Unleash Your Inner Detective at the 10 Best Escape Rooms in London
There’s something special about unravelling a mystery, checking for clues, and solving puzzles. That good bit of adrenaline rush triggers something rather exciting.
London has no shortage of tha! Escape rooms are everywhere nowadays, and it’s a trend that’s here to stay (I’m glad!). And when I thought my mates and I would get bored quickly, we actually didn’t.
I could say we’re pros now (fine, we’ve only narrowly escaped some). But it sure is a good way to enjoy the day before heading to the pub. So, grab your deerstalker and head to our favourite London escape rooms!
Escape London
Media credit: escapelond
Address:
Contact: 0208 222 6660, [email protected]
Hours:
- Monday – Friday: 1 pm – 9:30 pm
- Saturday – Sunday: 10 am – 9:30 pm
With two locations in London (in the east and the west), there’s no shortage of mysterious fun with Escape London. Go ahead and ring your mates to see if you can solve a variety of puzzles and games.
Escape the room as a graduate of Witchcraft and Wizardry School (just like Harry Potter, but without powers!), take a gamble at Casino Heist, or escape from the clutches of your sinister leader at The Master’s Cabin.
Most escape rooms are available for ages 10 and up (the highest difficulty is typically for 12 and up). You can invite up to 5 of your mates for a better chance at surviving because most games have a 40% chance of escaping and a high level of difficulty.
| Pro Tip: There’s no wheelchair accessibility yet. But don’t be shy to contact them for updates because they do try to accommodate guests! |
Mission: Breakout
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Address: 141-145 Kentish Town Rd
Contact: 0203 652 8144
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10 am – 11 pm
Mission: Breakout brings a totally immersive experience. It starts its location in a haunted, disused South Kentish Town tube station, which brings out a spooky and engaging atmosphere— it has been said that strange occurrences have happened here.
There are 3 escape rooms, with one inspired by the lost passenger in this very same tube station (it doesn’t get more immersive than that!). All games welcome guests aged 9 and above, but 18 years and up can come by during Fright Night for extra scares!
The games are available for 3 to 6 players for £28 per person. If you’re in for a celebration, the 3 escape rooms can accommodate up to 18 people at the same time.
| Pro Tip: If you want to come by for Fright Night, book a Friday visit starting at 7 pm. Remember that minors aren’t allowed this time because of the extra frights that will keep you on your toes! |
The Crystal Maze: Live Experience
Media credit: thecrystalmaze
Address: 22 – 32 Shaftesbury Ave
Contact: 0161 791 0727
Hours:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday – Friday: 1 pm – 9 pm
- Saturday – Sunday:9 am – 9 pm
If you’re looking for a truly immersive experience, head over to Piccadilly Circus. The Crystal Maze: Live Experience is based on Channel 4’s hit 90s game show The Crystal Maze, where you’ll solve puzzles, collect crystals, and reach the Crystal Dome!
You and your mates will actually be playing the game show, which includes mental, skill, mystery, and physical challenges. This 75-minute experience has a total of 4 sections: industrial, futuristic, mediaeval and Aztec, with reconstructed sets from the TV show!
As a family-friendly event, kids as young as 9 can join in. You can bring your parents for some nostalgic fun where they can finally live out their TV moment— sorry, no famous game show host here!
| Pro Tip: Make sure you’re in good physical health before booking a ticket, especially your parents, if you’re bringing the whole family. You don’t have to be the fittest, but you will have to do physical challenges. |
Escape Hunt
Media credit: escapehuntuk
Address: 70 Oxford St
Contact: [email protected]
Hours:
- Sunday – Friday: 10 am – 10 pm
- Saturday: 10 am – 11:30 pm
For those who love movies and TV shows, Escape Hunt features 5 immersive escape rooms based on mainstream hits! The games are truly immersive, complete with sets that truly look like they came out of the TV!
