Tourist attractions in many countries include horror-themed experiences and immersive adventures. But Spain stands out in this regard, with a report in The Times describing the European nation as ‘the world’s escape-room capital’. Many of these attractions feature elaborate sets, live actors and experiences that blur the line between gaming and theatre. Ahead of Halloween, here is a look:<h2>Insomnia Hotel, a great example of Spain's ‘horror tourism’</h2>The creepy Insomnia Hotel in Catalonia features coffins, sinister dolls and dismembered limbs, with visitors invited to solve unique puzzles. The hotel located outside Berga in the foothills of the Catalan Pyrenees, draws international visitors seeking an unconventional overnight stay. The Kruggers’ Secret is a horror-themed experience at the hotel in which guests tackle puzzles before enjoying dinner and spending the night in one of its six rooms. At nearly €195 a night, the hotel attracts visitors from the US, Canada and Australia, according to The Times.Before being transformed into a horror attraction, the building was part of the Rasos de Peguera ski resort, which closed in 2004 amid a lack of snow.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/best-family-friendly-halloween-movies-hocus-pocus-to-ghostbusters-1761823711836">Best family-friendly Halloween movies - Hocus Pocus to Ghostbusters</a><h2>Spain wins escape-room awards</h2>Did you know that escape-room attractions have their own international rankings? Spain dominated the 2025 Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards (TERPECA), with five entries among the global top 10.The country’s Magic Universe in Madrid ranked second in the world, while The Kruggers’ Secret at Insomnia Hotel ranked fourth.A Legendary Adventure in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Londium near Barcelona and The Tavern in Terrassa also featured among the top 10.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/costumes-pumpkins-and-treats-halloween-is-in-the-air-1791608706610/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/costumes-pumpkins-and-treats-halloween-is-in-the-air-1791608706610/embed</a><h2>Spain has nearly 4,000 escape rooms</h2>The distinction is no accident. Spain has nearly 4,000 escape rooms, compared with around 2,000 in Britain, according to The Times.The country’s escape-room industry has increasingly focused on immersive environments, large-scale sets and interactions with actors.These attractions involve much more than solving riddles in a locked room. Visitors often navigate elaborate fictional worlds designed to evoke blockbuster films.Consultant Katie Falcon-Uff told The Times that relatively affordable commercial property in Spain allows operators to build larger experiences, often occupying nearly 100 square metres.<h2>From full-sized trains to boats: As creepy as it gets</h2>Spanish escape-room experiences range from full-sized replicas of trains and castles to environments that use scents and other sensory effects to create convincing atmospheres.Actors also play an important role in making each session feel like a live performance rather than a conventional puzzle game.According to Falcon-Uff, a successful escape room needs three key elements: a convincing physical environment, a well-paced storyline and original puzzles that challenge players without making the experience excessively difficult.Visitors want to step inside a story, inhabit another world and experience an adventure that continues long after the puzzles are solved.

Spain has emerged as the world’s escape-room capital, with nearly 4,000 attractions. These include Insomnia Hotel’s horror-themed overnight adventure to cinematic sets, immersive games, drawing international visitors.

Tourist attractions in many countries include horror-themed experiences and immersive adventures. But Spain stands out in this regard, with a report in The Times describing the European nation as ‘the world’s escape-room capital’. Many of these attractions feature elaborate sets, live actors and experiences that blur the line between gaming and theatre. Ahead of Halloween, here is a look: Insomnia Hotel, a great example of Spain's ‘horror tourism’ The creepy Insomnia Hotel in Catalonia features coffins, sinister dolls and dismembered limbs, with visitors invited to solve unique puzzles. The hotel located outside Berga in the foothills of the Catalan Pyrenees, draws international visitors seeking an unconventional overnight stay. The Kruggers’ Secret is a horror-themed experience at the hotel in which guests tackle puzzles before enjoying dinner and spending the night in one of its six rooms. At nearly €195 a night, the hotel attracts visitors from the US, Canada and Australia, according to The Times. Before being transformed into a horror attraction, the building was part of the Rasos de Peguera ski resort, which closed in 2004 amid a lack of snow. Also read: Best family-friendly Halloween movies - Hocus Pocus to Ghostbusters Spain wins escape-room awards Did you know that escape-room attractions have their own international rankings? Spain dominated the 2025 Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards (TERPECA), with five entries among the global top 10. The country’s Magic Universe in Madrid ranked second in the world, while The Kruggers’ Secret at Insomnia Hotel ranked fourth. A Legendary Adventure in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Londium near Barcelona and The Tavern in Terrassa also featured among the top 10. https://www.wionews.com/videos/costumes-pumpkins-and-treats-halloween-is-in-the-air-1791608706610/embed Spain has nearly 4,000 escape rooms The distinction is no accident. Spain has nearly 4,000 escape rooms, compared with around 2,000 in Britain, according to The Times. The country’s escape-room industry has increasingly focused on immersive environments, large-scale sets and interactions with actors. These attractions involve much more than solving riddles in a locked room. Visitors often navigate elaborate fictional worlds designed to evoke blockbuster films. Consultant Katie Falcon-Uff told The Times that relatively affordable commercial property in Spain allows operators to build larger experiences, often occupying nearly 100 square metres. From full-sized trains to boats: As creepy as it gets Spanish escape-room experiences range from full-sized replicas of trains and castles to environments that use scents and other sensory effects to create convincing atmospheres. Actors also play an important role in making each session feel like a live performance rather than a conventional puzzle game. According to Falcon-Uff, a successful escape room needs three key elements: a convincing physical environment, a well-paced storyline and original puzzles that challenge players without making the experience excessively difficult. Visitors want to step inside a story, inhabit another world and experience an adventure that continues long after the puzzles are solved.

