Kingston is home to Improbable Escapes, and our first visit there opened our eyes to what an immersive escape room really is. They put so much attention to detail into their builds, their puzzles and their staff that it’s hard to fault any of their rooms. We’d encourage anyone from Montreal to Toronto to Ottawa to make the trip and book a double-header.
This list is ranked by our own review scores, highest first, and only includes rooms that are still open.
1. Coroner’s Report
Our score: 9.4/10 · Improbable Escapes
Rumour has it the old Ambrosia General Hospital was shut down after its doctors ran strange experiments on patients, and now the door has slammed shut behind you. This is the best horror escape room in Ontario that we’ve completed. Every wall, ceiling, floor and door is dressed for the part, the props are as good as you can imagine, and there are atmospheric elements we haven’t seen anywhere else. One puzzle isn’t really needed and can be a distraction, and more than four players will make this small, dark space feel crowded.
Read our review of Coroner’s Report
2. Neverland: Heist on the High Seas
Our score: 9.3/10 · Improbable Escapes
Captain Hook has locked you in the brig of the Jolly Roger, and you have 60 minutes to take the ship, find Neverland and escape with his treasure. This room redefined the word “immersive” for us, with near-perfect audio, lighting and physical props. The puzzles are varied, tricky and never predictable. Our only nitpicks were a slight over-use of technology in one puzzle and the smallest of environmental errors.
Read our review of Neverland: Heist on the High Seas
3. The Triwizard Trials
Our score: 9.3/10 · Improbable Escapes
To join Wizzle Wozzle’s Academy, you’ll need to pass the entrance exam by brewing potions, charming mythical beasts and facing a final test of heart, mind and magic. Danielle said this was her favourite room so far. Built sets blend cleverly with the building’s old stone columns, the props are top-notch, and there isn’t a traditional lock in sight. It’s medium-hard and you’ll need to be quick, and it’s ideally suited for four, maybe five, people.
Read our review of The Triwizard Trials
4. The Cure for the Common Zombie
Our score: 8.8/10 · Improbable Escapes
A mutated common cold has turned billions into the undead, and the only cure is hidden in a research facility in the deadliest place on earth: Canada. Improbable turned the basement under the stairs into one of the best arctic settings we’ve seen, leading into a surprisingly convincing control centre. The puzzles are non-linear, so you can split into teams. The detail is so thorough that it’s tempting to treat every extra item as a clue, and the dark space with flashing lights and some unsettling props may not suit younger kids.
Read our review of The Cure for the Common Zombie
5. The Undersea Overthrow
Our score: 8.3/10 · Improbable Escapes
Your boss fired your dive team right before launch, so you’re stealing the submarine, sailing to Atlantis and saving the relics yourselves. There’s a lot of technology and no traditional locks, and the Jetsons-meets-Art-Deco submarine is one of the better ships we’ve seen. The underwater section is packed with high quality, hand-made props, right down to the bubbles floating above you. It fits four to six players, though it may get a little tight toward the very end.
Read our review of The Undersea Overthrow
6. Legend of the Mayan Temple
Our score: 8.0/10 · Improbable Escapes
Your archaeological team needs the King’s lost cup from a Mayan temple, and the helicopter leaves in one hour, with or without you. You start at a camp and head deeper into the jungle in a more physical room where many of the usual escape room rules don’t apply (but do listen to the new ones). There’s a mix of traditional locks and ancient Mayan physical puzzles, and at one point we lost track of what floor we were on. It’s one of their older rooms, so it’s missing some of the luxurious finishing touches of their newer spaces.
Read our review of Legend of the Mayan Temple
7. Seven Dwarfs: Mining Mission
Our score: 7.8/10 · Improbable Escapes
Snow White needs you to destroy the poison apple once and for all by casting it into the very centre of the earth. This is one of the most immersive rooms we’ve ever done. It really feels like a cottage, then a dwarf mine, and plenty of technology is balanced with dark, rugged puzzles. One puzzle came down to how we saw a colour, and that cost us enough time to go over, so expect a medium-hard challenge.