Hold on to your sonic screwdriver because the Doctor needs your help in Dalek Awakens, a popular game where your wits are needed to avoid extermination! Enjoy other movie-based escape games as well, like Alice in Puzzleland!
The games are family-friendly (most are PG) and available for 2 to 6 players for people age 8 and up. Some escape rooms have wheelchair access, but it’s best to confirm first before booking.
And if you don’t like getting boxed in, the City Hunt will take you on an adventure in the city centre!
| Pro Tip: For City Hunt gamers, wear your trainers because you’ll be walking for roughly 2 km. |
Escape Rooms London – Escape Land
Media credit: escapelandoxfordstreet
Address: 37-39 Oxford St
Contact: +44 7897 454 152, [email protected]
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 9:45 am – 10 pm
For puzzles, riddles, and games that don’t require physical challenges or jump scares, Escape Land is worth checking out. Enjoy escape rooms inspired by historical elements, such as Da Vinci’s Exploration and Right to the Throne.
The sets are imaginative and the puzzles are intricate and challenging, but all in creative fun! It’s not the kind that will scare you out of your mind since it focuses on mental challenges, so there’s no need to worry about spooky games.
This London escape room is ideal for small groups (3 to 6 people is recommended) of all ages. But if you want a higher chance of escaping, the recommended age for kids is 12 and up.
| Pro Tip: Be very thorough when checking out the room— look at every corner. Use your walkie talkie if you get stuck. |
clueQuest
Media credit: cluequest
Address: 169-171 Caledonian Rd
Contact: +44 7798 772 382, [email protected]
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10 am – 10:30 pm
clueQuest doesn’t play when it comes to escape rooms. Well, they do, but they make epic, unique adventures for the whole family— yes, kids can join in!
There are different kinds of escape rooms, along with seasonal themes for an extra sprinkle of holiday spirit. Expect linear and non-linear setups to keep you on your toes with creatively designed sets and cool use of technology.
All escape rooms, including seasonal ones, don’t have scary elements or jump scares. That makes this spot available to all ages— but do note the difficulty levels since some are extra tough to finish.
If you prefer the outdoors, the Glitch Hunters game will take you on an epic trip all around Central London. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the sun when it appears once in a while!
| Pro Tip: Book your escape room during non-peak times to score a cheaper rate. Peak times are priced at £35, while non-busy days are £30. |
Sherlock: The Official Live Game
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Address: Ground Floor, West 12 Shopping Centre, Shepherd’s Bush
Contact: 020 8130 0021, [email protected]
Hours:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 4 pm – 9 pm
- Wednesday – Friday: 12 pm – 10 pm
- Saturday: 10:50 am – 10 pm
- Sunday: 10:50 am – 7 pm
The game is on at Sherlock: The Official Live Game! Experience an escape room inspired by the BBC’s famous Sherlock series. The games are for groups of 2 to 6, where players will go on a rather immersive experience, complete with a themed bar!
The Sherlock Private Escape Room Experience will have you exploring famous sets from the TV show to see if you can become an agent of British Intelligence. And if you succeed, see if you can defeat the “Napoleon of Crime” in The Mind of Moriarty.
This escape room will make you feel like you’re a part of Sherlock’s world as you’ll see original content from the cast, such as Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman! The digital media even includes subtitles for non-English speakers!
As a relaxed escape room experience, there are no strobe lighting and steps, which makes it accessible for wheelchair users. Even kids aged 10 and up can play!
| Pro Tip: Watch out for additional subtitles. Currently, only Simplified Chinese, Japanese, and Korean and available. Remember that you still need basic English to communicate with the staff. |
No Escape
Media credit: noescapelondon
Address:
Contact: 0303 030 0100, [email protected]
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 9:30 am – 11 pm
This London thematic escape room has 4 locations: Oxford Street, Aldgate, Holloway, and Victoria. The best part is each place has different types of immersive escape rooms, but all are horror-themed.