Spain has emerged as the world’s escape-room capital, with nearly 4,000 attractions. These include Insomnia Hotel’s horror-themed overnight adventure to cinematic sets, immersive games, drawing international visitors.

Scream out loud: How Spain became the world’s escape-room capital with horror hotels and immersive puzzles

A move to conserve water by Spanish authorities left British tourists fuming earlier this week as they were forced to live in "third world" conditions. The upscale Sotogrande area in Costa del Sol reportedly shut off water supplies Wednesday (Apr 10) citing a severe drought crisis and shortage of water. However, the move left the British tourists in the area without the essentials to shower, cook, or clean.

Now, tourists are complaining they were not briefed about the situation earlier. Brit Rob Brummer, a 66-year-old tourist was quoted as saying by the Birmingham Mail: "It came as a huge shock when we were only told of this the day before.”

"The whole communication around this has failed completely. Sotogrande is all big villas and with five golf courses it uses a lot of water but I lived in the Middle East for eight years and we never had any problem with water supply. There is a big school here with thousands of kids who will need to wash and brush their teeth every morning. How can they do that?," he said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwi7y82t47-FAxXfSGcHHeuGBRwQxfQBKAB6BAgJEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/spain-to-invest-502-million-in-desalination-plants-to-combat-drought-in-catalonia-687366" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/spain-to-invest-502-million-in-desalination-plants-to-combat-drought-in-catalonia-687366&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi7y82t47-FAxXfSGcHHeuGBRwQxfQBKAB6BAgJEAE">Spain to invest $502 million in desalination plants to combat drought in Catalonia</a>

Another tourist shared their experience on social media platform Facebook. They wrote: "My Airbnb host just sent a message that due to the lack of rainfall, our condo booked for July will not have water from 11 PM to 7 AM. Does that sound normal?"

Spanish Tourism has expressed concern over the situation. A spokesperson said: "We are sensitive to the drought situation that Andalusia is experiencing and we are analysing the implementation of some measure that affects the rations and efficient use of water. Any operation will necessarily have the consensus of the sector."

Watch:&nbsp;Spain: Ahead of world water day Catalonia struggles with drought

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The Ministry of Tourism has also issued a warning to tourists. Earlier, it was revealed that tourists consume almost double the amount of water than locals.

(With inputs from agencies)

A move to conserve water by Spanish authorities left British tourists fuming earlier this week as they were forced to live in "third world" conditions. The upscale Sotogrande area in Costa del Sol reportedly shut off water supplies Wednesday (Apr 10) citing a severe drought crisis and shortage of water.

