Dark Arts Bar & Elusion Escape Rooms
Dark Arts Bar & Elusion Escape Rooms
Dark Arts Bar & Elusion Escape Rooms
5
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
About
Experience five incredibly immersive and detailed escape rooms, perfect for all ages! With over 1,500 five-star customer ratings, each game offers a unique, exciting adventure that will challenge your mind and teamwork. After your escape, relax at Hampshire’s #1 cocktail bar, known for its stunning fantasy theming, atmosphere and bubbling dry ice potions. Whether you're looking for thrilling entertainment or a place to unwind with a perfectly crafted drink, this venue offers an unforgettable experience for everyone!
Duration: 1-2 hours
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- Molly B2 contributionsBrilliant experienceJust want to say a massive thank you to these guys as they truly saved the day! I was able to book a room last minute and the lady I spoke to could not of been more helpful! We arrived to do the room and the staff were friendly and very enthusiastic, just what you want when you do rooms like these! Keep up the good work and we will definitely be coming back soon!Visited January 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 4 February 2024
- Samantha P1 contributionPotions and Peril Escape Room ReviewWe loved this experience and so did our children aged, 10, 13 and 16! The staff were friendly and welcoming and everything was explained well to us. We loved the room and the theme and have booked to go back with friends to do another escape room!Visited February 2024Travelled with familyWritten 14 February 2024
- Tommy WWokingham, United Kingdom3 contributionsHubble bubble puzzles and trouble!My partner and I did the potions and peril escape room and loved it. It was our first escape room we’ve done and we’ll definitely be doing more. The escape room itself was fantastic and well exceeded our expectations. There were so many intricate details, mini puzzles and cryptic symbols, the hour flew by. Our game master (18:20 16/02/24) was great and popped in a couple of times to get us back on track but it always felt supportive and never patronising. We completed the room with a few seconds to spare and has been the topic of most convocations since. If anyone is a Harry Potter fan and wants the closest thing to a real life Hogwarts Legacy quest, this escape room is for you!Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 February 2024
- Gardiner FamilySouthampton, United Kingdom11 contributionsFun family experienceThis was a really fun escape room. There were lots of puzzles to solve simultaneously while exploring the room (rather than linear) so everyone kept busy. Puzzles were varied enough so all could contribute- our younger daughter found lots of clues. It was really enjoyable.Visited February 2024Travelled with familyWritten 17 February 2024
- Ian K1 contributionPotions&Spells escape room - great experienceA really great room. There were 5 of us, 'seasoned' Escape Roomers and we were in the Potions&Spells room. We did it with 5mins to spare and only asked for clues twice. We all enjoyed it, it was fun, kept all of us engaged and the whole place had a friendly and welcoming vibe. Will be returning, for sure.Visited February 2024Travelled with familyWritten 20 February 2024
- Kelly EAmesbury, United Kingdom64 contributionsNot to be missed!We played the Deadly Sins room this weekend and it was brilliant! I'm pleased to say we escaped with over 20 minutes remaining, quite an achievement for 7 scaredy cat ladies. One room with 7 separate games, each based on one of the 7 deadly sins. The perfect mix of physical and mental challenges. A great choice for groups as you can pair off to solve the clues. We'll be back to try another room soon!Visited February 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 25 February 2024
- lisa b1 contribution1st escape room experienceThis was our first ever escape room and definitely won't be our last! Our guide Chloe was friendly, informative and encouraging and the room had a great mix of code breaking and physical clues. I'd say this was the perfect room for a first time experience and can't wait to try some different ones!Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 2 March 2024
- Tyler MCrawley, United Kingdom7 contributionsFantastic Staff!Had a fab time playing Cursed Waters and chatting to all of the staff at the venue. Very much like the look of the bar, so will be back for that in the future, as well as the remaining escape rooms! Shoutout to Jamie in particular for being a great host and a huge thanks to everyone for accommodating us so last-minute! We'll be back!Visited February 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 4 March 2024
