Add your cathedral rental to this collection

Sleeping in sacred spaces: converted churches, monastery guest rooms and cathedral city stays

Few buildings were made with as much care as places of worship. Generations saved, carved, painted and prayed to raise them, and even a small village chapel often has a sense of calm that is hard to find anywhere else. Staying in or beside one of these buildings is a different kind of holiday. It can mean waking under a vaulted ceiling in a church that has become a home, sharing silence with a community of monks or nuns, or opening your window to the bells of a cathedral across the square.

This page collects stays of that kind. The guide below explains the main types, what living in such a building is really like, and how to be a good guest where faith is still part of daily life.

Three ways to stay

Converted churches and chapels. In many countries, churches that are no longer used for worship have been carefully turned into homes and holiday rentals. Some keep the nave as one grand open living space; others divide it into floors. Former chapels, meeting houses and mission churches can be surprisingly cosy, with a single room under a timber roof and a bell tower above.

Monastery and convent guesthouses. Many religious communities have a long tradition of hospitality and offer simple guest rooms to visitors, whether or not they share the faith. Rooms are usually plain, sometimes with shared bathrooms, and the setting is often remarkable: a hilltop, a quiet valley or the heart of an old town.

Guesthouses in cathedral cities. Around great cathedrals you will find rooms in former clergy houses, church schools, pilgrim hostels and historic buildings on the cathedral square. Here the building is not the rental, but it shapes the whole stay, from the view to the sound of the bells.

Living under a lofty roof

A converted church is unlike any other house, and it helps to know what to expect.

Height and heating. Ceilings can rise very high, and warm air rises with them. Large, open buildings with stone walls are slow to heat, so a converted church can feel cool in winter even with modern heating. Ask whether there is underfloor heating, a wood stove or heaters in the bedrooms, and pack a warm layer in the colder months, whichever hemisphere you are in.

Acoustics. Spaces designed to carry a voice or a choir also carry every conversation, clatter of plates and footstep. Musicians love it; light sleepers in a group may prefer bedrooms with proper doors and walls.

Light and stained glass. Tall windows fill a nave with changing light through the day, and coloured glass can scatter patterns across the floor on a sunny morning. The flip side is that large windows may lack curtains, so ask about blackout options if you like a dark bedroom.

Mezzanine bedrooms. To make use of the height, many conversions place bedrooms on a mezzanine or gallery, reached by stairs or even a ladder. These spaces may be open to the room below and less private, and steep stairs are worth mentioning if you travel with young children or older relatives.

Bells. If a bell tower is still in use, or a working church stands next door, bells may ring for services, the hours or special occasions, sometimes early in the morning. Many guests find this part of the charm. If you do not, ask before you book.

Heritage rules and old stones

Former places of worship are often protected historic buildings. That can mean rules on what owners may change, and occasionally on what guests may do: no nails or tape on old walls, no candles near historic woodwork, limits on events or parties. Graveyards sometimes remain around converted churches, and they deserve quiet respect. Treat carvings, memorials and old glass with care, and remember that someone's ancestors may be remembered in the stone.

Being a good guest in a living community

Staying in a monastery or convent means joining, briefly, a way of life that runs to its own rhythm. A few customs apply almost everywhere:

• Quiet hours. Many communities keep silence in the evening and early morning, and sometimes at meals. Speak softly in corridors and keep phones on silent.
• Dress. Covered shoulders and knees are expected in chapels and often in common areas. A light scarf or shawl is useful to carry.
• Meal times. Meals are usually served at fixed times, and arriving late may mean missing them. Simple food is the norm.
• Curfews. Gates are often locked in the evening. Ask what time the door closes and whether late arrival is possible.
• Services. Guests are generally welcome to attend prayers or services but never obliged to. If you go, sit quietly and follow the lead of others.
• Private areas. Parts of a monastery or convent are reserved for the community. Respect closed doors and signs.

Cathedral cities and pilgrim places around the world

Great churches are found on every inhabited continent. In Europe, cathedral cities such as Chartres, Cologne, Seville, Canterbury and Santiago de Compostela, the end of the Camino pilgrimage routes, have welcomed travellers for centuries. In Latin America, colonial cathedrals stand at the heart of cities such as Mexico City, where the Metropolitan Cathedral faces the Zócalo, Cusco, with its cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, and Quito, whose historic centre is filled with churches and monasteries. In Canada, Québec City's old town gathers churches, convents and a cathedral within its walls.

In Ethiopia, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, carved out of solid stone, remain a living pilgrimage site, especially around Ethiopian Christmas in early January, when pilgrims arrive in great numbers and rooms fill up far in advance. In the Philippines, historic Spanish-era churches, including the Baroque churches listed by UNESCO, draw visitors to Manila and the provinces, and the old town of Vigan is a favourite stop. In India, the churches of Old Goa are another well-known destination.

Questions to ask before you book

• How is the building heated, and how warm is it in the month I plan to visit?
• Are there bells nearby, and when do they ring?
• Are the bedrooms enclosed rooms, or open mezzanines or galleries?
• How steep are the stairs, and is there a ladder to any sleeping area?
• Do the windows have curtains or blinds?
• Are there quiet hours, a curfew or a time the gate closes?
• Are meals included, and at what times are they served?
• Is there a dress code, and are guests welcome at services?
• Are there heritage rules I should know about, for example on candles or events?

A few tips for a peaceful stay

Book early for religious festivals and pilgrimage seasons, which vary by country and faith tradition. Remember that seasons are reversed south of the equator, so a winter stay in Cusco or a southern cathedral city falls in the middle of the year, and that rainy or monsoon seasons in the tropics can affect travel to remote pilgrimage sites. Bring earplugs if you sleep lightly, slippers for cold stone floors and a small torch for dark cloisters. Above all, arrive with curiosity and respect. These buildings were made for reflection, and they still offer it to anyone who slows down.

Using this collection

The stays on this page are grouped by continent, country and region, so you can easily find a converted church, monastery guesthouse or cathedral city room where you want to travel. Each link goes to the owner's own website, where you can check availability and book directly. Do you own or manage a converted church, chapel or guesthouse in a religious building? Add your link for free with the button above, and help travellers find a quiet place to stay.