A move to conserve water by Spanish authorities left British tourists fuming earlier this week as they were forced to live in "third world" conditions. The upscale Sotogrande area in Costa del Sol reportedly shut off water supplies Wednesday (Apr 10) citing a severe drought crisis and shortage of water. However, the move left the British tourists in the area without the essentials to shower, cook, or clean. Now, tourists are complaining they were not briefed about the situation earlier. Brit Rob Brummer, a 66-year-old tourist was quoted as saying by the Birmingham Mail: "It came as a huge shock when we were only told of this the day before.” "The whole communication around this has failed completely. Sotogrande is all big villas and with five golf courses it uses a lot of water but I lived in the Middle East for eight years and we never had any problem with water supply. There is a big school here with thousands of kids who will need to wash and brush their teeth every morning. How can they do that?," he said. Also read: Spain to invest $502 million in desalination plants to combat drought in Catalonia Another tourist shared their experience on social media platform Facebook. They wrote: "My Airbnb host just sent a message that due to the lack of rainfall, our condo booked for July will not have water from 11 PM to 7 AM. Does that sound normal?" Spanish Tourism has expressed concern over the situation. A spokesperson said: "We are sensitive to the drought situation that Andalusia is experiencing and we are analysing the implementation of some measure that affects the rations and efficient use of water. Any operation will necessarily have the consensus of the sector." Watch: Spain: Ahead of world water day Catalonia struggles with drought Video Embed Code: × The Ministry of Tourism has also issued a warning to tourists. Earlier, it was revealed that tourists consume almost double the amount of water than locals. (With inputs from agencies)

UK tourists stuck in ‘third world conditions’ after Spain shuts off water supplies

Spain has revised its coronavirus death toll taking it down by nearly 2000. The number of COVID-19 cases is now 26,834. Watch report.

Spain asks tourists to come back from July | Revises coronavirus death count

Spain may be one of the world's top tourist destinations, but many people in its biggest cities have grown exasperated with Airbnb-style rentals.

And now, their city councils are taking action.

Airbnb and other peer-to-peer rental websites have for years been credited with enabling lovers of travel and culture to find new ways to explore foreign lands.

However, complaints have abounded in Spain that greedy landlords are throwing out long-term tenants in order to cash in on the tourist flow and that the short-term leases are pushing up the rent.

By introducing a slew of new rules, Madrid's leftwing city hall plans to make it impossible for short-term rental companies to rent out 95 per cent of apartments in the Spanish capital by the end of the year.

To get a holiday rental licence homeowners will have to prove their property has a separate entrance from the rest of the building -- a condition that is in most cases impossible to fulfil.

Homeowners who rent their primary residence for less than three months a year will be exempt.

"We are aware that this is a very restrictive condition, and that is our intention," Madrid's city councillor for sustainable urban development, Jose Manuel Calvo, told AFP.

He said certain Madrid neighbourhoods have reached "the same saturation level" as Barcelona, where a boom in holiday rentals has drained the city's housing supply and pushed up rents, sparking a backlash against tourists that saw protesters take to the streets.

Locals out?

There are now around 9,000 flats in Madrid that are rented out to tourists, six to seven times more than in 2013, Calvo said. Of these, about 2,000 operate without a licence.

In some buildings landlords have evicted all local residents in order to rent their flats to tourists for more money, Calvo explained.

"The consequence is that these neighbourhoods end up emptying out gradually, and this must be prevented. There is still time," he said.

Madrid city hall in January stopped issuing new licences for tourist apartments, and only plans to resume licensing once the new system is in place.

Theme parks

Other cities in Spain, the world's second most visited country after France according to the UN World Tourism Organization, are also facing a surge in the number of sharing economy short-term rentals, threatening hotel businesses.

In the Mediterranean port city of Valencia the number of peer-to-peer holiday apartments has soared by 30 percent since 2016.

While the situation is not as critical as in Madrid and Barcelona, the city's left-wing mayor wants a raft of new regulations to be approved by July.

"It seems important to have rules in place that, without stopping this model of the sharing economy, are compatible with cities' desire to preserve the spirit of their neighbourhoods, without becoming theme parks," the city's economic development coordinator, Julio Olmos, told AFP.

The plan is to apply the same laws regulating hotels to tourist rentals. In practice under the new rules, only apartments on the ground floor or first floor can be legally rented out to tourists.

In the old town centre, the legislation will be even tighter. There, licences will only be awarded to flats in buildings specifically designated for holiday rentals.

Internet tracking

To ensure the rules are respected, Madrid and Valencia plan to follow Barcelona's lead.

The Catalan city employs 40 people tasked with poring through holiday rental sites to ensure that properties have the proper licences.

Between mid-2016 and mid-2017 Barcelona city hall, headed by a former housing rights activist, ordered the closure of over 2,300-holiday rental flats.

Fewer than 750 have obeyed the order, with legal proceedings underway against those still resisting.

Airbnb has, however, removed 1,500 ads for unlicensed flats, helping to return the properties to the regular rental market.

Palma de Mallorca, capital of Mediterranean tourist destination the Balearic Islands, is going even further -- it is poised to ban nearly all short-term rentals of private homes like those listed on Airbnb.

