The Escape House: Spellbound

This had been on the list for a while and I always worry when I have high expectations but the hype is thoroughly deserved! Honestly this is probably the best themed room I’ve done, loved it all. Loves the way to get help/clues changing, loves the puzzles , loved the tech involved. Loved it was non linear so we could split up a little to tackle the many puzzles! Definitely spent longer on some that shouldn’t have been time consuming and then flew through some others. We like to make the most of a room and don’t rush out  and this room had so much to do and look at

Hosting brilliant too, just fan and worth a trip. We will be back for the other room!!!

Amazing experience here! A very devoted team... run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts we done both rooms here now and they are both incredible!!! So much fun! My wife and I have done around 50-60 escape rooms now and these have to be my favourites! 

Brilliant escape room, very immersive and wish I could do it again! It engages all the senses and was more intricate than some escape rooms I've done before. The rooms were well designed

Spellbound was the best Escape Room we have ever done. From the start of the game we felt completely immersed in the game. The atmosphere was amazing, the surroundings fitted the theme , just stunning. The puzzles were perfect for us , who probably do 2-3 escape rooms a year. They were hard in places but not so hard with a bit of thinking out of the box. We walked out smiling and full of nothing but praise for it. We cannot wait until their new room is finished. 

I did this room with my 3 children (10,13,14), I have done around 40 rooms one of the children has never done a room and the others have done a couple.  

It is very immersive from the beginning - there is a slightly scary moment which the host handled well by making sure my youngest was with me for this. The rooms are so immersive and beautiful with some fantastic ways to deliver clues through characters in the room. 

There is a lot to do and I wouldn’t recommend it for less than 3/4 as we were working in pairs fairly solidly on different things the whole time.

This is one of my favourite rooms I’ve ever done - highly recommend 

This is a bit of a stand out game. 90 mins is great and makes it worthwhile travelling that little bit further to do it! 

We loved several things about this room: 

- The set. Immersive, really well made, not just a room with puzzles stuck on the walls. 

- The number of and variety of puzzles. Not one standard numbered padlock in sight, very original from that point of view (compared to many games we've played). 

- The clues/ nudges being very organic to the game and helping you flow nicely. The GM triggering them if you start to get stuck on a puzzle is great. It seems they have them pre-recorded voices at places people over get stuck on. 

Overall worth the money, plenty for bigger teams to do but also great for a couple who have done a few rooms already!

Fantastic room, and a great use of Tech! Lots of surprising elements and plenty for a team of 4 to do, can’t wait for the second room to open! 

Quite a surprise, a big, beautiful, high tech labyrinth of rooms, loads of surprising impressive high tech elements, some familiar concepts to an escape room nerd, but also some unusual things you don't see often. 

Great hosting too, really fun twist at the start. Loads to do, quite difficult, would not recommend for small teams unless you have done a good number before. Theres space and puzzles for larger groups. 

Owned and run by two really cool guys who have clearly poured their heart and soul into this room. Looking forward to seeing their second. 

The set was cleverly built and use of props great. It had us challenged, and working together for some puzzles, while we could split and work independently on others. Communication is key! Hosting - brilliant

The best escape room we have done! Could not fault this room at all. It’s magical and will make you forget about the outside world. Really recommend and can’t wait for their second room to open.

There are so many things that make this room a really good one: the set, the multi-layer nature of some of the puzzles and the 90 minute playing time all really appealed to us. There is a lovely immersive element to the beginning and a variation of puzzles.

For whatever reason, we didn't quite gel with this room, however, and we found a couple of the puzzles really frustrating - personal preference always comes into play, of course, and I feel that's probably a big factor because there is objectively a lot here to love. One puzzle in particular stood out for me for the multi-level thinking required, and this was particularly satisfying; there is a lot of cooperation involved throughout, and that was also a huge plus for us.

A fantastic room! The puzzles are the highlight, with great variety throughout and multiple step thinking required at points. Theming is really on point too and it's quite a big space that has been outfitted very well. I had a few very minor niggles, hence the 9/10 (more like 9.5/10 really) but this was really great and super impressive!

