Best Escape Rooms in Dubai

Tired of the same old theme parks and for our more energetic audience, nightclubs in Dubai? Although we find that hard to believe as it is almost impossible to even count the number of entertainment options in Dubai, sometimes we need to welcome a bit of adrenaline into our system, just for a change.

Fortunately, there are many places designed and ready to do just that, if you have the heart for it.

Now this isn’t a very old concept of entertainment but if you are into games in general, you must know that they are played in a whole new level and vibe, and one of the most exciting ones are escape room games!

Imagine this, you, along with your friends, enter rooms that are designed with lots of puzzles to solve, unique themes, and sometimes even, if it is to your taste, scary atmospheres. To escape or exit these rooms, your only way out is to work with your friends, find the clues and solve each puzzle. These games are growing rapidly in popularity across Dubai, offering an unforgettable experience to anyone who’s ready for the test. If you’re just traveling or living here, make sure to visit one of the Best Escape Rooms in Dubai and add a healthy dose of excitement to your day!

What Is an Escape Room?

Although we gave you a glimpse of it above, you might not be sure exactly what you are up against. To put you at ease, you must know that an escape room is a suitable and entertaining activity for any group of people. To start, you need several participants doing the best they can to go through some puzzles and challenges within the time limit. If done correctly, they’ll find their way out of a designated area. Now, we said the same is entertaining activity for any group of people and we meant it, but there are also obvious requirements, so make sure you take them into consideration. For instance, This game is played in various genres such as horror and mystery, so the players better not be selected from the faint of heart. If you and your friends aren’t really into solving puzzles, it’s best to let go of the mystery genre and find another theme. Fortunately, there are many and we will get to that later.

As you see, the escape rooms in Dubai’s are designed to give a serious exercise to the player’s mind, challenge their creativity and quick thinking in unexpected situations. Needless to say, but if you just need to unwind and relax, escape rooms wouldn’t do the job and you better check out our list of Best Beaches in Dubai to find a peaceful retreat. On the other hand and in favor of a balanced life, a bit of adrenaline rush might be the exact kick you have been looking for. Ready for more? Keep reading!

Escape Room Genres in Dubai

The simple yet wonderful truth is that the genres when it comes to escape rooms are endless! Anyone, including you, can use their creativity to design an engaging game and choose a theme for it. However, and considering the population’s interest, the common thread among all escape room genres is solving puzzles and escaping a situation. Here are some of the most popular ones:

• Horror
• War
• Police/Crime
• Sci-fi
• Thriller
• Drama
• Comedy
• Spy/Political
• Adventure
• Fantasy
• Mystery

You can find many other genres of escape rooms in Dubai, including artistic, illusion, and many others. We’ll discuss four of the most popular escape room genres below:

1. Horror Genre

Undoubtedly, horror is the most popular genre of escape rooms. About 80% of all the escape rooms in Dubai offer games in this genre. In this genre, you have to deal with your stress, solve all the challenges in a horrifying and sometimes unexpected situation and face extremely scary obstacles. The horror you’ll face is direct and immediate and do not forget the strange creatures, vampires, and zombies standing behind you in the dark while you find a way out.

2. Thriller Genre

If pure horror is a bit too much for you, or you might have a hard time talking your friends into it, the thriller genre walks a fine line between suspense and horror and might be the right fit. In this genre, you and your mates constantly anticipate an unpleasant event without knowing what’s going to happen or when. If by any chance you’re a movie enthusiast, Alfred Hitchcock’s films are great examples to remember the difference between suspense and outright horror. In thriller-themed escape rooms, the unsettling moments will put you on edge by ordinary yet meticulously designed factors rather than strange creatures. Imagine the tension and fear, enhanced by eerie, suspenseful music.

3. War Genre

If horror and mystery both overwhelm you, we totally understand and have not come empty handed. How about a war theme escape room instead?

It is almost self-explanatory what to expect in one: costumes, weapons and war equipment. However, the most important thing is the strategic nature of every challenge. One of the most popular scenarios in this genre is when the games managers divide the players into two teams and ask them to competitively use different strategies toward achieving one goal.

Another classic war story is to be prisoner-of-war wherein you are held captive and try to escape from the enemy. This plot could happen within any periods of time: ancient, World War II, or even within the Cold War.