The island city saw the number of holiday flats jump 40 percent between 2013 and 2017.&nbsp

The surge is blamed for a shortage of long-term rental apartments, forcing some locals and seasonal workers to live in vans and campsites in the summer because they can't find affordable housing.

Detached homes will be available to rent for tourists only if they are located near the airport, in industrial areas, or in buildings not designated for residential use.

Airbnb and other peer-to-peer rental websites have for years been credited with enabling lovers of travel and culture to find new ways to explore foreign lands

Spain may be one of the world's top tourist destinations, but many people in its biggest cities have grown exasperated with Airbnb-style rentals. And now, their city councils are taking action. Airbnb and other peer-to-peer rental websites have for years been credited with enabling lovers of travel and culture to find new ways to explore foreign lands. However, complaints have abounded in Spain that greedy landlords are throwing out long-term tenants in order to cash in on the tourist flow and that the short-term leases are pushing up the rent. By introducing a slew of new rules, Madrid's leftwing city hall plans to make it impossible for short-term rental companies to rent out 95 per cent of apartments in the Spanish capital by the end of the year. To get a holiday rental licence homeowners will have to prove their property has a separate entrance from the rest of the building -- a condition that is in most cases impossible to fulfil. Homeowners who rent their primary residence for less than three months a year will be exempt. "We are aware that this is a very restrictive condition, and that is our intention," Madrid's city councillor for sustainable urban development, Jose Manuel Calvo, told AFP. He said certain Madrid neighbourhoods have reached "the same saturation level" as Barcelona, where a boom in holiday rentals has drained the city's housing supply and pushed up rents, sparking a backlash against tourists that saw protesters take to the streets. Locals out? There are now around 9,000 flats in Madrid that are rented out to tourists, six to seven times more than in 2013, Calvo said. Of these, about 2,000 operate without a licence. In some buildings landlords have evicted all local residents in order to rent their flats to tourists for more money, Calvo explained. "The consequence is that these neighbourhoods end up emptying out gradually, and this must be prevented. There is still time," he said. Madrid city hall in January stopped issuing new licences for tourist apartments, and only plans to resume licensing once the new system is in place. Theme parks Other cities in Spain, the world's second most visited country after France according to the UN World Tourism Organization, are also facing a surge in the number of sharing economy short-term rentals, threatening hotel businesses. In the Mediterranean port city of Valencia the number of peer-to-peer holiday apartments has soared by 30 percent since 2016. While the situation is not as critical as in Madrid and Barcelona, the city's left-wing mayor wants a raft of new regulations to be approved by July. "It seems important to have rules in place that, without stopping this model of the sharing economy, are compatible with cities' desire to preserve the spirit of their neighbourhoods, without becoming theme parks," the city's economic development coordinator, Julio Olmos, told AFP. The plan is to apply the same laws regulating hotels to tourist rentals. In practice under the new rules, only apartments on the ground floor or first floor can be legally rented out to tourists. In the old town centre, the legislation will be even tighter. There, licences will only be awarded to flats in buildings specifically designated for holiday rentals. Internet tracking To ensure the rules are respected, Madrid and Valencia plan to follow Barcelona's lead. The Catalan city employs 40 people tasked with poring through holiday rental sites to ensure that properties have the proper licences. Between mid-2016 and mid-2017 Barcelona city hall, headed by a former housing rights activist, ordered the closure of over 2,300-holiday rental flats. Fewer than 750 have obeyed the order, with legal proceedings underway against those still resisting. Airbnb has, however, removed 1,500 ads for unlicensed flats, helping to return the properties to the regular rental market. Palma de Mallorca, capital of Mediterranean tourist destination the Balearic Islands, is going even further -- it is poised to ban nearly all short-term rentals of private homes like those listed on Airbnb. The island city saw the number of holiday flats jump 40 percent between 2013 and 2017. The surge is blamed for a shortage of long-term rental apartments, forcing some locals and seasonal workers to live in vans and campsites in the summer because they can't find affordable housing. Detached homes will be available to rent for tourists only if they are located near the airport, in industrial areas, or in buildings not designated for residential use.

Fed-up Spanish cities are bursting Airbnb's bubble

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Scream out loud: How Spain became the world’s escape-room capital with horror hotels and immersive puzzles

UK tourists stuck in ‘third world conditions’ after Spain shuts off water supplies

Spain asks tourists to come back from July | Revises coronavirus death count

Fed-up Spanish cities are bursting Airbnb's bubble