Absolutely stunning theming, fantastic puzzles, and honestly, it's the same quality as some of the best games in Europe! The dragon was absolute perfection, and we loved the differing themed hint systems that are in place. Can't recommend it enough!

Our ratings:

Theming: 10/10
Puzzles: 9.5/10
GM: 9/10
Value: 9.5/10
Fun: 10/10

Overall: 96%

Far and away my favourite escape room I've ever done. Every part of it was incredibly detailed, and the puzzles were tricky enough that when you solve them there is a deep sense of satisfaction that you understood it correctly. And the dragon! He's so cute, and very sassy too. As soon as their next two rooms are ready, we will be back!

Spellbound is, in some ways, an absolutely typical escape room, consisting of the basic required elements any enthusiast has come to expect: 

• an easy-to-grasp, simplistic narrative setup
• a range of props in a consistent thematic style 
• puzzles that require observation, searching, logical deduction and association, teamwork, and dexterity in roughly equal measure
• an in-game guide to assist you on your quest
• a clear win condition

But what it lacks in innovation it absolutely makes up for in execution. In fact, I would say that it is one of the very best model examples of what a good escape room is, and how it should be implemented.

Yes, the narrative is predictable fantasy, but it's not derivative (no "Barry Potters" or "Game of Bones" here), and the briefing is delivered in an excellent in-character sequence that also nicely sets up the initial peril and call for action for the players.

The set decoration and props are equally standard fantasy fare - swords, shields, skeletons, scrolls, magic spells... - but unlike some rooms that feel like they were kitted out with paper and cardboard cutouts from a novelty shop, the props here feel like they could be used in a film - they are heavy and chunky; made of metal and wood and canvas and bone, and that quality oozes through into the experience. The medieval flooring is made of real stone flagstones - not vinyl, and every surface is old, dark wood - not CNC-cut plywood. The environment was further brought to life with effective use of theatrical sound and lighting effects. Speakers and cameras used for GM monitoring were installed sensitively and blended in to the environment. And everything was beautifully maintained - no faded text, broken tech or unreliable tech (I believe the room has only been open for around a year - I sincerely hope that the owners are able to maintain this level of high quality maintenance as the game continues in the future)

The puzzles resolve to a mixture of key locks, combination locks and electronic-released locks, all of which were satisfying to manipulate and release. Although some locks require a combination to be entered, those locks use a custom design that is integrated into the theme, so you won't find any Amazon padlock that looks out of place or feel like they should have been used to lock your bike up, or in the lockers at the gym. Puzzles are interspersed with theatrical set pieces in just the right measure as you advance through the different areas of the game.

Our host was attentive and delivered just the slightest nudges on a handful of occasions (and only when requested), which is perfect. And the hints, just like everything else mentioned above, were delivered in a way that was entirely thematically appropriate.... (can't say more without spoilers!). A particular bugbear of mine is when companies spend a lot on set design only to ruin it by whacking a TV in the corner with a timer countdown on it, so I was delighted to see no anachronistic technology, nor in fact any indication of the real world that would pull us out and remind us that we were just playing a game. The attention to these details is top-notch throughout.

This is the first room by a new company and we loved it - I understand they have a new room under construction and I'll absolutely be making a return visit to play it.

Got to be my favourite room I've done. Well put together, great set up and great host.

The room was immersive and such great aesthetics you can really tell a lot of effort has gone into the room.

Some challenging puzzles that really tested us. Highly recommended and look forward to them opening more rooms!

Great set!!!

Lovely people!!!

Ended our weekend on a real high. The best game of its genre we have played. The puzzles had great variation, some real wow and clever moments. Loved the voices in the room and had a blast all the way through. Really not one to miss! 

Easily the best escape room I've done yet. Camille the host was excellent, there was a great variety of puzzles, and it's one of the best looking I've seen too.

It's probably not a good choice as a first escape room and I think it would maybe be a bit of struggle for just two people (unless they are very good at escape rooms). Some parts all also quite dark in terms of the light levels, which is great for atmosphere but not for those that don't like that sort of thing. But none of that detracted for me - I loved it.

Thank you Escape House and I look forward to your next room.