- Rebecca H34 contributionsSwept Away with the Fun.We played Legend of The Cursed Waters at the end of what had been a challenging day, and wow did it cheer us up! There was enough to do for a team of 5, with a variety of puzzles to work though, skill games, logic, word puzzles and a lot of nooks and crannies to pick our way through. The theming was on point and from the moment we stepped into the bar and briefing lounge, we could see the attention to detail was not going to be skimped. We were smiling all the way through as we found more and more clues to help us on our way, and none of us were left standing around twiddling our thumbs. The soundtrack kept us feeling immersed in another world, with just the right amount of piratey clues from our fabulous GM, Jamie. 10/10 for the accent ;) We will be back to try the other rooms and maybe even stay for drinks and cocktails next time. We got squeezed in last minute for our booking, so a big thumbs up to the team for that. Elusion Escapes definitely worth a visit if you're in Southampton.Visited February 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 7 March 2024
- BigBrian655Salisbury, United Kingdom129 contributions60th birthday treatCelebrating my 60th birthday and having never been to an escape room wasn’t sure quite what to expect. Both daughters got going and we all worked as a team laughing so much along the way. Did ask for a few pointers but a great afternoon out and can’t wait to return as there are so many different types of experience on offer here. Would say dress practical!Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 14 March 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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5.0
1,761 reviews
Excellent
1,692
Very good
50
Average
9
Poor
6
Terrible
4
Joshua
4 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
I have to say this first. The Ellusion escapes - Pandora Heist is amazing. It was so enjoyable and immersive, I can find no faults. Given the storm that was occurring outside, inside was warm and welcoming. I highly recommend them. If you are a first timer or experienced escaper you will enjoy this room. Additionally the added twist given by the story line makes the heist room makes it so much more interesting and competitive.
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AndyF
3 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
The theme for this escape room as per the website takes inspiration from horror classics like Se7en and Saw.
We got a friendly reception on arrival, there is a short stay carpark just outside this venue too, but we chose to use the nearby multistorey as we were spending longer in the area.
Mitch took us through the intros for the room concept , made sure our valuables were secured away and then the adventure starts.
No spoilers, no clues , if you are wanting an escape room then you will work it all out !
The experience is true to the site description. Mitch , who designed the room, has done a great job of keeping theme whilst providing thoughtful challenges for the braincells.
Yes there are surprises, nothing is as it seems, but then again when is it in escape room world.
So if you are in doubt , give it a go, and let yourself into the Seven Sins realm. You may not regret it, or you may become another captive .....
We got a friendly reception on arrival, there is a short stay carpark just outside this venue too, but we chose to use the nearby multistorey as we were spending longer in the area.
Mitch took us through the intros for the room concept , made sure our valuables were secured away and then the adventure starts.
No spoilers, no clues , if you are wanting an escape room then you will work it all out !
The experience is true to the site description. Mitch , who designed the room, has done a great job of keeping theme whilst providing thoughtful challenges for the braincells.
Yes there are surprises, nothing is as it seems, but then again when is it in escape room world.
So if you are in doubt , give it a go, and let yourself into the Seven Sins realm. You may not regret it, or you may become another captive .....
Written 2 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kourtney S
2 contributions
Jul 2021 • Friends
My overall experience was phenomenal. This was my first escape room and from the get-go, the horror atmosphere was there. I was serviced by Mitchell who was so down to earth and made me feel massively welcome as well providing an enticing narrative. I played 7 Sins which was both smart, scary and enjoyable. Very hands on, very engaging and would easily and happily recommend.
Written 18 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RJenks
Southampton, UK3 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Absolutely loved this escape room experience. It’s the first one I’ve done and I wasn’t sure whether it would live up to my expectations but this room definitely did and more. We were greeted by Matt the game master who was really friendly and explained well the back story for the room, he obviously enjoyed his job and we enjoyed chatting with him about the rooms. The puzzles in the room were challenging and entertaining, there was lots of variety and the room was visually stunning. I’d really recommend this company to anyone who loves a mystery and a good puzzle, the entire experience was brilliant, can’t wait to go back!
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tinks
80 contributions
Mar 2020
This review is mainly for the Cursed waters room.
