FAQs

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Things You Need To Know

Arrive 15 Minutes Early

That way you can enjoy the full Escape HQ experience without any rush.

Your Valuables
Will Be Safe

Got bags, phones or laptops? These will be in the room with you during your game so there is no need to worry.

What Happens at Escape HQ Stays at Escape HQ

We ask that you kindly keep the secrets of your escape to yourself! Oh, and no pictures please!

Our rooms meet New Zealand’s health and safety regulations so although we ‘lock’ you in the room, as required by law, you are able to exit the room at any time if you choose to. There is an emergency exit button beside each locked door that when pushed releases the door instantly allowing you to exit.

In the event of a power cut or if the fire alarm is triggered, all doors open immediately. We have two clearly lit emergency exits in case of an emergency. If you have any concerns please feel free to contact us on 489 4999 or auckland@escapehq.co.nz

Escape HQ offers events that are incredibly fun, universally engaging and, research shows can be very beneficial for corporate team building. Throw in a private event space, catering options, cake if it’s your birthday, and timeslots every day of the week, it’s an ideal corporate, hen’s, stag or birthday party experience! We even have special kids party packages!

To get more details, please see our Events page or send us an email: auckland@escapehq.co.nz

Yes! Kids love escape rooms and can participate in any of our rooms as part of a family group at any age you are comfortable for them to join you! We don’t charge for kids aged 6 and under.

For groups of kids 14 and under, an adult supervisor (or someone 15+) is required to accompany the team in the room.

Our games are also perfect for kids parties and we have a kids difficulty level in all of our rooms plus a private party room and food packages. You can find out more about our kids parties here.

Yes we do! You can book our licensed bar for your event! Give us a call to find out more.

You can also book our Friday Fun package for $45 per person which includes a game, pizza and wine or beer. Find out more on our events page.

Booking is really simple. Go to our bookings page and follow these simple steps –

  1. Choose your group size. We allow from 2 – 6 players. Less than 2 means you want to play alone. It’s hard but you can if you really want (but you need to pay for 2 players). More than 6 players is possible too – just book 2 or more rooms and spread your team across those rooms. You will start at the same time and play against each other.
  2. Choose your room theme. There is a description on the booking site and more information in our FAQs here on another page but all games are great to play.
  3. Choose your preferred date and time. By clicking on all the games you get more choice of dates and times. The chances are you will find a free slot on one of the rooms so check them all one by one!
  4. Choose the game and pay. You should have no problems paying by credit card using our online system. If you do encounter problems please contact us on 489 4999 or auckland@escapehq.co.nz.

Important notes: to book multiple rooms select them one by one then pay together at checkout. To book more than 6 months ahead, contact us.

At Escape HQ we have intentionally designed our adventures to appeal to all age groups and all of our escape room themes at are suitable for all ages and are family friendly, there are no adult themes, gore or frights.

However that doesn’t mean that they are easy! We have 3 difficulty levels in all of our escape rooms, Kids, Beginner and Intermediate. We can help you pick the level to suit your group.

Yes we do! You can play our popular online games from home any time 24/7 for just $40 per team of up to 6 players. Each player needs a PC or laptop, internet access and Chrome.

View and book our online games here.

Yes we do! Our popular live-hosted online team building events are a lot of fun and offer the same challenge as playing an escape room. We can accommodate 100+ people per event and groups are divided into team of 6 to play and compete against each other.

You can find out more and book here.

You can also play our popular online games from home any time 24/7 for just $40 per team of up to 6 players. Each player needs a PC or laptop, internet access and Chrome.

View and book our online games here.

Yes! We are open for business as usual.

If you book 2 weeks in advance, you will be able to choose game times from 10:00am until 10:00pm, 7 days a week. Our earliest adventures start each day at 10:00am and the latest start time is 8.30pm. We close after the last adventurers complete their room around 10:00pm.

If you are booking for the next 7 days you may find that the hours available are more limited. For example depending on bookings, sometimes we close on Mondays and Tuesdays. If the time of day you want isn’t available to book, please give us a call 09 489 4999 and we will accommodate you if we are able to.

Our staff are all fully vaccinated and wearing masks. All players are asked to wash their hands before the enter the game rooms.

When you book an escape room at Escape HQ you will always play ONLY with the people that you booked with. So for the duration of  your game, you will be in a room with only your team. We will never add other players to your room.

If you feel more comfortable playing outdoors we also have an outdoor game played around central Takapuna.

In our lounge and reception space distancing is required between teams and mask wearing is recommended.

No. As per current government guidelines, we are no longer required to request vaccine passes for escape room bookings.

Gift Vouchers can be purchased 24/7 online through our secure payment gateway. Gift Vouchers are emailed automatically on payment. They can also be purchased in the Escape HQ branch at 495 Lake Road, Takapuna.

Escape HQ gift vouchers make the perfect present for friends and family. You can avoid the shops and buy them a unique experience they won’t forget!

