Insomnia Corporation: El Secreto de los Krugger

Hidden in the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees, north of Barcelona, lies a place that has become legendary among horror fans and immersive escape room enthusiasts: the Insomnia Hotel in Berga. What Climent Vila and his team have created in this converted mountain lodge is far more than a game — it’s a complete overnight experience that gets under your skin.

While Insomnia’s first two games — Doctor’s Cocktail and La Casa — are more or less “traditional” escape rooms (albeit excellent ones, with La Casa defending its high TERPECA ranking for over five years now), its crown jewel, El Secreto de los Krugger (The Krugger’s Secret), is a six-hour, fully immersive experience that blends escape room, immersive theater, horror maze, and themed dinner into one unforgettable night. We were honored to be the first fully English-speaking group to play it — and it did not disappoint.

At the exact booked time, the doors open and you’re swept into the story. From the moment you step inside, the adventure begins. The hotel hosts no more than about a dozen guests at a time — and that’s intentional. The intensity of the experience thrives on intimacy, proximity, and the feeling that there’s no escape. You’ll dive into the dark and twisted history of the Krugger family, who inhabit the hotel and have filled it with puzzles, secrets, and disturbing details.

Check-in is handled by the master of the house himself, Sebastián — fully in character. Each guest room is its own escape game, dedicated to a Krugger family member and must be unlocked through puzzles by the guest staying in it: secret doors, barred bathrooms, locked coffin beds, mysterious contraptions — nothing is ordinary here. The décor ranges from morbid to bloody, the atmosphere from tense to downright terrifying.

The dinner is a culinary nightmare in the best possible way: creative, surprising, and perfectly tailored to the dark narrative. There are small tasks to complete — a questionnaire, tarot cards, private conversations. What they all mean is best left unspoiled. As you eat, the drama unfolds through short explanations and theatrical scenes — and it becomes clear: we are not welcome here. But it’s too late. The night begins.

With the arrival of the rest of the family, the first floor of the hotel opens — revealing a labyrinth of puzzles, secrets, and sinister figures. You’ll solve riddles, hide, flee, and complete tasks — all while avoiding capture. The puzzles are non-linear and spread throughout the hotel, allowing all guests to explore, solve, hide and sneak around simultaneously. Those brave enough will uncover hidden passages, secret laboratories, and deeper layers of the Krugger family’s story. A clever system tracks the progress of the guests, allowing the actors to balance the experience as game masters and ensure help is provided when needed.

El Secreto de los Krugger ist dank seiner Dauer ein gleichzeitig entschleunigtes und trotzdem intensives Erlebnis, das mit exzellenter Thematisierung, starker Schauspielkunst und einem hohen Scare-Faktor punktet. Wer schon immer davon geträumt hat, sein eigenes „Shining“ zu erleben, wer Horror liebt, Rätsel löst und Spanisch, Katalanisch oder Englisch spricht – der sollte sich überlegen, ob ein Trip in die Pyrenäen nicht genau das Richtige ist.