We've done several other escape rooms, including Elusion's ( Seven Sins is my personal favourite, I thought it was absolutely excellent ) but we just didn't click with this one. We found the backstory / briefing quite confusing, and we weren't that clear going in what the actual object of the game was.
One of our torches wasn't working that well so we found that hindered us a bit, and we didn't feel the game flowed as easily as others.
However as always with Elusion's rooms it was done out to a really good standard & the props were very good. We needed more clues that we usually would but did complete the game & escape. I've given 5 stars as Elusion's other rooms are all excellent & it was just our personal taste that we didn't enjoy this one as much as others.
We've done several other escape rooms, including Elusion's ( Seven Sins is my personal favourite, I thought it was absolutely excellent ) but we just didn't click with this one. We found the backstory / briefing quite confusing, and we weren't that clear going in what the actual object of the game was.
One of our torches wasn't working that well so we found that hindered us a bit, and we didn't feel the game flowed as easily as others.
However as always with Elusion's rooms it was done out to a really good standard & the props were very good. We needed more clues that we usually would but did complete the game & escape. I've given 5 stars as Elusion's other rooms are all excellent & it was just our personal taste that we didn't enjoy this one as much as others.
Written 9 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ells_rosemary
Hampshire, UK14 contributions
Jan 2022 • Family
The room itself was amazing, the puzzles and amount of content in this escape room is so great. We did “Pandora”, it can be a little hard to find one suitable for kids & adults but this was perfect, it was my younger brothers first time doing an escape room & he loved it (9 years old). Mitch was our guide & he was really great, the clues he gave were perfect because they didn’t give too much away but allowed us to piece it together ourselves, he was really friendly, laughed with us & made the experience so much more enjoyable, i would definitely recommend this company, their puzzle rooms and would hope you also get Mitch as your guide!
There is pay and display parking out the front of the building, it’s easy to find & even has lockers to store your bags.
I would 1000% recommend for all ages or mixes of ages too!
There is pay and display parking out the front of the building, it’s easy to find & even has lockers to store your bags.
I would 1000% recommend for all ages or mixes of ages too!
Written 18 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen
6 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
The overall experience was lack lustre and flat. Paid in full for a 1 hour session, lasted less than 15mins (not due to completion but due to hammed up acting and fluffed up scripts) If you like condescending comments from immature privileged teens, then this is a hit. If not and and you are part of normal society then stay well clear! Third rate interior decoration, amature games and less then amature dramatic quality from the staff. Save your cash or give to charity, don't waste it here. A GCSE in drama has never been more in demand. Terrible experience, over priced and poorly made cocktails. Really disappointed.
A reluctant one star. Would give zero if possible.
A reluctant one star. Would give zero if possible.
Written 14 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kitty B
4 contributions
Jun 2021
This was really fun! We did Cursed Waters and it was so good, the theme was amazing and the room was difficult without feeling impossible. The room was also so well set up so it was really immersive. Jordan was our Game Master and he was fantastic, gave good hints when we asked without making it too obvious and stayed in character the whole time. Definitely want to return to try the other rooms!
Written 23 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kirsty H
2 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Went for the first time today, Xandy was brilliant at setting the scene and creating right level of anxiety and excitement going into the room . The escape room itself was immersive and created a good atmosphere for the theme, the puzzles challenged and engaged us. Will definitely book again and try the other rooms.
Written 29 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Josephine H
4 contributions
Oct 2024 • Friends
A group of 6 of us went in on 22.10.24 on the off chance we’d be able to have a drink. Fortunately there was a spare table but I’d advise booking if you know you want to go.
Our hosts were Catie and Pik and they were superb! Catie has the best eye make up I’ve ever seen. Both were really engaging, fully explained our options which included puzzle boxes we could do, though we didn’t really have time. We went straight for the drinks menu and what a menu! 4 of us had cocktails, one had a mocktail and one had the butter tea which came in a very generous tea pot. There is a wide range of cocktails with something for every taste. I had the Momento Mori (as a Latin teacher it felt appropriate) which came in a glass skull, bubbling and steaming with the souls of the dead. It tasted like how a Bakewell tart would taste if it were a drink. Sirens Kiss featured dry ice and Wild Fyre featured, you’ve guessed it, fire.