4. Crime/Police Genre

These games, as crime is in their theme also put murder as the main plot. It is of course dependent on each plot but the teammates usually try to call the police and search for the murderer. Sometimes, you’ll see horror and suspense in these games as well. Because of the sensitivity of the storyline, you need to pay much attention to details of the plot and character creation.

Top 8 Escape Rooms in Dubai

Now that you are fairly familiar with the concept, check out these excellent escape rooms in Dubai and pick one based on your theme preference and proximity:

1. Brain Game Dubai

How about challenging your problem-solving skills at Brain Game Dubai in Jumeirah. Brain Game Dubai has six different themed escape rooms: Seven, Stalker, Chocolate Factory, The Others, Forever Alone, and Last Laugh. Each one varies in difficulty, but all you’ll need is some teamwork and passion for solving puzzles within 60 minutes to get out. This escape room is located in Jumeirah, if you are not sure exactly how to get there, check out our thorough guide on How to Use Public Transportation in Dubai. You’ll find everything you need to know right there.

• Timing: Monday–Thursday: 12 PM–10 PM; Friday–Saturday: 12 PM–12 AM
• Location: Jumeirah Terrace Building, Jumeirah 1
• Ph: 04 547 7993

2. Psychiatric Escape Room

Psychiatric escape room is based on the spooky Harrison Psychiatric Center, where there are rumors that Dr. Benedict Harrison did some illegal experiments on his patients. He is known to torture his patients and love their screams; he usually did the experiments on their brains and skulls.

In this game, you and your group will play the role of patients who are to find out Dr. Harrison’s dark secrets and run away from him. This game allows for 2-10 players to participate and allows only 60 minutes to solve the puzzles.

• Hours: Daily from 2 PM to 11 PM
• Address: al meydan street, kml business center, showroom #4, AL QUOZ-DUBAI
• Phone +971 052 111 1041 & +971 4 348 3554

3. The School Escape Room

The School is another scary yet amazing and interactive escape room in Dubai. The story is set in the early 1980s when a school in a small town mysteriously burned down. Though people say that ghosts did it, locals claim it is not true.

Some nights, small lights flicker in classrooms, and eerie sounds of crying children echo from the building. The challenge is: Are you brave enough to enter the school and uncover its secrets?

Remember, there’s only one lesson to learn here: how to survive! This escape room accommodates 2 to 10 players and lasts one hour.

• Address: Sheikh Rashid Road Branch: Showroom 2, Sheikh Rashid Road, Reem Residency (Opposite Dubai Frame) Dubai-United Arab Emirates
• Phone : +971 56 450 0541

4. Escape House

Escape House is another famous escape room in Dubai, located inside a villa in Jumeirah, featuring a handful of scare rooms, plus there are  live actors to fully terrify you and create a realistic atmosphere. Prepare for excitement, stress, and a lot of fun!

You have 60 minutes to solve the puzzle and escape. The themes in there include The Exorcist, Halloween Michael Myers, and Um Al Duwais, inspired by djinn tales.

• Working Hours: Day-to-day from 1 PM to 1 AM.
• Address: Jumeirah-Al Wasl Branch: Villa 606, Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 3, Dubai.
• Phone: 056 450 0541.

5. Escape Hunt

Ever wanted to unleash your inner Sherlock Holmes? Enter the world of Victorian detectives in the amazing Jack the Ripper escape room at Escape Hunt in Jumeirah. This will finally fulfill your long-standing dream to solve mysteries. In trying to escape the room, you have to search for hidden objects, decode clues, and solve puzzles. Of course, if you fail, you’ll still be let out—but that would be slightly embarrassing for everyone, wouldn’t it?

Other options to try in Escape Hunt include Prison Break, which will take you back to the mid-1970s. This room also gives players a chance to escape from a locked cell. In short, this is one of the most exceptional escape rooms in Dubai!

• Working Hours: Daily 11:30 AM – 10 PM.
• Address: Galleria Mall, Al Wasl Road.
• Phone: 04 334 4473.

6. Escape the Room

How about another adventure designed for small groups, and doesn’t matter if you are all friends, family members, or colleagues. Your goal is also simple: you have 60 minutes to open your minds and eyes carefully, work in a team, crack codes, and solve puzzles to escape. With rooms such as The Nightmare, The Prison, Lost in Time, and Mafia Kingdom, Escape the Room is one of the best in this category.

