Soft cell

IT was while I was watching Lewis, the Oxford-set TV detective yarn, that I first set eyes on the extraordinary Oxford Malmaison Hotel. It was a few weeks before my visit and its appearance as a glamorous backdrop in the series whetted my appetite for what would be a memorable stay.

Not having visited Oxford for many years, I was looking forward to the opportunity to spend a few days in the famous city of the dreaming spires and, to spice up the visit, my wife and I would be staying at what is surely one of the most unusual hotels in the country.

Up until 1996 what is now a well-equipped, stylish, modern hotel was one of Her Majesty's grimmest Victorian prisons. After a multi-million pound make-over the jail has been transformed into a chic and comfortable base for visitors and tourists.

What were once pinched and narrow prison cells have been turned into well-equipped rooms by the simple expedient of knocking three cells into one. Kitted out with all modern conveniences, from flat screen plasma televisions to state-of-the-art bathrooms, the rooms are spacious and inviting. But it is impossible to disguise the fact that you are staying in a former house of correction.

Apart from the high, barred windows which let generous amounts of light into the cells (sorry, rooms) the real giveaway are the room doors. It was my wife who first noticed the dents and marks.

The thick, studded metal cell doors are all that remain of the prison fittings once you are inside the rooms, but a close look at the scarred and pitted surface tells you that these are doors with a criminal record.

"Knowing that some really bad people lived here is a bit unsettling, I hope I don't have nightmares," my wife said, taking in the grim evidence of scars inflicted by desperate people locked up for their misdeeds.

Stepping out of the rooms and into the corridor outside you are also unmistakeably in a Victorian lock-up. Although the prison wing is filled with light from atrium windows and has been given an uplifting cream paint job, complete with red and black fitted carpets, anyone familiar with Ronnie Barker's prison comedy Porridge will feel themselves transported to HMP Slade. All that's missing is Richard Beckinsale's cheeky grin and the stentorian tones of Slade prison's fearsome Scottish warder, Mr McKay.

Since the inmates were transferred to more modern surroundings, the old Oxford nick has starred in a number of television and movie productions.

Apart from Lewis - the successor to Morse, starring Geordie actor Kevin Whately - the former prison has provided the backdrop for scenes in Kavanagh QC and, more recently, Bad Girls.

In fact, the old prison's finest hour was back in the 1960s when it featured in the classic British caper movie The Italian Job. In a tribute to that iconic movie, a DVD of one of Michael Caine's finest hours is permanently running in the foyer.

Hotel manager Stephen Woodhouse is plainly delighted at his stretch in Oxford. Sitting with us in the former prison exercise yard with a glass of champagne in hand, Stephen points out that the hotel is just part of a refurbished group of buildings which were part of the former prison.

Apart from the 94-bed hotel, the penitentiary has been transformed into stylish bars and restaurants. One former wing, connected to a Saxon tower, forms the visitor centre Unlocked. Tourists can wander through a fascinating exhibition about life inside the prison from Victorian times up until the 1990s and get a close look at genuine relics, including old prison uniforms and a gallows handle which helped despatch many murderers over the years.

I learned that the prison slang word for warders - 'screw' - probably comes from a device used to punish prisoners in the 19th century by making them endlessly crank a mechanical device. Prison officers could adjust the resistance to make turning the handle more difficult. It turns out that this was purely a pointless, punitive exercise designed to make someone suffer.

Visitors can also climb the stone staircase to the top of the old prison tower and enjoy a sweeping panorama of church and college spires. It is extraordinary to think that the old lags were banged up within a few hundred yards of Oxford city centre but inhabited a different world.

Oxford itself is even more up-market and glamorous than I remember from 20 or so years ago.

While the universities (there are two now, Oxford and Oxford Brookes) dominate the town there are plenty of high quality shops for anyone who prefers browsing to college spotting. There is also a gem of a covered market which provides a very civilised and inexpensive place to have lunch in one of the many cafes.

If you are a first-time visitor to Oxford and you only have a few hours to look around it would probably make sense to visit the town's information centre and pick up Quick Guide Oxford, a £1.80 map which suggests a walking tour of the main sights.

While the number of colleges might seem intimidating and confusing, the town is relatively compact and most of the historic sights are clustered together.

We were fortunate to get a bright, sunny day and the colleges looked magnificent with their neatly mown quads and picturesque grounds. Christ Church Meadow is a great place for a picnic near the River Thames and, for liquid refreshment, I recommend the historic Turf Tavern tucked away in Bath Place, Oxford, a real ale student haven which challenges visitors to "find us if you can".

We ate in the Malmaison restaurant on the first night and the quality of the food, wine and service was first-class.

On the second night of our stay we ventured out along Cowley Road - prime student country - and enjoyed a memorable curry in the excellent Aziz restaurant. Our hearts sank when a table set for 30 near us turned out to be for a stag party but, this being Oxford, they were very well behaved!

Our visit was made all the more enjoyable by the fact that we travelled directly from Darlington to Oxford in around four hours on board a Virgin Voyager train. We arrived refreshed and ready for some serious sightseeing.

Our only regret was that we missed former Roxy Music front man Bryan Ferry, who checked out just before we arrived.

*Former cell rooms at the Oxford Malmaison Hotel start from £150 per night. To book visit Malmaison.com or call 0845 365 4247.

Virgin Trains information: www.virgin.com/trains or call 0845-7222-333. Booking is recommended as this is a very busy route.