The Cipher Room
Pro4.9 stars from 1077 Google reviews
|Highlights
- Award-winning, independently owned rooms with puzzles and sets made in-house
- Film noir, serial-killer and wartime spy games on King Street, Newtown
- Three more games, including a TERPECA Top Room winner, at a second site in St Peters
About The Cipher Room
The Cipher Room was started by two escape game and puzzle fans who design and build almost everything themselves, from the storylines and puzzle mechanisms to the sound and lighting. They describe themselves as proud Newtown locals, and they furnish the rooms from local second-hand and vintage shops, reusing reclaimed materials where they can. The work has earned international recognition: a TERPECA Top Room award in 2022, a first for an Australian game, and two Golden Lock awards in 2024. The King Street venue in Newtown runs three games. The Marlowe Hotel is a black-and-white film noir job in 1950s New York, rated five out of five for difficulty, and players are encouraged to dress in black, white and grey. The Cabin is a serial-killer investigation with a creepy atmosphere but no jump scares, and Espionage is a 1945 spy mystery with no scary content, which makes it a good pick for families and first-timers. A second venue on May Street in St Peters holds La Rébellion, the award winner, set in a dystopian France; Mr Pepper's Toy Shop, a haunted toy shop with jump scares for players 16 and over; and Metamorphosis, an underground bunker game with stairs and a short crawl. Every game takes two to eight players and runs for 60 minutes after a ten-minute introduction, so allow about 90 minutes in all. Groups larger than eight can play several games at once by contacting the team. Bookings are online only and walk-ins aren't guaranteed, as the venues open by appointment.
Inclusions & amenities
Activity type
Price range (per person)
Pricing
Food
Availability
What's Included
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost?
Pricing is per person and falls as the team grows: $79 each for two, $75 for three, $70 for four to six and $65 for seven or eight. Children aged four and under play free. Public holiday sessions need at least three players.
Which games are at Newtown and which are at St Peters?
Newtown, at 640 King Street, has The Marlowe Hotel, The Cabin and Espionage. The St Peters site on May Street has La Rébellion, Mr Pepper's Toy Shop and Metamorphosis. Choose the location when you book.
Can we bring a group bigger than eight?
Yes. Each game takes up to eight, so larger groups split into teams and play different games at the same time. Email the team first and they will try to line up sessions for you.
Are the games suitable for kids or people who scare easily?
Families are safest with Espionage or The Marlowe Hotel, neither of which is scary. The Cabin builds a creepy mood without any jump scares, while Mr Pepper's Toy Shop is best kept for players 16 and older. Any team with a player under 16 needs an adult with them.
Are the rooms wheelchair accessible?
All games except Metamorphosis, which has stairs, can be played in a wheelchair, although the bathrooms at both venues are not accessible. Email ahead with any requirements, and extra seating can be arranged.
Where we are
Suitable occasions
Anton Abramov
a month ago
We visited Mr Pepper’s Toy Shop by Cipher Group in St Peters and had an incredible experience! The riddles were genuinely interesting and challenging, with so many clever details and interactive objects throughout the r…
Gabriela Gudex
4 months ago
After doing an escape room everywhere we travel to, we were starting to lose hope that we could find one that surprised us and the Marlowe Hotel did exactly that. As we discussed, it was an escape room that was completel…
Camilo Alarcon
4 months ago
We had such an amazing time at this escape room! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was immersive and really set the tone for the whole experience. The puzzles were clever, challenging without being frustrating…
D Tare
8 months ago
Always have such an incredible time at the Cipher Room. The rooms are genuinely clever, beautifully designed, and feel more like stepping into a story than just solving puzzles. You can tell a lot of care has gone into t…
Is this your business? Claim this listing
Related listings nearby
From $65pp
From $60pp
From $55pp
From $55pp
From $50pp