All gift vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.

You can buy a gift voucher here

CURRENT HOURS

If you book 2 weeks in advance, you will be able to choose game times from 10:00am until 10:00pm, 7 days a week. Our earliest adventures start each day at 10:00am and the latest start time is 8.30pm. We close after the last adventurers complete their room around 10:00pm.

If you are booking for the next 7 days you may find that the hours available are more limited. For example depending on bookings, sometimes we close on Mondays and Tuesdays. If the time of day you want isn’t available to book, please give us a call 09 489 4999 and we will accommodate you if we are able to.

Our games are designed for 2 – 8 players. We have 4 game rooms so we can accommodate up to 32 players. We also have an outdoor game for up to five teams of 2 – 8 players so we can accommodate another 40 people outside. That’s a total of 72 people playing at once across our inside and outdoor games.

We are happy to accommodate you as a solo player but remember it will be hard work! We will still need to charge our minimum rate of 2 players.

So how many people should play? We recommend up to 8 per room. If you are a group of 9 or more you can split into two teams and race against each other. You can book two rooms at the same time … let the competition begin.

Our games are up to 60 minutes long but we ask that you allow up to 90 minutes for your experience with us. Please allow 90 minutes from the start of the booking time in your email confirmation.

You will need to sign in on arrival and there is a briefing before your game starts to ensure that you get the most out of your experience. After your escape, you can have a dress-up team photo (for a chance to win a free game) and complimentary refreshments. We also have board games for you to enjoy in our spacious lounge after your escape.

This is a LIVE adventure concept so unfortunately if you arrive late, you may NOT be able to play for a full hour. It is really important to try to arrive on time for the benefit of your fellow adventurers too. As we may have games booked after yours, the game may have to start without you or your game time will be reduced. We highly recommend arriving 10 minutes before the start of your game!

Which escape room adventure will you choose at Escape HQ? We have 4 rooms split into 3 different adventures. Each has an exciting and different theme. We also have an outdoor game, Fugitive Hunt, where up to 5 teams can race at the same time.

Can we play against each other in different adventures? Our 4 game rooms are separate but are split into 3 themes with 1 set of duplicate rooms (Mountain Blizzard). The duplicate rooms have the same mystery to solve to allow for two teams to compete against each other. This way you can book as a group of up to 16 people, split into 2 groups and then compete against each other. So if you have an urge to compete, try it, it’s great fun!

Can you tell me more about the adventures?

You can find out more about all our escape games here, and our online games here. If you are looking for information on our events you can find out more here.

To answer this now would give away the whole surprise so let’s just say it is one of the most exhilarating ways to spend 60 minutes with your friends. The adventure lasts 60 minutes but you should arrive 10 minutes before for your briefing. The adventure itself involves escaping from a room themed according to a mystery. Solve the mystery and escape. Sounds simple? Just try!

Can I play on my own? Our games are all designed for 2 – 8 players. We are happy to accommodate you as a solo player but remember it will be hard work and we still charge our minimum rate of 2 players.

So how many people should play? We recommend 2 – 8 players. If you have 8 or more players you can split into teams to race each other.

In Auckland, we are located at 495 Lake Road, right in the heart of Takapuna, North Shore City, in between the BNZ and Westpac banks. Street parking is available nearby on Huron street, in the Toka Puia carpark (entrances on Huron and Northcroft Streets), the carpark on Anzac Street, or in the Shore City shopping centre.

We also have a branch in central Hamilton, you can take a look at the website for Hamilton here.

Escape HQ games are unique adventures based on the classic “escape the room” online games now popular in many countries around the world.

We offer a true “experience” where your challenge is to solve unique and historic mysteries. As a team you play against the clock in one of our rooms to solve the mystery and thereby find your escape. The whole experience lasts for up to 90 minutes including the briefing, the game itself is 60 minutes. Our games are available to groups from 2 players up to 8 players in your own private room and we can accommodate up to 9 teams playing at once in our escape rooms and playing our outdoor game.

Escape HQ is aimed at anyone with a sense of fun who likes puzzles. We have intentionally designed the adventures to appeal to different age groups, genders and backgrounds. All of our themes at Escape HQ are suitable for all ages and are family friendly, there are no adult themes, gore or frights.

Prices are $28 per child, $32 per student, $35 per adult for teams of 5 or more players and $39 per adult teams of under 5 players. Game prices are per person and for adults they depend on the number of players. To book, simply go to our booking page and select your group size, choice of game room, date and time and then pay using our secure system with credit card. It’s as easy as that!

For corporate bookings please get in touch and we can provide a quote and then once your booking is set up we will invoice you.

Yes, we do! We offer a selection of wines, beers, cider, sparkling wine, Finery cocktails and a range of non-alcoholic drinks.

Not all of our our team are able to serve alcohol so if you would like to book our bar, please let us know at the time of your booking.

