Best of Boston

The former site of the Charles Street Jail now has the city’s hotel and nightlife scene on lock. Guests can escape to Alibi, the prison’s old drunk tank, to sip themed cocktails like “Jailbait” and “Doin’ Thyme” among brick cell walls, iron doors, and celebrity mug shots. No drab hotel dining here, either: Superchef Lydia Shire runs the better-than-it-has-to-be house restaurant, Scampo. And freshly revamped guest rooms boast herringbone wall coverings, library-style club chairs, wide-plank hardwood floors, and décor—scales of justice, old-key artwork—that recalls the building’s jailhouse past. Freedom never felt so good.