Enjoy unique and movie-inspired rooms. The Demon Barber on Oxford Street is a beginner-friendly game for 2 to 4 players where you’ll uncover why Mrs. Lovett’s Pie Shop is suddenly getting rave reviews.
Meanwhile, The Gates of Hell in Purgatory Bar in Victoria is for the pros who are brave enough to escape before demons reach London. Some escape rooms are not for the faint of heart because of spooky challenges and scarers ready to jump out at you!
For an outdoor experience, Murder in the Park is a puzzle picnic that includes cocktails and snacks from Purgatory Bar. If it’s gloomy, you can enjoy it inside the bar!
| Pro Tips: Although the escape room experiences are open to ages 10 and up, it’s better to contact the staff first to see if kids can handle the puzzles and possible scares. The escape rooms are not fully accessible for players with disability. Before booking, contact the staff to see if they can accommodate your needs. |
Secret Studio
Media credit: secretstudiolondon
Address: Universal Properties, Wentworth St
Contact: [email protected]
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10 am – 11:30 pm
Stay groovy at Secret Studio, a retro-style mystery escape room in London. It’s like a trip down memory lane for millennials and a vintage cool experience for Gen Z— TVs used to have knobs on ‘em? Shocking!
At this run-down Shlock movie studio, guests who want to escape must be 14 and up and at least one member has to have good eyesight to watch out for clues. Expect music and effects, as well as some shocking surprises.
Secret Studio is heaven for expert escape room experts. The challenges are difficult (their stats show that less than 50% escape the rooms), so bring a group of 3 to 6 for a higher chance of surviving!
For wheelchair users, the escape rooms can accommodate 1 to 2 at a time. It ultimately depends on the space of the room, though.
| Pro Tip: If you don’t like jump scares, remember to tell the staff so they can customise this for you. |
Clue Adventures
Media credit: clueadventures
Address: Coach & Horses, 391 High Rd. Leyton
Contact: [email protected]
Hours:
- Monday – Wednesday: Closed
- Thursday – Sunday: 12 pm – 9 pm
Clue Adventures is not just for groups. There are 3 specifically designed escape rooms for 2 players only, including murder mystery, space, and action-packed themes!
The murder mystery escape room is available for groups of 3 to 6 players. It’s called Gangsters Treasure, which will take you back to the prohibition era in 1935 New York to find out who killed the notorious gangster and where he hid his treasure!
Expect clever puzzles with classic and creative puzzles. It’s for individuals looking for fun challenges without the scary shocks!
| Pro Tip: If you’re driving to London, which we strongly do not recommend, you can check the PayByPhone app for parking around the area. |
Comparison of London Escape Rooms
If you’re still not sure where to go, here’s a comparison table we made to help you decide which escape room in London is the best for you!
| Escape Room | Theme/s | Group Sizes | Difficulty Levels |
| Escape London | Adventure, heist, magic, horror, adventure, sci-fi | 2 – 5 players, 2 – 6 players | Easy – Hard |
| Mission: Breakout | Mystery, spy, sci-fi, horror | 2 – 6 players | Easy – Hard |
| The Crystal Maze: Live Experience | Game show | Up to 8 players | Easy – Hard |
| Escape Hunt | Adventure, space adventure, mystery | 2 – 6 players | Easy – Hard |
| Escape Rooms London – Escape Land | Mystery | 3 – 6 players | Easy – Moderate |
| clueQuest | Mystery, adventure, sci-fi, seasonal | 2 – 6 players | Easy – Hard |
| Sherlock: The Official Live Game | Mystery, crime | 2 – 3 players, 4 – 6 players | Moderate – Hard |
| No Escape | Mystery, dark mystery, horror | 2 – 4 players, 2 – 6 players | Easy – Hard |
| Secret Studio | Retro mystery | 3 – 6 players | Moderate |
| Clue Adventures | Murder mystery, space, action | 2 players, 3 – 6 players | Moderate – Hard |