Our tag and win competition is so easy to enter and a great way to win a free game for your team to come back and play again! All you need to do is find your photo posted on our Facebook page head to the top right hand side of your photo and tag yourself and your team. Share, comment and tell your friends and families to like the photo. On the 10th day of every month, we go through all of the photos from the previous month and find the tagged photo with the most likes! This is the winning team. It is that easy!

Please note that the free game is for the number of tagged people who originally played and a maximum of 8 people. Just make sure you tag yourself in the picture and get liking!

Our private party room is decorated with fairy lights which create a great atmosphere for kids of all ages. It has tables and chairs for up to 16 kids plus a small table for a cake and other items, a couch and stools for any parents and grandparents. There is also a Bluetooth speaker you can connect to for music. There are dress up items for photos and giant jenga for kids to play.

You are more than welcome to bring any extra decorations you would like however please be prepared to take your decorations home with you (this includes confetti) or ask for an extra bin bag so we can dispose of them. Please keep in mind that due to bookings before your session and cleaning, we may not be able to guarantee much set up time in the party room due.

If you have chosen our BYO or Catered packages you are more than welcome to bring any extra drinks or snacks or cake for your group (just let a member of staff know on arrival if anything needs to be refrigerated). We provide glasses, water, plates, cutlery, napkins,  and knife and lighter for your cake. You are welcome to bring anything else you need.

If you have a theme for your child’s birthday and you wish to use different plates or cups etc, just let a member of staff know and we can remove anything you don’t need from the party room.

Yes, whether it is in the escape room or in the party room we ask that there is always an adult (or someone aged 15+) with them. An adult supervisor (or someone 15+) is required in each escape room you book for groups of kids 14 and under. There is no charge for the adult supervisor in each room.

Yes, our spacious and comfortable lounge is a perfect place for parents to wait for a party pick up and they can even help themselves to a tea or coffee.

All of our rooms are completely child friendly with no adult themes (no gore, no frights or otherwise). We also have a choice of difficulty level in all our rooms so for kids parties we will set the room to ‘kids’ level. Although kids of any age can join in a team with adults to play at Escape HQ, we recommend for kids parties the group of kids should be at least 8 years old, ideally 9 years and older.

The choice of which game to play is up to personal preference but if you would like help choosing a room for your group please feel free to give us a call at 09 489 4999 or email us at auckland@escapehq.co.nz we are happy to help.

Each booking for the party room is for a minimum of 45 minutes after your game. Please note that depending on other earlier bookings you may not get a lot of set-up time in the room.  If there is anything you would like placed into the room during the game, just let us know and we will do our best to have these moved into the party room once it’s been cleaned and is ready for you.

Absolutely YES!! Kids and parents love our escape room kids parties. As well as the immersive, fun and inclusive experience for kids, parents love that we manage the party and make it easy for them. We also have a kids difficulty level in our all of rooms especially for kids parties.

Although any age children are welcome to take part in our escape rooms as part of a family group, we recommend ages 8 years and older for escape room kids parties. We offer kids party packages, you can find out more here.

YES!! Our Hen’s party groups love escaping together or making a competition out of it and racing in different rooms. Hen’s parties also love that they can book the bar and have a glass of bubbles, wine, beer or other drink after the game. There is even a lovely spacious and fairy light lit lounge to relax in after. Hen’s groups can also book catering or bring a cake to enjoy with drinks after the escape room experience.

You can find out more here.

YES!! Our Stag party groups love escaping together or making a competition out of it and racing in different rooms. Stag parties also love that they can book the bar and have a beer, wine or other drink after the game. There is even a spacious luxury lounge to relax in after. Stag groups can also book catering to enjoy with drinks after the escape room experience.

You can find out more here.

YES!! Escape HQ is the perfect escape room party venue on the North Shore of Auckland. We have 5 escape rooms for up to 40 people playing at once plus a spacious luxury lounge and bar to relax in before and after your game. Plus we have party packages that include catering and you can book our bar to enjoy drinks before or after your escape room party.

You can find out more about Parties, Hen’s and Stag’s here, and Kids parties here.

YES!! Escape HQ is the perfect escape room team building venue on the North Shore of Auckland. We have 5 escape rooms for up to 40 people playing at once plus a spacious luxury lounge and bar that seats 40+ to relax in before and after your game. Plus we have packages that include catering and you can book our bar to enjoy drinks before or after your team building event. We also have a projector for hosting team meetings onsite if you want to have a day out of the office before you take on your escape room adventure.

You can find out more about Team Building Events here.

Our newest game “BACKSTAGE PASS” launched at the end of February 2024 and we now have 5 escape rooms that can accommodate up to 40 people playing at once.

Here is a list of our escape rooms in order of launch date starting with the newest first:

Backstage Pass
Jail Break
Udder Graziness
Mountain Blizzard (2 x duplicate rooms so you can race head-to-head)

You can find out more about escape rooms and outdoor game here and our online games here.