We survived the Grand Hôtel de Paris, The One Escape's blood-curdling escape game

It's enough to make you tremble with terror for Halloween or any other occasion! The One Escape, an escape game company based in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, offers you ITS new-generation escape game, terrifying to the max: Le Grand Hôtel de Paris. A cross between Shinning and the Hollywood Tower Hotel, this adventure takes you to the creepiest of hotels, with a hydraulic elevator that seems to be just as creepy... And still in working order.

• To be read
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• Halloween 2025 in Paris and Île-de-France: terrifying escape games and immersive experiences
• The One Escape: the unusual and immersive escape game in the 2nd arrondissement

Synopsis of Le Grand Hôtel de Paris escape game at The One Escape:

"You are about to book a night at the sumptuous Grand Hôtel De Paris, a historic and iconic Parisian landmark that opens its doors to you for an unforgettable night. Our entire staff is honored to welcome you and will be delighted to make your stay unforgettable, as this has always been the raison d'être of our founding fathers. Just a few years after its opening, the Grand Hôtel de Paris has become a benchmark, a veritable institution, which has seen many souls pass through its doors.

Movie stars, politicians and other celebrities all found their way here during the golden age of our establishment. This very special establishment owes its renown to one of its most historic artifacts: one of the very first hydraulic elevators ever designed. An infallible technological innovation in its day, it's still in operation today, waiting to welcome you. Decades have passed, but the Grand Hôtel de Paris is still here, and it opens its doors to you today. Are you ready to spend the night?

Our review of the Grand Hôtel de Paris, at The One Escape:

A little reluctantly, we went to test this new room, curious to see what The One could offer in terms of immersion (we loved Le Crime de l'Orient-Express and Hallucinations Chimiques) but terrified of facing demons and other ghouls that the experience seemed to promise... And do you know what? We're not sorry we came!

A word of warning, though, before you commit yourself to the experience: yes, this is a horror escape game, and yes, you'll be scared, but those who hesitate should give it a try. You're going to tell us we're crazy, or that we mean you harm... On the contrary! But if you really don't feel like it, nobody's forcing you.

What you need to know before booking: this is aesthetic horror, there will be a few screamer/jump scares, but it's all scripted (you know when it's coming, or at least you'll feel it coming from miles away, and you're allowed to turn a blind eye). It's also worth noting that some of thescreamers have a purpose: to encourage you to move on or go to a particular room, so if you take a step back and analyze the situation, you'll be less frightened.

Back to our room: as you enter, you're immersed in the atmosphere with a lobby boy explaining the rules, 100% in role. Then you board an elevator... The rest we'll let you discover for yourself (we're not going to give away the experience either...). But there are a couple of things we can say about the decor: it's a real winner! Immersion is immediate, and everything is absolutely eerie. The lighting and sound ambience also have a lot to do with it. Like us, you'll find yourself wandering the corridors... Or rather, trying to move forward, since the beginning of your adventure will make you want to huddle together rather than wander through the hotel in search of your room.

As we said, horror is aesthetic. It's even cinematic, and your positioning in the spaces at the time of certain "events" gives you a front-row seat for perfect framing on a movie screen. The lights, the appearances and disappearances... Just like in a horror movie.

As for the puzzles, they're simple at first glance, as you'll realize when you're debriefing, but in the heat of the action, it's a whole different kettle of fish: the atmosphere and the fear will scramble your brain, and simple things will seem complicated. Don't panic, this is normal: it's a reflex your brain adopts as it receives too much information at once. That's why The One offers slightly simpler puzzles, the idea being to scare you, but not block you either.

What more can I say? The story is complete and well-crafted, the special effects are particularly well done, and the two possible endings, depending on the choices you make, will encourage you, perhaps, to return. It's an experience you'd be foolish to miss, even if you're scared... We were very scared, we screamed a lot, but we loved it!

A 90-minute experience, for groups of 3 to 6 players, and especially forbidden to under-18s due to its theme, among other things. The room is also available in English, for English speakers and foreign tourists. At The One Escape, innovation is at the heart of every experience. The team's mission is to offer unique rooms, with scenarios never seen before in Paris, combining technology and staging.

Are you ready for an unforgettable night in this horror hotel?