The worst thing about prison. and indeed the main deterrent for not going there in the first place, is your loss of freedom and separation from your family/loved ones. For anyone who's not a seasoned criminal, with a normal life otherwise, *that* is the main punishment, and likely why it wasn't much of a 'holiday' for the folks you've mentioned above, regardless of TVs and games rooms.
Others, however, who have no such normal lives and no families, are often happy to go 'inside' [indeed will often commit crimes precisely with that intention], as essentially they get free lodging/entertainment, and the opportunity to hang out with others in the same position, so in general, see it as a bit of a 'jolly'.
Marco.