• Working Hours: Daily from 10:15 AM to 10:45 PM.
• Address: Box Park, Al Wasl Road.
• Phone: 058 885 9090

7. Game Over

If you are longing for a day in the mall and ready to soak up all the adventures you could get, then this one’s for you. Make sure to check out our complete guide on best shopping centers in Dubai, where we have introduced every mall you should know about, plus there are tons of other excitement lying there as well.

Getting back to our topic in hand, the Game Over escape room is right at the heart of Nakheel Mall, offering fascinating games. You’ll have many themes and they include Murder on the Orient Express, One Thousand and One Nights, Alice in Wonderland, Circus of Fear, Atlantis the Lost City, Dracula, Illuminati, and more, so get ready for thrilling and fearsome experiences.

• Working Hours: Sunday to Wednesday from 10 AM to 10 PM, Thursday to Saturday from 10 AM to midnight.
• Address: Second Floor, Nakheel Mall, Palm Jumeirah.
• Phone: 04 577 3289.

8. Haunted Activity

Before we even start, let us say this escape room is not for the faint of heart. Although there are some fascinating puzzles there as well, the live scary actors in this escape room promise no ordinary mild horror experience; on the contrary, you are bound to feel utterly terrified. It feels like being in a horror movie actually. Each game requires solving puzzles across more than five rooms in under 60 minutes.

The rooms include: Ouija, Jason’s Home, Cemetery 333, and The School.

• Working Hours: Open daily from 1 PM to 1 AM
• Address: Exhibition 2, RIM Residence, Sheikh Rashid Road.
• Phone: 050 321 0541.

Factors Affecting Escape Room Prices in Dubai

The prices of escape rooms wildly differ and it is up to you to decide what kind of experience you are looking for. Nevertheless, knowing these could help you minimize cost:

• Location: most often, escape rooms, which fall into Dubai center or are in high demand, charge higher costs due to high operation costs which usually means rent and personnel. Quieter escape rooms usually are more budget friendly.
• Room Size and Complexity: Advanced escape rooms in Dubai usually reserved for experienced players involve more complicated designs and games, plus there is maintenance, so naturally they are more expensive. Simpler rooms are less costly yet entertaining.
• Time and Day: Prices are higher at peak times of the week, such as on weekends or in the evening, because demand is much higher. Booking during weekdays or in daytime slots provides better prices.
• Group Size: Larger groups tend to pay a lower per-head price because the overall price is divided. Smaller groups have to pay more, so invite as many friends as you can to bring down the cost.
• Average Costs: Regular escape rooms in Dubai are usually between 100 and 200 AED per head, depending on the conditions above.

Strategies to Become a Master Escape Room Player

Escape rooms are somewhat addictive and once you’re hooked, you’ll likely want to improve your performance and tackle even harder challenges. The following strategies will help you proudly escape any room while enhancing the fun:

1. Assemble the Right Team

It’s all about the right grouping. Four people work, but even larger teams can hold together. Ensure your team has diverse skills. For example, someone needs to think quickly, some creative minds, and good observers are needed as well. Sometimes, splitting up tasks based on individuals’ strengths is key to win.

2. Pay Attention to the Story and Rules

Don’t ignore the narrative or the game master’s instructions. Often, the story contains subtle hints that aid your puzzle-solving. You can immerse yourself in the character’s perspective, which will naturally lead to finding the solutions. Game master hints also prevent you wasting your time on pointless searches.

3. Define Your Objectives Early

Find and remember the place of all the locks, keypads, and input points upon entering the room. Visualize the steps that’s needed for each of those locks to open. For instance, if you find a a safe that requires a 4-digit code to open, your immediate goal is to get to that number.

4. Search Thoroughly

Search the room meticulously but make sure you are not violating any rules like looking above specified heights or tampering with marked “off-limits” items. It pays off to focus your energy on areas where clues are most likely hidden.

5. Communicate Effectively

Clear communication with your mates is vital. Announce anything you discover or when you solve puzzles, and say your theories out loud to keep everyone in the loop. Escape rooms are team-based, and sharing your thoughts quickly can save valuable time.

6. Rely on Room Clues Only

Everything you need to solve the puzzles is in the room with you. Game designers make very deliberate efforts to avoid asking for your outside knowledge. Most will say, don’t overthink it. The solutions are more often than not straightforward.

7. Be Active and Proactive

Escape rooms are hands-on experiences. If you’re stuck, revisit unsolved puzzles, double-check overlooked areas, or attempt challenges others give up. Fresh perspectives often lead to breakthroughs.

