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Hawthorne Manor

Name: Hawthorne Manor
Brand: Spare Time
Rating: 4.29 (11 reviews)

Verified

4.29

2 - 10 people60 minutesMedium

On a stormy night at Hawthorne Manor, someone plans to alter patriarch Jacob's will and murder him. After the deed, a mysterious savior must unveil the killer. Are you ready to uncover the truth?

Large groupsBeginnersWith children

Company Spare Time

Medium

Not scary

Without actorsActors

EnglishGame language

About the escape room

On a dark and stormy night a family gathers to celebrate a birthday at Hawthorne Manor. One of them is hiding something, plotting to manipulate Jacob, the patriarch, into altering his will before murdering him. When the killer succeeds, someone must solve the mystery and name the killer so Jacob's remaining family can find peace. Can you figure out who killed Jacob?

Brief assessment

Navigator AI

Go if you want a tough, lock-forward whodunnit and don’t mind some rough edges. Bring a flexible crew, keep expectations in check, and you might still enjoy piecing together the killer’s trail.

4.29

11 reviews

Location

86*********

Paid Parking

Wifi

Wardrobe

AI Overview

AIPlayers consistently report maintenance and setup issues, from missing props to cheap or mis-keyed locks. Game master support is hit-or-miss, swinging from overbearing to slow or unresponsive, and the ending isn’t clearly signaled with accurate timing. The story feels thin to several groups, and value for money is questioned given the build quality. Difficulty skews higher, but not always for the right reasons—ambiguity and mis-sets inflate the challenge.

WeaknessesReports of missing or broken props, flimsy locks, and puzzles that feel fiddly or unclear. Inconsistent hosting, including unsolicited hints, slow responses, and confusion at the finish. Price feels steep for the production level.

StrengthsChallenging for groups who enjoy deduction and lock-based puzzles. A classic manor murder premise can be fun if everything is set correctly.

SecurityNo safety concerns raised beyond operational hiccups like unclear end conditions and timers not stopping on completion. A proper pre-brief on locks and how the game ends would help.

Level of fearNot a scare room—more mystery than horror—so teens and cautious players should be fine. No live scare actors mentioned.

Actors' gameNo live actors; interaction is with the game master only. Reviews describe uneven support, from hovering with unsolicited hints to slow responses when help is requested.

Quality of riddlesDifficulty ranges from obvious to confusing, with logic breaks when props are missing and a final puzzle that can be fiddly. Lock quality is criticized and key/lock matching can be inconsistent. Experienced teams may find a real challenge; newcomers might feel lost without clear guidance.

PlotClassic manor murder mystery where you identify the killer. Several players felt the narrative wasn’t reinforced well by the puzzles or props.

Difficulty levelLeans hard, sometimes due to ambiguity rather than depth. Not ideal for first-timers unless the setup is spotless and the briefing thorough.

Reviews

Maya R.

Beginner

After 40 rooms, this was our least favorite. The staffer seemed out of it and didn’t respond when we needed help, critical props were missing, and some keys worked in places they shouldn’t. One sliding picture had no purpose without the missing item, and the last puzzle was incredibly fiddly despite us solving it right away. The spaces felt empty and budget, yet the price was anything but. We woul

03.09.2025

Dylan H.

Beginner

We were told no rooms, then suddenly there was space after we’d left, which set the tone. A key prop wasn’t in the room and we weren’t warned, the GM hovered with hints we didn’t ask for, and the finish wasn’t clear even after an audio cue. We had to call them in to confirm we were done, and the timer never stopped, so our time was wrong. For what we paid, the build felt cheap, and the whole exper

03.07.2025

Guest

Beginner

Most frustrating room I’ve done: prop missing, key fit the wrong lock, and we had to ask if we’d even finished. For what they charge, that’s a no from me.

06.06.2025

alex_89

Beginner

Tougher than expected, with a lot of lock logic and a nice whodunnit hook. We still had fun, but some props felt worn and the ending cue was murky. If you like a challenge and can roll with imperfections, it works.

22.12.2025

Lena✨

Beginner

The mystery angle is cool and there’s real challenge, but it lives or dies on the reset. Our GM tried to help; still, the final puzzle was super fiddly and killed momentum.

28.06.2025

Marina K.

Beginner

Paid premium pricing and got a room with missing pieces and a fuzzy finish. Hints took a while and some locks felt like dollar-store buys. Not recommending at this price point.

10.08.2025

Nadia V.

Beginner

Felt like an understaffed operation, clues were slow to arrive, and lots of stuff seemed broken. Easily one of the weakest escape room experiences I’ve had.

03.12.2025

Chris D.

Beginner

Atmosphere is there, but the flow wasn’t. A couple puzzles clicked, others made zero sense until a nudge. Could be decent with better reset and clearer lock guidance.

07.05.2025

Owen K.

Beginner

Most of the solves were obvious, but a few hints made no sense at all. The inconsistency threw off the flow.

11.04.2025

Tara M.

Beginner

Definitely one of their tougher rooms—had us working for every open. If you want a mental workout, this will scratch the itch.

01.04.2025

Ben S.

Beginner

Decent for first-timers if someone double-checks the reset and actually explains the locks. With that, you could have an okay time.