The Boudoir

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Hidden in an alley off of York St. in Ottawa’s ByWard market is an elevator that takes you up to the third floor (and it probably takes you to the second floor too but we don’t know what’s there). As soon as the door opens, you’ll know you have arrived at Mystery Motel!

Mystery Motel has created something unique: three rooms that share one overarching backstory which is revealed through a short movie. It’s not that they simply share the same story or theme, the rooms are tied together and each room gives you a little more insight into the characters and the mystery that you are trying to solve. Upon completing each room, you will be given a clue that, in combination with the clues from the other rooms, will send you on a quest around the city of Ottawa to bring closure to the narrative. The Boudoir was the second of the three rooms that we were lucky enough to experience on our last day in Ottawa.

From the registration area to the lobbies to the entrances to each room, it really does live up to its name, with the lighting and décor creating an eerie environment. The waiting areas are on the cozier side, but they do offer some brainteasers to keep you occupied until the rules are explained. It’s important to note that there is only street parking (free after 5:30 pm and on Sat/Sun) or you will have to pay for parking nearby, but since it’s in ByWard market there are plenty of things to do in the area.

The room itself is like stepping into a creepy old motel room, beautifully furnished yet at the same time gloomy and foreboding. Carefully thought out puzzles that utilize many of the props in the room entertained us with a good balance of searching, manipulating objects, and problem solving. Additionally, non-linear tasks that can be tackled at the same time allowed all the members in our group to always be engaged and yet with a good sense of direction. Some very good use of tech interspersed throughout the room kept us on our toes and everything, including the hint system, stayed within the theme of the room.

Overall the room is definitely one we recommend for its strong emphasis on teamwork and excellent puzzle design. That being said, Mystery Motel truly is three rooms coming together to become something greater, and we highly recommend completing not just the Boudoir, but all three rooms as well as the culminating quest. We didn’t have time to finish the last chapter of the adventure but the first part of it had us discovering parts of Ottawa we never would have found otherwise, including a wonderful view of the Parliament buildings. We are looking forward to returning to finish the final piece of the puzzle!