If you like your nights out with a bit of theatre, Dark Arts Potions is the place to go.
I’ve done one of the escape rooms in the past too and would highly recommend Potions and Peril for a magical escape experience.
I’ll certainly be going back, after all I’ve a whole cocktail menu to work through!
Our hosts were Catie and Pik and they were superb! Catie has the best eye make up I’ve ever seen. Both were really engaging, fully explained our options which included puzzle boxes we could do, though we didn’t really have time. We went straight for the drinks menu and what a menu! 4 of us had cocktails, one had a mocktail and one had the butter tea which came in a very generous tea pot. There is a wide range of cocktails with something for every taste. I had the Momento Mori (as a Latin teacher it felt appropriate) which came in a glass skull, bubbling and steaming with the souls of the dead. It tasted like how a Bakewell tart would taste if it were a drink. Sirens Kiss featured dry ice and Wild Fyre featured, you’ve guessed it, fire.
If you like your nights out with a bit of theatre, Dark Arts Potions is the place to go.
I’ve done one of the escape rooms in the past too and would highly recommend Potions and Peril for a magical escape experience.
I’ll certainly be going back, after all I’ve a whole cocktail menu to work through!
Written 23 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for your feedback, our mixologists work hard on cocktail designs and constantly look to upgrade and improve all of our menu selection so I’m sure they will be delighted to hear this.
Written 24 October 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Is the Seven Sins room really scary? The birthday girl would love this but some of our group are nervous (mid-30s and half of us have lost our nerve!)
Written 21 May 2021
Hi Seven Sins has one or two jump scare elements but is more thematic in terms of horror experiences out there. There are no live actors and it is at its heart a puzzle oriented game with a few unnerving twists and a grisly atmosphere. It has some dark humour as well and is even more fun for everyone involved with one or two nervous people. It is many of our customers favourite escape game ever! I would say be daring and give it a go! Check out the reviews on here to see what others say about Seven Sins!
Written 2 June 2021
northeastsouthwest
Hampshire, United Kingdom
Thinking of booking with just two other friends. Because we won't fill the room up to capacity, will the time slot still be open to the public and be filled with people we didn't book with? Or is the slot exclusive to us regardless of if we filled up all 8 spaces?
Written 17 October 2019
I went with just two other people and it was just us. The room doesn't get filled up with random people. It's up to teams of 8, but 8 isnt required 😁
Written 21 October 2019
Thinking of booking this for daughter’s 13th Birthday. If they need assistance with clues, do the staff help? Do you do Birthday packages eg food, cake or anything?
Written 16 November 2017
Sorry this reply may be too late for you but if so maybe it will help others at least. I booked the Pandora Heist for a 12 year old’s birthday and it was perfect. The staff were great at providing just the right level of help so that the kids were challenged but not frustrated. They absolutely loved it. I also asked about doing cake or something there. They do not provide but were happy for me to bring if I wanted and willing to discuss and accommodate within the constraints that they have to get the room ready for the next players quite quickly. In the end we decided to take everyone home for pizza and cake but could have brought one in to have quickly in their foyer area. I was worried there wouldn’t be enough time but actually I think it would have been ok.
Written 19 December 2017
I'm thinking of purchasing this as a gift for my 2 sons and their partners and want to know what it costs, what you get for your money and if there are any adds ons that can be purchased with it.
Cheers Dianne
Written 18 October 2017
Hi Dianne,
The price is £24pp peak, and £19pp off-peak (Weekdays up to 4:30pm). Each experience is an hour long immersive activity game that requires teamwork and tests a range of skills in order to succeed at the overarching challenge and solve the puzzles throughout. The price includes the game, a team photo with props at the end and a briefing and debriefing. The entire visit lasts about 90 minutes on average. Our current game 'The Pandora Heist' does not yet have the ability for add-ons but we are due to open our second game, a psychological horror experience in the next few weeks which will offer a personalisation service shortly after opening. Please visit our website if you haven't had a chance already, to see videos and further information about our games.
Kind regards,
Simon Quinlan,
Creative Director
Written 19 October 2017
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