Palace Games
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Palace Games offers a premium escape room experience distinguished by its unique, visually stunning, and intellectually engaging puzzles, high production values, and a commitment to player satisfaction. Unlike many escape rooms, they are noted for *not* prematurely stopping the game if a group exceeds the standard time limit, allowing teams to finish and enhancing the overall value. The theming (e.g., '40s era' or 'Edison room' technology) is immersive and expansive, providing a variety of challenges to keep multiple players actively engaged.
Key Highlights
- ✓Features unique, 'older 40s era themed puzzles' and 'unique puzzle experience with some very fun mechanics' (Roosevelt, Houdini Rooms, Edison Room).
- ✓Puzzles are 'visually and intellectually interesting' with 'lots of props and very active elements' (Edison Room).
- ✓Designed to keep 'the full 8 people busy' with 'lots of simultaneous things to work on'.
- ✓Puzzles are 'difficult without being impossibly challenging', striking a good balance.
- ✓Boasts 'fantastic production values' where 'everything worked on the first try/nothing was out of order', ensuring a smooth experience.
- ✓Rooms like 'The Attraction' offer varied and 'extremely different' experiences as you progress.
- ✓Crucially, they 'don't just stop the game' if you don't get out in a certain amount of time, actively wanting you to finish.
- ✓Rooms are 'brilliant, expansive and challenging' with 'a variety of puzzles and spaces'.
- ✓Utilizes 'top-notch technology' backing the room props and features a 'really well thought out layout'.
- ✓Staff like Tamiko (moderator) and Allie are described as having 'lively and cheerful personality' and being 'a delight to talk to', enhancing the group's experience.
Standout Features
- ⭐The policy of allowing groups to finish the game even if they exceed the time limit is a standout feature, reducing frustration and maximizing completion satisfaction for families.
- ⭐High level of simultaneous puzzles ensures that large groups (up to 8 people) remain constantly engaged, preventing boredom for children and adults alike.
- ⭐Exceptional production values and reliable technology create a seamless and immersive experience, minimizing technical glitches.
- ⭐The diverse and 'extremely different' puzzles across rooms like 'The Attraction' offer high replay value and keep the experience fresh.
- ⭐Engaging and helpful staff (moderators) contribute significantly to a positive group experience.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Plan for a session lasting 'roughly 2 hours' for rooms like 'The Attraction'.
- →Consider forming a group of 6-8 participants to best engage with the 'simultaneous things to work on'.
- →Rooms like 'Roosevelt,' 'Houdini,' 'Edison,' and 'The Attraction' come highly recommended by reviewers.
- →Ideal for groups where participants, especially older children or teens, have a genuine interest in puzzles and problem-solving to fully appreciate the challenging nature.
- →Leverage the fact that they let you finish, suggesting a relaxed approach to the timer is possible.
Things to Consider
- ⚠No specific problems or negative feedback were reported in the provided reviews; all reviews were 5-star.
Price & Value
While specific pricing is not mentioned, the reviews consistently describe the experience as 'amazing,' 'best escape room I've ever done,' 'brilliant, expansive and challenging,' and having 'fantastic production values.' The unique policy of allowing groups to finish even if they go over time significantly enhances the value proposition, ensuring a complete and satisfying experience for the investment.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accessibility accommodations were mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •No information regarding food and drink policies was provided in the reviews.
🚗Parking Info
- •No information regarding parking was provided in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Escape rooms are typically booked by private groups, so crowding within the rooms themselves is managed. No information about general venue crowding was provided.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Reviewers noted 'everything worked on the first try/nothing was out of order', implying a high standard of maintenance which contributes to a safe and reliable environment. No other specific safety features were mentioned.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Families with very young children (e.g., under 10-12 years old) who might struggle with complex, intellectually demanding puzzles and extended 2-hour sessions, as the reviews highlight sophisticated puzzles over general child-friendly play.
- • If your group prefers less challenging or very straightforward activities, as the rooms are described as 'difficult' and 'challenging'.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
The Edison Escape Room (Private Room)
$425Duration: ~100 minutes (gameplay), ~2 hours (total experience with arrival)
A dazzling journey through a secret laboratory. Unleash your inner detective in an exhilarating adventure that blends mind-bending puzzles with a race against the clock. Find yourself in a hidden laboratory filled with mysterious inventions and hidden passages.
Includes:
- •Fully immersive environment
- •Ingenious challenges
- •Competitive thrill
- •Puzzles and codes
The Attraction Escape Room (Private Room)
$425Duration: ~120 minutes (gameplay), ~2 hours (total experience with arrival)
Can your team return from the unknown? A condemned attraction from San Francisco’s 1915 World’s Fair has been uncovered. Step into a meticulously restored 1915 World’s Fair attraction, filled with mysterious artifacts and technology.
Includes:
- •Fully immersive environment
- •Ingenious challenges
- •Competitive thrill
- •Puzzles and codes
The Great Houdini Escape Room (Private Room)
$425Duration: ~2 hours (total experience with arrival)
Outsmart The Original Escape Artist! A complex labyrinth of illusion & mystery. In 1915, Harry Houdini designed a mysterious room to test the abilities of great American innovators. Step into Houdini’s world, surrounded by legendary props, illusions, and mysterious artifacts.
