A room with a broom
Location: Boerne, TX
Date Played: August 27, 2023
Team Size: 2-10; we recommend 2 adults or 2-5 kids (with an adult)
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $36 per player
Ticketing: Private
Accessibility Consideration: There’s one small step.
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
Seasoning of the Witch was our first hint that the greater San Antonio area might be developing the start of a family-friendly escape room scene. Our experienced team of two adults flew through this room, but the things that made it easy for us would make it approachable and satisfying to a younger audience.
Notably, this is a very search-heavy experience with several riddly-though-direct instructions about what to do next. This design seems best suited for newer players, but the rapid-fire pace of discovery was still fun for us. The lower end of age-appropriateness likely hinges on how comfortable players are with classic fairy tale gruesomeness. Use your knowledge of witches who live in candy houses to guess whether the kids you know might shudder a bit.
My only quibble with the gameplay regarded the final sequence of actions. I appreciated the effort to guide us through a narratively meaningful set of steps. However, the ultimate solution was obvious early on, and the intermediate steps offered no new information or rewarding value. It would have been less tedious if each step contributed information toward unlocking the final moments.
Regardless, this game belongs on a list of family fun near San Antonio, and I’d happily bring my kids back to play it if we’re ever in the area again.
Who is this for?
- Story seekers
- Newbies, especially groups with kids
Why play?
- As part of a family-focused escape room crawl near San Antonio
Story
We found ourselves trapped in a witch’s cottage. The only logical conclusion was that she might want to eat us, so we figured we should escape.
Setting
The entrance to the cottage was adorned with candy, but the inside was a fairly standard 19th century cottage.
Gameplay
Boerne Escape Rooms’ Seasoning of the Witch was a standard escape room with a low level of difficulty.
Gameplay involved lots of searching, following cryptic instructions, and making connections.
Analysis
➕ Extensive searching built good momentum early in the game, making for a satisfying on-ramp for any experience level.
➕ Playful hiding spots made searching enjoyable (and presumably extra enjoyable for kids).
➖ The set was adequate, but less inspired than the entryway to the room. We would have liked to see the candy cottage theme persist inside to liven up the random furniture.
➕/➖ Audio feedback snippets helped us know when we had completed certain puzzles, but failed to help us find the effects.
➕ Riddle-like instructions generally kept us focused on the appropriate task.
➕ Several puzzling activities were thematic tasks that fit the narrative well.
➖ The final puzzle sequence required intermediate actions that didn’t feel necessary or rewarding.
➖ The ending was anti-climatic, especially for the effort involved.
➕ Progress monitor FTW. Newer and/or anxious players (like me!) rejoice!
Tips For Visiting
- There is a parking lot.
- If you opt to bring kids to this experience (which you should if they’re 7 or older), think ahead about how to help kids enjoy escape rooms.
Book your hour with Boerne Escape Rooms’ Seasoning of the Witch, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Boerne Escape Rooms comped our tickets for this game.
