Your First Escape Room: What to Expect at Valley Escape

If you've never done an escape room before, you might not know quite what to expect. Are they scary? Are they difficult? Will you feel stupid if you need help? Here's a guide to what happens when you walk through our doors for the first time.

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Arriving at Valley Escape

We're tucked behind the Cwmtwrch Welfare Hall on the A4068 — follow the path around the back of the building and you'll find us. There's free parking on site, so no need to worry about that.

We ask players to arrive around ten minutes before their booking time. This isn't just admin — it's when the adventure actually begins.

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The Briefing

Before you enter the room, your host will gather your team for a briefing. This is where you'll hear the story of Eloise Brewster for the first time — the eccentric, secretive heiress who died leaving behind a cryptic will, a trail of puzzles, and somewhere hidden among it all, a fortune in bitcoin.

The briefing also covers the practical side: how the different types of locks work, what you're looking for, and how the game is structured. There is a lot to see when you first walk into a room and we want you to hit the ground running the moment you step inside, not spend the first ten minutes figuring out the basics.

We'll also explain the two win conditions. Opening the safe is the primary goal — and it's designed so that most teams achieve it, leaving with a genuine sense of triumph. But inside the safe, you'll find instructions for the full expert escape. Complete that too, and you'll be among a select group of teams who've unlocked everything Eloise left behind.

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Inside the Room

Once the briefing is done, the clock starts and you're on your own — almost.

Eloise Brewster, it turns out, is not entirely gone. She has a habit of communicating from beyond the grave, and any hints she has for your team are passed on by your host. Think of it less as asking for help and more as receiving a message from a mischievous heiress who wants you to succeed — on her terms.

While horror is a popular theme for escape rooms, at Valley Escape, we design family-friendly games that are great for players of all ages. We've hosted family teams spanning four generations, and often run party games for children's birthdays. Kids are surprisingly good at our game and they often deduce the correct logical path more quickly than teams of adults. 

Your host is focused exclusively on your game throughout. No split attention, no distractions. Just one team, one host, one hour.

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How Difficult Is It?

This is probably the question we get asked most often, and the honest answer is: it depends on your team — but we've designed it so that difficulty is never an obstacle to having a great time.

Brewster's Millions has been built with a deliberate range of puzzles. Some are straightforward and satisfying, designed to get teams moving quickly and build confidence early. Others are more challenging and will make even experienced escape room players think hard. A few are tricky and are there specifically for teams who want to attempt the full expert escape. The logic behind most puzzles is generally straightforward, especially those that lead to the safe.

The result is that no one player carries the team, and no one player gets left behind. Different puzzles reward different kinds of thinking — logic, observation, lateral thinking, pattern recognition and even coordination — so there's usually a moment where everyone contributes something.

If you get genuinely stuck, Eloise is always on hand with a nudge in the right direction. We'd rather give you a hint than watch you spend ten minutes in the wrong corner of the room.

Our reviews suggest that the difficulty level lands in the right place for most teams — challenging enough to feel genuinely rewarding, but never so obscure that it stops being fun.

Mobile Phones — We're More Relaxed Than You'd Think

Most escape rooms ban phones entirely. We take a more relaxed approach. Photos and recording inside the room aren't permitted — we don't want the puzzles finding their way onto the internet — but using your phone for other purposes during the game is fine.

In fact, one of our favourite moments in recent memory involved a Gen Z player who couldn't crack a particular puzzle. Rather than asking for a hint, they described it carefully to an AI assistant on their phone — and the AI pointed them in the right direction. They were really chuffed and if you're happy, we're happy

The Prizes

If your team completes the escape, you won't leave empty-handed. Our prizes come from the personal collection of the real woman who inspired Eloise Brewster — accumulated over a lifetime and now finding new homes with teams who've earned them.

Complete the full expert escape and you'll have the option to exchange your in-game bitcoin for a prize. It seemed only right, given the story.

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The Photo

At the end of every game, win or lose, we take a team photo in front of the Valley Escape backdrop. Every player gets a sign to hold — ours are pre-written, so you'll get to pick yours from our selection. These photos end up on our Wall of Fame, and the signs generally sum up the team's experience well.

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Ready to Give It a Go?

First-timers are some of our favourite players. There's no experience needed, no specialist knowledge required, and no such thing as a silly question. Just bring your team, your curiosity, and a willingness to work together — Eloise will take care of the rest.

You can book your game at valleyescape.co.uk. Prices start from £12 per person. Or contact us if you still have questions.