Folks Are Turning Themselves In to This Bonnie-and-Clyde-Era Jail in Texas
Spending the night in jail is nobody’s idea of a good time—unless it’s at The Cell Block in Clifton, Texas, a tiny hotel converted from a two-cell jail that operated through the 1970s. What once was a holding cell for drunks is now an oddball accommodation for two adults in Clifton’s Art Alley, midway between Dallas and Austin.
The Cell Block presents a fittingly austere exterior.
Located in an alley covered with local street art, guests of The Cell Block have a surprisingly nice view.
![The 300-square-foot space feels much larger than it is with plenty of light and monochromatic decor. "Built in the 1930s, it’s an original jail cell with original doors, floors, metal pieces, and [bar-covered] windows," says operations manager Kristen McKinney.](https://images2.dwell.com/photos/6531268541891756032/6537144102170243072/original.jpg?auto=format&q=35&w=160)
The 300-square-foot space feels much larger than it is with plenty of light and monochromatic decor. "Built in the 1930s, it’s an original jail cell with original doors, floors, metal pieces, and [bar-covered] windows," says operations manager Kristen McKinney.
Shop the Look
"Kaye, the owner, is very innovative," says operations manager Kristen McKinney. "She bought this place and tinkered with a few ideas, but ultimately decided to restore the property."
The 300-square-foot, one-bed, one-bath hotel is decorated with minimalist furnishings in gray, black, and white. There’s even a Polaroid camera so that guests can capture their experiences (though the stay itself is definitely Instagram-worthy).
The cell-block sleeping quarters offers a Tempur-Pedic bed.
The bathroom is quite spacious, and even features a rain shower.
And although those there’s no WI-FI or television, guests can sip on some complimentary whiskey and red wine, listen to Johnny Cash tunes on the vintage record player, head to the rooftop to sit by the fire pit, or play a game or two of dominos in tribute to the past: "The jailers used to play dominos with the jailees," says McKinney.
Warm up in the "yard" on the roof.
The Cell Block is available to book for $225 a night during the week, and $260 a night on the weekends.
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Project Credits:
Builder/General Contractor: Kaye Calloway
Interior Designer: Melanie Johnson
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