Overview
Forget about staycations; it's all about playcations now that the team at Funlab is ready to bring its popular Hijinx Hotel to Melbourne CBD for the first time. Launching at QV Melbourne on Friday, August 1, this kaleidoscopic entertainment destination combines with a brand-new Archie Brothers location, meaning hypnotising challenge rooms, nostalgic arcade games and OTT cocktails await under one roof.
For those yet to visit Hijinx Hotel's Chadstone location, it's best if you forget what you think you know about hotels. You're invited to leave the suitcase at home, as this play, not stay, adventure sees guests swipe their keycard on a series of challenge rooms disguised as hotel suites. Inside, your usual guestroom furniture is replaced with everything from ball pits and basketball hoops to giant puzzles, with each completed challenge earning your team a point.
Credit: Zennieshia Butts
During your play, teams of two to six players complete a course of five challenges from ten in total, with guests given just four minutes to crack each room's task. QV Melbourne's Hijinx Hotel will have brand-new challenge rooms to tackle, with precision, teamwork and quick thinking key to reaching the top of the leaderboard. Embrace your inner thief for a fast-paced operation, then dodge your way across a mega light-up floor grid.
"We're on a mission to unleash serious fun into Melbourne's social scene," says Funlab CEO, Michael Schreiber. "This venue is about escaping the ordinary. Whether it's a date night, a team outing, a birthday celebration or a spontaneous hang with friends, we've created a space where play comes first, energy is high, and everyone leaves with a smile."
Credit: Zennieshia Butts
Yet the Hijinx Hotel is just half of the equation. Under the same roof is a new Archie Brothers location, ripe for circus-themed arcade fun. Spanning an impressive 1600 square metres, this sprawling space is made for competitive socialising, with claw machines, arcade games and engrossing VR experiences offering nostalgic and future-forward gaming in the same spot. Plus, karaoke rooms and function spaces cater to crowds big and small.
The theatre continues into the cocktail bar, where expert bartenders serve a myriad of attention-grabbing concoctions. The Bubble and Pop is just one example, featuring tropical rum-drenched flavours and topped with a scented bubble that bursts into a suspended vapour. The food menu is also a hit, stacked with classic options like pizza, tacos, chicken bites and more, elevating this soon-to-open entertainment hub even further.
Credit: Zennieshia Butts
Credit: Zennieshia Butts
Credit: Zennieshia Butts
Credit: Zennieshia Butts
Credit: Morgan Roberts
Credit: Zennieshia Butts
Credit: Elise Healy
Credit: Kristoffer Paulsen
Credit: Kristoffer Paulsen
Hijinx Hotel and Archie Brothers will open on Friday, August 1, at QV Melbourne, Level 3, 222 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Head to the website for more information.