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Immersive escape room
tailor made for team building.
One escape game, one room, one big group.
Up to 25 colleagues at four tables,
90 minutes in Amsterdam, from €775 per game.
25 players per game
four tables, one mission
Four games in parallel
Up to 4 groups of 25 can play in parallel. 100 players max.
90 minutes
75 or 60 minute versions available on request
per game (special launch price)
We’ve hosted
What Parlay is
A maritime puzzling adventure your whole team plays together.
Play an immersive adventure in groups of up to 25.
Four ships represented in one room,
90 minutes on the clock.
“Great, fun, innovative team building activity. Highly recommended.”
The tables
Four ships.
One treasure.
Up to 25 colleagues spread over four tables in the same room. Each table gets the sea trunk of one of the great maritime traders of the 17th century.
Most of the ninety minutes you spend with your own crew at your own table. Then you need something that is sitting on somebody else’s table, and the whole room has to start negotiating. That is the parlay, and it is where the shouting, the laughing and the dealmaking begin.
The Dutch
Spice tins, ledgers and blue-and-white porcelain
The English
Charts, tides and instruments that argue with each other
The Spanish
Silver, wax seals and the long route home
The Chinese
Porcelain, the compass and the oldest maps at the table
“Parlay delivered one of the most engaging and enjoyable team-building experiences we’ve had.”
Colleagues from different teams came together to solve clever challenges that required real collaboration, communication, and creative thinking.
I loved the balance between competition and cooperation. We were motivated to outperform other teams, while still needing to work closely with them to succeed.
The game naturally brought people together, sparked conversations and connections that would never have happened in a typical office setting.
I would highly recommend Parlay to any organisation looking for a team-building activity that is both genuinely fun and highly effective at bringing people together.
Made by hand, in our own workshop.
Every trunk and everything in it comes out of our own workshop: the spice tins, the charts, the hourglasses, the little ship that has to be loaded without tipping over.
The spice tower
Four hourglasses, one order
A guide to knots & ropes
Loading the ship
Twelve years of building escape rooms in this city went into the things on your table. People ask us fairly often whether they can buy one.
Best of both worlds
Designed for both competition and collaboration. You need both to succeed.
Every table is packed with its own custom-made puzzles, so nobody stands around watching. By the time the game ends, each crew has a different story to tell the others over drinks.
“Challenging, intense, and exciting. All of us were at the edge of our seats.
With a well designed story and an engaging flow, this was exactly what we needed for our team building event.
Sherlocked was supportive and flexible and I fully recommend this for any corporate team events.”
What it costs
€31 a head, at a full house.
One game runs for up to 25 players in one room and costs €775 excluding VAT. Game master, four trunks, the room and all the coordination beforehand are in the price.
Add-ons
Drinks & snacks €175
Two beers per player with and without alcohol, soft drinks, crudités and hummus, crisps, and chocolate chip cookies, served in the room.
At your location from €250
Your office, a venue you have booked, or anywhere in the Netherlands, Europe and beyond. Off-site we can run up to four games at once, for 100 players. Transport starts at €250 and depends on the distance and the number of games. Tell us the location early, because a few things about the space need checking before we confirm.
All prices exclude VAT. Above 25 players we run games side by side: two at once at our Koningsplein location, for 50 players, and up to four at your own location, for 100.
“We had a fantastic adventure at our office and we recommend it warmly for other companies as well! The adventure was way beyond our expectation!”
“We had a fantastic afternoon, incredibly fun! It really helped bring our team together.”
Across the street
Continue inside the Belly of the Beast.
A maritime bar by Tess Posthumus, one of the best known names in cocktails in this city, directly opposite our front door.
Their cocktail menu arrives rolled up as a treasure map in a bottle, which tells you roughly how well it suits an evening that began with four sea trunks. We can hold a table, a private corner or the whole bar for dinner or drinks after your game. Mention it when you request a booking and we will arrange it in the same conversation.
“Everyone on the team had a blast. A top notch experience!”
Location & Parking
Heart of Amsterdam, with plenty of parking.
We host Parlay at Handboogstraat 12, close to Koningsplein.
This is not our Beurs van Berlage venue.
Address
Handboogstraat 12, a minute from the Koningsplein. A building from 1604 that oozes history, at street level, with wheelchair entry on request.
Tram & metro
The Koningsplein tram stop is in front of the building, and Rokin on the Noord/Zuidlijn is a four minute walk.
Parking
Q‑Park Kalverstraat is around the corner and we have a group discount arrangement there. See the garage.
12 to 50 players here
Twelve is the smallest group that works. One group of up to 25 plays together in one room. For a bigger company we run two rooms side by side here, up to 50 players. At your own location we can run up to four games at once, for 100 players.
Standing or seated
Parlay is played standing around the tables and works just as well seated. Wheelchair access can be arranged, please let us know.
In English
The game is played in English, with a possible Dutch-speaking host upon request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything a colleague will ask you in the reply-all before they say yes.
How many people can play?
One group of up to 25 plays together in the same room, at four tables of about six. At our Koningsplein location we can run two rooms side by side, so 50 players in total. At your own location we can run up to four games at once, for 100 players.
How long does it take?
The game runs about 90 minutes, with roughly 15 more for the welcome and the wrap-up. We can shorten it to 70 minutes if you tell us in advance.
When should we book?
Most companies book one to three months ahead. The popular start times are 16:00 and 17:30, and 18:00 is the latest start at our studio. For a later start we can move you to another location for a surcharge.
Left it late? Call us on +31 (0)20 244 4631 and we will try to find you a game master.
Can you come to our office instead?
Yes. Parlay travels to your office, a venue you have in mind, or anywhere in the Netherlands, Europe and beyond. Off-site we can run up to four games at once, for 100 players. Transport starts at €250, depending on the distance and how many games run in parallel. Let us know the location early, because there are a few things about the space we need to check before confirming.
Do we need to be good at puzzles?
Everything you need is on your own table, and the puzzles are physical objects rather than riddles. Teams who have never tried anything like this finish about as often as the ones who do an escape room every year.
Is it accessible?
The game is played standing around the tables and works just as well seated. Wheelchair access can be arranged on request, so mention it when you book and we will make sure the space is right.
What is the cancellation policy?
- 14 days or more before the event: 100% refund
- 6 to 13 days before the event: 50% refund
- 3 to 5 days before the event: 25% refund
- 2 days or fewer before the event: no refund
If fewer people turn up than planned, the price stays the same. That also applies when you book several games in parallel and end up using fewer. It covers every reason for cancellation, so it is worth inviting enough people to absorb a few last-minute drop-outs.
External costs we have already made for you, such as equipment rental or special-request purchases, are still charged.
How does payment work?
The invoice goes out when your booking is confirmed. It is payable within 14 days, or at least 48 hours before the event date, whichever comes first. All prices exclude VAT.
Request a booking
Tell us what you have in mind and we come back within one working day with availability and a quote. Nothing is confirmed until you say yes.
“You can learn more about people in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”
A hand crafted maritime escape game by Sherlocked, made in Amsterdam. See our other team building activities in Amsterdam, or Time Crimes for large groups.
Request a booking.
We come back to you within one working day with availability and a quote. Nothing is confirmed until you say yes.