Funlab open world’s first challenge room ‘hotel’

Entertainment and hospitality provider Funlab has opened the doors on what it calls the world’s first challenge room ‘hotel’ in the Sydney suburb of Alexandria.

Featuring 15 challenge rooms, themed bars and a giant new indoor golf course, the Hijinx Hotel offers an immersive entertainment space with themed escape rooms.

Each of the 15 eccentric escape rooms are designed for a physical or mental challenge with each containing a game that have to be undertaken in just four minutes, reached via an imitation hotel lobby and a facade inspired by New York hotels.

Within, teams of two to six players have to work their way through sets of five rooms and earn as many points as possible. Games include ‘Adore-a-Ball’, in which guest find gold balls in a pit of clear balls and throw them through a target, earning one point for each that goes through, ‘Shape’n Up’ -inspired by Tetris - where players must use foam shapes to match a pattern projected on a wall and ‘Draw Me Like One of Your French Girls’ is modelled on the Titanic.

Here teams must find ‘leaks’ (buttons) as they illuminate around the space, which is designed to look like a room in a sinking ship.

There’s also a giant floor piano, inspired by the one in the Tom Hanks film Big, as well as challenges akin to Twister and Scrabble.

As of opening last week, the attraction offers 10 challenge rooms, with a further five to open in the coming weeks.

Images: Yusuke Oba/Funlab.