and good value.
Great location . .

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

20 Feb 2023

James

Awesome

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Dec 2022

Francesca

Always nice coming back and feeling like I'm home away from home. See you next year

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 Dec 2022

Yoon suk

I recommend jail house very good kindly member I normally stay jail house comfortable and good accomodation

Business Self

6/10

Pleasant

24 Sep 2022

Sukh

Jail view is just unique

Business_and_leisure Self

2/10

Poor

11 Sep 2022

Edith

The main receptionist treated me like a homeless person cause of my bags, looked down on me from the beginning, she was horrible and at the first chance she kicked me out singling me out. The owner seemed to try to show some humanity by offering me a ride.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Sep 2022

Neil

The environment, the place itself is extremely clean, quiet and great staff that are so helpful and willing to assist on anything you may require. It's not somewhere I would normally wish to stay, but that has changed significantly. I'm staying on longer also. It's a great place to stay. I'd certainly highly recommend it to others without reservations. It's a fine place to stay if you need too.

Business Self

8/10

Excellent

21 Jul 2022

Jason

I enjoyed the stay, only couple of things to improve.. heating in the room was very limited and didnt do alot, the luver windows created a lot of draft and cold.
Otherwise good stay

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jul 2022

Sarah

Neat hostel.

The hostel was super neat! We stayed in a double bunk room, the beds are very short, so if you’re tall and don’t love sleeping in the fetal position, you might want to check out other options. The bathrooms/shower room was kept up and clean. Location is great, and very walkable to good cafes/restaurants /bars. You’ll have to pay extra for shower towels.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

13 Mar 2022

astrid

it was fun to stay in a jail

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Feb 2022

Rachael

Such a novelty would totally recommend

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

23 Jul 2021

Verified traveler

The Jailhouse Accommodation/Hostel was a cool and interesting experience. The concept and prison type architecture is very original as far as hotel accommodations go. There was no one at the reception desk when we arrived after 6:00 pm. But, we were able to check ourselves in via the ipad they had at the reception desk. The rooms are clean and very simple (no frills). The rooms have the original bars on the windows and a heavy metal entrance door. I liked the combination lock to enter. I felt a bit more safe. There was a sign on the door that warned guests not to let nonguests in and the sign also had a picture of a young male to be aware of. You share showers and toilets/restrooms with the other guests (like living in a dorm). I am assuming the toilets and sinks are original. There is a large kitchen to cook and a laundry room. It was very quiet in the common areas.
The surrounding area was not close to the city center and definitely not posh. Great prices if you just need a place to get some sleep and get to say you stayed in a former prison. It wasn't very crowded when we stayed-- mostly young single people, who seemed to be staying for longer periods. Jailhouse Accommodations only had a few parking spaces in their lot. We were lucky to get a parking space. Overall, it was an interesting and unique experience.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

01 Jul 2021

Verified traveler

My first experience in jail

Business Self

8/10

Excellent

27 Apr 2021

Verified traveler

Loved the experience of staying in a prison cell

10/10

Exceptional

26 Apr 2021

Helen

un and educational experience

My son and I stayed together. We had a great time. Feels safe and is also an historical education.

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

26 Oct 2020

Verified traveler

stay elsewhere.

WiFi does not work outside common areas. This is just laziness as it would not be hard to put repeaters in the rooms. Kitchen is small and cramped. A lot of questionable people hanging around this hostel at all hours of the day with lots of people drunk and high. With stories of a massive fight from a few nights prior. The simple fact that their smoking area is where you have to walk through to get into the hostel is unacceptable when most places are completely smoke free. In times like these go spend your money elsewhere in accommodation that will actually appreciate your stay.

Self

8/10

Excellent

02 Aug 2020

Verified traveler

I like that most of the interior is still original, the tables are made with the original cell doors, there's also original and preserved prisoner art work on display.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Mar 2020

Eljas

Biking in nz

I spent there 2 nights before a 1-month bikepacking journey. They let me keep the bike inside. Staff was really friendly. The place was overall very clean.

Self

8/10

Excellent

05 Mar 2020

SydW

Was a very cool place to stay—wish we could have stayed longer!

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

01 Mar 2020

Verified traveler

Facilities and rook fine. Stuck with some loud room mates which made for trouble sleeping