Includes:
- •Fully immersive environment
- •Ingenious challenges
- •Competitive thrill
- •Puzzles and codes
The Roosevelt Escape Room (Private Room)
$425Duration: ~2 hours (total experience with arrival)
Can You Decode The President's Secrets & Save the Nation? Join Teddy on a grand adventure. In the lead-up to World War I, Teddy Roosevelt gathered a team of the 20th century’s most brilliant minds to put their skills to the test. Step into a meticulously recreated early 20th-century war room, surrounded by historical artifacts and Roosevelt’s secret strategies.
Includes:
- •Fully immersive environment
- •Ingenious challenges
- •Competitive thrill
- •Puzzles and codes
Lollyland: A Mini-Golf Puzzle Adventure
$30 per playerDuration: 50-75 minutes (gameplay), ~1.5 hours (total experience with arrival)
A mini-golf puzzle adventure. A mix of mini-golf and escape room puzzles, with 10 unique holes/games all enhanced with smart technology. Explore the candy-coated universe of Lollyland with your mysterious virtual companion, Cande.
Includes:
- •Mini-golf
- •Escape room puzzles
- •10 unique holes/games
- •Smart technology
- •Guided challenges
🍎Food Policy
- • Allowed in rentable event spaces (The Game Room).
- • Guests are welcome to bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages.
- • Food and non-alcoholic beverages can be delivered.
- • For alcoholic beverages or catering advice, email [email protected] or mention it in the inquiry form.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Review health and safety protocols (link implied).
- • Masks are optional.
- • Escape rooms may contain mild physical activity: walking on uneven surfaces, climbing, crawling, sliding. Dress accordingly (dresses and skirts may not be appropriate) including comfortable shoes.
- • Lollyland contains mild physical activity, mainly walking around the course. Plenty of seats are available.
- • We recommend dressing in layers as the Palace can get cold, but rooms may get warm.
- • Bags and phones must remain in a basket in the escape room.
- • For Lollyland, some lockers are available by the registration desk.
- • Larger items can be stored in the office if needed.
- • Strongly recommend taking all visible bags or valuables out of your car.
📅Booking Policy
- • Double check your date and time; get in touch ASAP if incorrect.
- • Digital waiver required; save time by registering and signing before arrival.
- • Waivers must be signed from your own device for contactless check-in.
- • If booking multiple rooms/time slots, assign teams ahead of time and have players sign the waiver for the game/time they will play.
- • Escape Room Arrival: Please arrive 15 minutes before your reservation time. Plan to be there for about 2 hours total.
- • Lollyland Arrival: Please arrive 5-10 minutes before your reservation time. Plan to be there for about 1.5 hours total.
- • Confirmation email not needed to bring.
- • Cancellation and rescheduling policies exist (details not provided).
🚗Parking Information
- • Free parking available on Palace Drive.
- • Paid parking lot behind the Palace at 3381 Lyon St (entrance from Palace Drive, past Palace Games entrance to the left; also accessible from Girard Rd if Palace Dr is closed).
- • Free parking in the lot at the St. Francis Yacht Club (across Marina Blvd).
- • Free parking by Crissy Fields.
- • Recommend taking all visible bags or valuables out of your car.
What People Say
What's Great
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 5 reviews)
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 6 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Can get crowded during peak times (mentioned in 3 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Tarek Firoze
a week agoAn amazing experience ! Finished the Roosevelt and Houdini Room. Looking forward to finishing the other two. With its older 40s era themed puzzles, I loved it and it’s possibly my fav escape room in the city!
Bubba
a month agoThe Edison Escape Room was a unique puzzle experience with some very fun mechanics throughout and enough puzzles to keep you busy during your entire session. Tamiko had a lively and cheerful personality and was a great moderator. Allie was also a delight to talk to and helped enhance our group's experience.
Liz D
2 months agoAmazing escape room experience: visually and intellectually interesting puzzles with lots of props and very active elements, lots of simultaneous things to work on to keep the full 8 people busy, and difficult without being impossibly challenging. The production values are fantastic, everything worked on the first try/nothing was out of order, and things generally "made sense". We had a great time with our group in The Edison room and look forward to trying the other rooms Palace offers!
Christi Scruggs
3 months agoBest escape room I've ever done by far!! We had a group of 6 do 'The Attraction' escape room. Each time we made it to the next room, it was extremely different and lots of fun! It takes roughly 2 hours and the best part is they actually want you to finish the game here so they don't just stop the game if you don't get out in a certain amount of time. Definitely would always recommend!
Stephen Diebold
3 months agoBrilliant, expansive and challenging escape rooms. I've tried many escape rooms and this one really stands out. Our group tried the Edison Room and we were surprised at the variety of puzzles and spaces. The technology backing it in the room props was top-notch. Really well thought out layout and features. We had 6 adults who like their puzzles/games and we finished with 7 minutes to spare on the 100 minute timer. Very exciting and challenging in the best ways.