8. Use Hints Strategically

Don’t shy away from asking for hints, but use them wisely. But better not ask for help in the first few minutes or for minor obstacles. Plenty of time for that later.

9. Designate a Leader

A leader keeps the team organized, regulates time, and keeps everyone focused on the main goal. This role would suit someone with developed leadership abilities and/or game experience.

What Not to Do in Dubai’s Escape Rooms

You better dress comfortably; escape games may involve running, crawling, or climbing. Plus, keep the experience for you and your friends light-hearted; arguments over puzzles ruin the fun.

Keep reminding yourself and your friends not to do random guessing. All the combinations and codes in the room are intentionally left with clues to be found. Guessing degrades the challenge and will hurt your performance.

Personal Items Not Allowed

One important rule regarding escape rooms in Dubai is not bringing personal items in.

You need to surrender all personal belongings to the escape room operator since there is usually lots of tension and energy in the room and this may cause an accident. Following are the things you must not carry in the escape room:

• Watch
• Smartwatch
• Bracelet
• Mobile phone
• Flashlight
• Any kind of weapon-gun or blade
• Bag
• Keys or key chains
• And so forth

If you have them, it is possible to put them in safekeeping boxes offered before the game starts and get them back at the end.

Punctuality

Please arrive on time for the game. And in time means early as it is usual that before the actual game begins, the gamemaster needs to brief you on some very important information on the game. In case you arrive late, you will naturally have your playing time reduced.

Dubai is a crowded city and escape rooms are very popular here. The room is often booked in a back-to-back schedule and players after you also have to start their game on time.

Age Limits

These games aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. Before entering, you should ask the operator about the recommended age for that particular game. Otherwise things might get a bit overwhelming for a team member and If they choose to leave during the game, it means the whole team has withdrawn.

Following Banned Labels

There are two types of labels you’ll see in the escape room and you should care about them:

1. Don’t Touch
2. Don’t Move

Whenever you see these labels, do what it is asked. There might be clues linked to them that would be hard to deciphere when touched or moved.

Player Limitations

Some escape room games have participant limits. Be sure to ask before going about the recommended number of players for your chosen game. While most games need at least four players to start, the maximum number can be different.

Take Care of Game Props

Be careful when it comes to the game props and décor. To the best of your effort, avoid hitting or breaking any items during the game. Here are couple of other escape room guidelines to consider:

• Avoid physical jokes or playful roughhousing during the game.
• Some genres may be prohibited for pregnant women and for people who have problems with the heart or nervous system.
• You must pay compensation for any damages caused during the game.
• Avoid high-heeled shoes.
• People who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol are not admitted.

These are general rules that are applicable in most escape rooms, but there are other rules that may vary, and the operator will inform you beforehand.

Dubai Escape Rooms vs. Global Competitors

Within no time, Dubai has positioned itself as an entertainment hub that boasts ultra-modern and thrilling escape rooms, although we didn’t expect any less, did we? Advanced technology, engaging themes, and meticulously detailed environments with trained staff are scattered around Dubai, an unforgettable treat to both locals and tourists. In most cases, the rooms combine elements of culture with some futuristic design, making them unique and very challenging.

Still, on the world stage, cities like Budapest, Hungary, are considered as the Escape Room Capital of the World. Budapest is home to a rich variety of escape rooms from traditional puzzle-solving to classic horrifying themes. Many enthusiasts visit Budapest for its affordability and considerable number of escape rooms.

In contrast, Dubai’s escape rooms are focused more on providing premium experiences at a higher price. Here you have exclusivity and state-of-the-art designs, catering to the most discerning of tastes.

Final Words

Escape rooms offer a truly unique and immersive way to challenge your mind, connect with friends or family, and create unforgettable memories. Dubai boasts a unique notch in the field of escape rooms, with its futuristic designs and experienced game organizers. Whether one needs to indulge in a culturally inspired experience or a thrilling adventure, Dubai isn’t going to be left behind. From beginners to seasoned escape room enthusiasts, there’s something to fully satisfy everyone. The real magic lies in welcoming the challenge, working with your mates as a team, and soaking up the adrenaline. Make sure to also check out our list of Best Theme Parks in Dubai If adventure is your number one priority these days. We at Dxboffplan are more than happy to have you covered on all topics related to UAE.