The Retreat
We had visited The Retreat in 2021, so we had an idea of what to expect with regard to format. However, the team have switched elements of the experience up so that we were kept on our toes.
In 2021, we were late arriving to the meeting point so we were a little stressed which took over from any nervousness we may have felt but this year, we had plenty of time, and the nerves kicked in before the experience even started. The anticipation of waiting in a dark car park for something to happen and someone to turn up certainly set the scene for the night.
The crazy taxi ride dissipated our anxiety a little, but this time, the location of the cabin was shrouded in secrecy as we were hooded just before we arrived and the hoods weren’t removed until we stepped through the door. This meant we were completely unaware of our surroundings. This, accompanied by the fact that one side of the cabin is floor to ceiling glass, had our nerves jangling again, and in no time as it was pitch black out there.
As expected, the actors made the most of the glass, appearing against it when we least expected along with more subtle approaches from a distance. Scream 2 had been set up on the DVD, ready for us to press play when we were settled which was a nice continuation from last year when we had Scream to watch.
As the evening continued, the experience increased in intensity. The characters certainly made themselves known to us, whether it was through creepy phone calls, hiding outside, forcing us to closely follow instructions we’d received from the main protagonist, Scarecrow, or through no nonsense physical contact.
The story evolved and we were dragged into it from all angles, becoming characters in our very own horror film. There was a great mix of scare and comedy which worked well as we had moments of being relaxed, but the actors soon switched it up to make sure the laughter didn’t last too long and we remembered exactly why we were there.
We loved the immersive side of this experience: guests of The Retreat are certainly not expected to be passive spectators, and we were involved from the get go. The continuity from, and nods to the first iteration in 2021 was great, although if you haven’t been a previous guest, you really wouldn’t be missing out on anything vital.
The Retreat really is a very unique experience in that you are expected to put in what you take from the experience. We wouldn’t want to say any more than that but the creators certainly love the attention to detail which continues even up until the point you are home and can continue the story.
We genuinely cannot wait to see what the future holds for this event.
In 2021, we were late arriving to the meeting point so we were a little stressed which took over from any nervousness we may have felt but this year, we had plenty of time, and the nerves kicked in before the experience even started. The anticipation of waiting in a dark car park for something to happen and someone to turn up certainly set the scene for the night.
The crazy taxi ride dissipated our anxiety a little, but this time, the location of the cabin was shrouded in secrecy as we were hooded just before we arrived and the hoods weren’t removed until we stepped through the door. This meant we were completely unaware of our surroundings. This, accompanied by the fact that one side of the cabin is floor to ceiling glass, had our nerves jangling again, and in no time as it was pitch black out there.
As expected, the actors made the most of the glass, appearing against it when we least expected along with more subtle approaches from a distance. Scream 2 had been set up on the DVD, ready for us to press play when we were settled which was a nice continuation from last year when we had Scream to watch.
As the evening continued, the experience increased in intensity. The characters certainly made themselves known to us, whether it was through creepy phone calls, hiding outside, forcing us to closely follow instructions we’d received from the main protagonist, Scarecrow, or through no nonsense physical contact.
The story evolved and we were dragged into it from all angles, becoming characters in our very own horror film. There was a great mix of scare and comedy which worked well as we had moments of being relaxed, but the actors soon switched it up to make sure the laughter didn’t last too long and we remembered exactly why we were there.
We loved the immersive side of this experience: guests of The Retreat are certainly not expected to be passive spectators, and we were involved from the get go. The continuity from, and nods to the first iteration in 2021 was great, although if you haven’t been a previous guest, you really wouldn’t be missing out on anything vital.
The Retreat really is a very unique experience in that you are expected to put in what you take from the experience. We wouldn’t want to say any more than that but the creators certainly love the attention to detail which continues even up until the point you are home and can continue the story.
We genuinely cannot wait to see what the future holds for this event.
Links:
You Review

Have you also visited this or any other attractions recently? - tell us what you thought here