We've done a few escape rooms over the years (maybe 30-40 or so) and I'd say this one is easily within the top 3. It's absolutely fantastic, with incredibly well designed puzzles that enables your group to be doing multiple things at the same time. 

It flows so well, with tons of surprises and twists, and some cool unique things I've never seen in a room before. I was a bit surprised at the price before booking, but now seeing it was a 90 minute room, it's perfeclty justified. And the experience itself would be worth it even if it was only 60 minutes, because it really feels like a room designed by escape room fans who know exactly how to make rooms fun, but also at the right level of challenge.

It's been ages since I've left a review on this website, but this was too good not to share and mention. Can't wait to experience whatever room they build next!

I'm struggling to find the words to describe this escape room experience. I've played over 30 rooms but this tops them all. Loved the originality and the fact it included aspects we'd never seen before. The set was very atmospheric and Oli was a great host. Can't believe this is the first escape room designed by this talented pair. Very excited to see their upcoming rooms. Blown away!

A great amount of effort had been put into this room. Good variety of puzzles, great set design and enough to keep a team busy. Highly recommend and look forward to see what they come up with next.

The most AMAZING room! 10/10, could not fault it in any way. The hosts were great, starting off with a very immersive entrance into the room! I loved the authenticity of the rooms, the absolute absence of traditional padlocks, and the unique "friends" that you meet along the way to give you clues were so ingenious! Highly recommend this room to everyone and we will definitely be back when they open future rooms!

This room is a real delight. So well themed with such a variety of puzzles - all incredibly immersive.

We really liked the clue system, although found that perhaps they were a bit chatty and easily given at times (we never asked for a clue).

A great experience overall, great storyline, interesting puzzles and well worth the visit!

We did this escape room as a team of 4 and had a blast! Easily one of the best escape rooms that I have completed internationally - every puzzle fits the theme, and the rooms are so beautifully designed. There are a lot of puzzles, but each is well sign-posted so you never feel lost about what applies to what, even though some of them are pretty tricky. It's non-liner, so there was always something for each member of our team to work on. Incredibly immersive and overall an excellent experience.

This was my first Escape Room experience and, to be honest, I was very skeptical, having never done one before. But, I have been converted! If all escape rooms are as good as this, I may well become a regular Escape Room goer! It was brilliant doing it as a group of 5, with all of us constantly having plenty to do and think about. My son came with us and he enjoyed himself so much that he now won't stop asking if we can go to another one. The staff were great as well. What a great place 🙂

This is amazing quality of an escape room the sets were fantastic and it was an absolute blast, I had so much fun me and my friend became the maze dynamic duo it was brilliant.

Absoloutley one of the most immersive and in depth games my group have played. Visually stunning as well as very clever.

Fabulous game, friendly hosts, really immersive and creative puzzles and props. 

One of the best "magical" rooms we've played, brilliantly themed, a number original puzzles and it kept us thinking throughout. Great hosting, we can't wait to see what The Escape House can come's up with next.

Very very good.

Brilliant technology implementation and theming.

Fantastic design

We usually play as a team of two but this time we were joined by our fellow escape enthusiast to tackle this highly rated rising star room!! And thank goodness we had an extra pair of hands and the additional brainpower. 

This room was FABULOUS. From entering the room all the way up to its conclusion, the love and care given to its concept was apparent. We enjoyed everything from start to finish!

We must admit, we don't usually gel well with the magic theme in escape rooms but we were far more than pleasantly surprised at how good this room actually was!! This room was so immersive that it's difficult not to get truly lost in the story and the puzzles! 

We have one word for this room... BRAVO 👏🏾 

Thanks for having us, we can't wait for the next adventure! 

This game was a delightful experience, offering a unique take on the escape room genre with some refreshing elements I hadn't encountered before. It’s genuinely charming and features a lovely, cutesy atmosphere that immerses you in its magical world. Of all the magic-themed games I’ve played, this one stands out for its heartwarming moments and creative design.

One small criticism I have, though, is regarding the game's use of items. Without giving too much away, the Game Master will inform you upfront that the game doesn’t follow the typical "one-use" policy for objects. Personally, I find it a bit tricky to remember objects I've already used or solved puzzles with, so once I’ve figured something out, I tend to forget about those items. That being said, the way this mechanic is incorporated into the game is still quite clever and adds to the experience.

