Haunted Soirée (Previously "House of Spirits") — Attraction in Los Angeles

This was a tremendous disappointment. I had avoided this and it's earlier House of Spirit version because I had heard nothing but mediocre reviews from people I trusted. But this year, I finally decided to give it a try--and it was even worse than I could have imagined.

The location is not conducive to the type of immersive production they claim to have. Constant problems with entry and exit points being blocked with people. Constantly bad sight lines for everything but the mainstage. Constantly problematic noise issues.

But that wasn't the worst by far. There is an entire focus on using QR codes for not just bar menus but an entire "hunt" for monsters. Constantly having to pull out my phone immediately destroys any immersion elements by forcing me to focus away from the space and back to my phone. Half the reason to GO to an immersive show is to get away from your technology.

And then the "hunt" was a complete nightmare. Each QR code leads to one human-like Vampire who has a second clue that leads you to a monster. BUT THE ACTORS DON'T KNOW THEIR OWN INFORMATION. If I were making the production, the first rule for the immersive actors would be that each actor knows every clue and the answer for each and who is the right vampire/monster. But they didn't. Which led to us spending 30 minutes TRYING to get someone to tell us who to go to. And then when we DID, there was an actor who literally lied to us about being the right person...which meant another 30 minutes of flailing around before we finally got back to that same person.

So we spent almost the entire 2 hours JUST trying to solve this damn hunt, as other audience members got more and more drunk around us, which became more and more of a problem because of the damn lack of appropriate traffic flow. We barely got to see any performance and had ABSOLUTELY no fun.

It is rare that I go with a group of people to an immersive production and literally NONE of my group has a good time. But this was worse--the entire group left mad. Angry they had wasted their time. Angry they had been lied to. Angry at how badly designed this "experience" was.

Oh and to save anyone else time, if you DO beat the entire hunt, all you get is a link to a comic book that ACTUALLY tells you the narrative of the show. They couldn't be bothered to actually put that narrative INTO the show. No, they just told you instead of showed you.

It is very, very rare for me to make such a hard, negative review. But in 2025, this show is too expensive for people to waste their time and money. If you want to get dressed up as a vampire and play pretend while you get drunk on overly expensive drinks, this is your show.

For anyone else, there are so many better things to do in Los Angeles for Halloween. Do literally...

I had the pleasure of attending House of Spirits, an immersive theatrical cocktail soirée in Los Angeles. This sophisticated evening exceeded my expectations, offering an eerie blend of macabre entertainment, surreal magic, and memorable interactions. I love immersive theatre, but open world exploration is my favorite style because it allows me to decide which characters to interact with and how long I want to explore each space.

Upon entering the mysterious Nocturne Theatre, I was transported into Casa Vega, a haunted mansion where specters roam free. I immediately headed up the stairs toward the restrooms when a shirtless creature blocked my path to ask my name. I was impressed by how quickly the cast engaged with guests, but even more by how they remembered our names and previous conversations as they continued to cross paths with us throughout the evening.

As I explored the mansion, I encountered more bizarre characters and hidden spaces, each with their own sinister story to reveal. Interacting with the inhabitants of the house was a highlight, uncovering the dark secrets that haunt Casa Vega. I followed the Francisco, Molly and Magpie story on my visit discovering the unfortunate circumstances that befell them. I also enjoyed the creature challenge. The séance was effective at both fascinating me and communicating important story details. However my favorite character to chat with was Poppet. The Giant Ouija Board was a spirited experience, allowing guests to commune with those beyond the veil. There was also an incredible vocal performance in one of the lounge areas. Her cover of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy is my new favorite version of that song. The cleverly crafted miniature cocktails (or mocktails) included with the ticket added to the evening’s charm as well.

House of Spirits is an avant-garde, 21+ event that promises an unforgettable night. With its stylish décor, craft cocktails, and interactive entertainment, this soirée is ideal for those seeking a sophisticated Halloween experience in Los Angeles. There are a few ticket options, but the gold ticket package also includes a special creature interaction that leaves guests with delicious,...

First time at this event in 2022, this will be our last. I guess if this was 30 or 35 dollars id give it 2 or 3 stars, but for the 70-95 dollars charged (we had the top ticket option) it is 1 star or less. It was a severe let down compared to all the other fantastic things to do for Halloween in LA. The "chocolate pairing" was a joke. It was the cheapest of cheap chocolates just handed to you in a little plastic wrapper. My wife didnt even want to eat them after the 2nd one. They taste like bulk knock off candy you get in a birthday party give away. Honestly, fun size snickers and other Halloween candy would of been better than the "truffles" givem out. If you are going to go, get the cheapest ticket possible, this way you may not feel quite as ripped off (spoiler alert, you still will). The more expensive tickets offer nothing else of value. The drinks are so sugary, you will have a stomach ache by your 2nd/3rd drink, and there is very little alcohol in them. As far as the event goes, this seemed cheaply put together in a venue that dosent really fit, or work with the theme. The set designs seem put together in 10 minutes and the "maze" was basically a strobe light and curtains. It felt about 90 degrees inside the venue, so glad we did not dress up in a costume like others, otherwise this may have felt like torture. The "scavenger hunt" was an okay idea, but you basically wander around and pick up the most obvious objects that are basically in buckets, no clues necessary. There is supposed to be a story to follow, but that too seemed just thrown together about as well as the sets and maze. All in all, id say you should definitely skip this event and go to one of the many other amazing options LA...