The storytelling and use of technology in this game are outstanding, with some innovative features that really bring the narrative to life in ways I hadn’t seen before. Overall, it's a wonderfully immersive and magical experience that I highly recommend.

We had lots of fun in this beautiful, well thought out, nicely-flowing room! It's a 90min room and it makes good use of  the time as it's quite large. Props are very high quality and there's a lot of visual "wow", but it's not just a veneer: the puzzles are multi-layered and carefully designed to give a deep experience (instead of just a long one). Our host was great and we'd absolutely recommend this!

Best game for a long time. Lots of background tech and hidden things. Multi multi room and 90mins

A beautiful game with lots of great moments within it. Huge range of puzzle styles and some great physical puzzles- there’s a lot to do within the 90 mins so get cracking!

Excited to see what this company do next as this is a very promising start!

Wow. I am always particularly impressed when a new venue opened by independent amateur teams knocks their first game out of the park, and boy have they here. A dramatic beginning to the game, an immersive, perfectly themed world and some impressive hunt and puzzle moments with some new ideas thrown in, I regularly forgot I had a job to do while I was in there, I was just marvelling at so many things 🙂 plenty to keep the  four of us busy for over an hour. The team are very passionate and will make sure you get the most from this adventure.

Thank you  so much. This was the best Escape room our group has been to so far. Between us we've completed about 15 across the country.   It's a pity we don't have photos to show but understandably some things need to be kept secret. The Decor, ambience,the interactions, puzzles, and the clever, doo-dads (I Shan't elaborate) make this a must "go-to" experience.  Our host, Ollie, was amazing and I'm sure his Cohort, Ben, is too. You will be left "SPELLBOUND"  We can't wait for the next adventure to open.

Magical Story driven experience.

This was not what I was expecting from a starting company but WOW did it amaze me. It had such a range of puzzles from easy to hard and even some skill games. it was such a fun room. a bit dim on the lighting in some parts but that doesn't really affect the puzzles and you are given a source of light. 

This is probably the top escape room I've done to date. It's well thought out and feels like a genuine journey through it. Clever, origonal puzzle design and a good amount of challenge. Theres a few things I'd love to mention but they'd definately be spoilers!

Enjoyed Spellbound immensely. 90 mins of intrigue and fun. Cleverly designed and a completely immersive experience with twists and turns throughout. Great decor, well thought out. Now done quite a few escape rooms in different countries. This one is right at the top. We used all our different skills and needed to work as a team to discover the exit just in time. Definitely recommend and will be back for the next room.

In a word: excellent. 

I played Spellbound with three of my adult children. It was a great experience from start to end. We've played a few rooms together but this was the best so far and, I think, will be very hard for other rooms to beat. We just managed to escape in time. The host managed the game perfectly with enough little nudges to keep us on track. 

Spellbound is a little more expensive than others we'd played but with 90 mins instead of 60 and a remarkable experience throughout, it was well worth the extra. The build quality is superb, with lots of attention to detail. The challenges are varied in type and complexity, including dexterity and mental challenges. Some of the puzzles made my brain hurt. Good job the youngsters were there to solve the difficult stuff! The last couple of minutes trying to beat the clock were intense. 

Technology is used well to help create an immersive experience, with light, sound and movement. I particularly liked one neat bit of tech wizardry but sadly I can't tell you what it is without giving a spoiler.

The host went the extra mile and happily explained their background and journey, and the challenges of designing and building the whole set up themselves. Very interesting. Well done guys. Very impressive. 

The game is non-linear so we were all busy, often working in pairs. There is so much to do we needed to split up the tasks to do everything in time. As a result we didn't all experience every part of the room. Afterwards we had dinner nearby and spent some time sharing what we had each experienced. Discussion afterwards is an important part of an escape room experience. 

A very nice team photo was emailed to us the same day.

We had a great time and hope to do another Escape House game when it is ready. 

Well done guys, you've create a great room. Very impressive. 

Great theming throughout and a lot to do. For me the immersion was broken by needing so many clues throughout the experience. Really beautifully put together.