In summary
Step on to a giant Monopoly board for an on-your-feet version of the famous board game. Four teams take turns to roll the dice and undertake mini games and puzzles as they move around the board and compete to be crowned the winning team, in a highly entertaining, immersive experience.
When did we visit?
We visited on a Saturday at the beginning of February. It was busy with an excited buzzing atmosphere of family, couples, and groups of friends. Monopoly Lifesized is closed on Mondays. On weekdays it's open 12pm to 11pm. On Saturdays it's open 10am to 11pm, and on Sundays 10am to 10pm. We passed by at Christmas time and the exterior was enticingly decorated with beautiful lights and garlands and Christmas trees, which looked really festive against the red exterior of the premises.
Where is it located?
In the heart of London, at the bottom of Tottenham Court Road. The nearest tube is actually Goodge Street (two minute walk) which is on the Northern Line. Or you can travel to Tottenham Court Road (Central and Elizabeth Line) or Warren Street (Victoria Line) and both of these stations are under a 10-minute walk to Monopoly Lifesized. The address is 213-215 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7PS
What does the experience involve?
I was so intrigued by Monopoly Lifesized, as before our visit, I couldn't really work out exactly what the experience involved. Every time my son Odhran, 9, asked, I just said 'we'll have to wait and see when we get there'. So, if you're wanting further details before you decide whether or not to part with your hard earned cash, here's what you need to know...
On arrival you're handed a buzzer. This allows you to freely mooch about the themed gift shop, go to the loo, grab a drink (I highly recommend a cocktail from the adjoining Top Hat Bar & Restaurant), and put away your coats, bags and belongings (no loose items allowed on the board) at a cost of £1.50 per hanger. The cloakroom attendant fitted our four coats on two hangers, and my bag went on another one. When the buzzer goes, that's your cue to return to reception, where you line up to go inside. There were four lines of six players. But you don't have to book the experience for a team of six, as they'll pair you up with other players.
We were then lead through to a room where Mr Monopoly and four actor tokens made their grand entrance, as the immersive fun began. The actors each played their parts well, and we were assigned Boot as our mascot, to guide us round the board on a tour of London.
As we stepped through another door and on to the giant colourful board, Odhran's eyes widened in excitement. We were booked on to the Classic Board, but there are four boards to choose from when booking your tickets. The Classic is everything you'd expect from Monopoly, just lifesized! Classic Own It All is a more contemporary take on the game on the classic board, the City Board has the addition of new and unique London locations, and the Luxury Board invites you to step in Mr Monopoly's bank and live the high life! The gameplay works in the same way for all four boards, but the themes and challenges differ. This means you can pay a return visit and try something new.
The teams took turns to roll the giant foam dice and move around the board. The aim is to buy up properties, and the team with the greatest value of assets at the end wins. The characterful token guides help to bring the game to life.
But in order to build up your team's cash reserve or buy properties, your team must work together to complete hands-on mini-games on the board, and enter side-rooms along the way to complete puzzles and challenges. The tasks weren't too difficult, it was more the race against time that made them tricky. Sadly, which puzzles you undertake all depends on where you land on the board, so you won't get time to have a peek inside all the side-rooms. I'm still really intrigued to know what challenge lies behind the door to Park Lane.
We were actually a bit disappointed not to end up in the jail, and couldn't resist stepping inside the cell once the game finished. When the game came to an end, we wished we could carry on playing. But it was the perfect blend of competitive gameplay and live entertainment. We joined a team with strangers, but you find you quickly bond while completing tasks together.
So, whether you go as a family, as a group of friends, a group of colleagues, or as a couple, you're sure to have a great time. And at the end, there's time to pose on the board for pictures.
What age is it most suitable for?
Children must be at least nine-years-old to play. One adult will be required for every five players who are under 16. Adults of all ages will enjoy the experience. Players will be on their feet for the duration of the game. The boards are wheelchair accessible. But I wouldn't recommend it for wheelchair users, as I think it would be too difficult to take part in the challenges.
How long does the experience last?
The experience lasts approximately 80 minutes, but the time really flies and you're not on the board long enough to get into the nitty gritty of a game of Monopoly, as you don't get to go around enough times to pay and collect rent from the different teams and be driven or drive each other to bankruptcy. Instead, after the allotted time, whichever team is worth the most, wins. We'd have loved to have played for longer, and to have experienced one or two more puzzle rooms.
How much does it cost?
Tickets start from £54 per person, but you'll pay more for popular weekend slots. Now is a great time to book, as currently, for a limited time, there's a special offer to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Monopoly. So, on selected dates, you can save £25 per person. The discount will be applied at checkout. There's also a 20 per cent discount on family tickets (minimum three tickets per order).
The Top Hat Bar & Restaurant
We came off the board feeling in high-spirits, and were happy our experience wasn't ending there. At the adjoining Top Har Bar & Restaurant, we were led to our reserved booth.
If you're looking for a themed restaurant in London that will add excitement to the dining experience for kids (and adults!), then Top Hat Bar & Restaurant is a really good choice - there was a group of about 20 kids celebrating a birthday party at the tables behind us.
It's a Monopoly themed family-friendly restaurant but it has an elegant art deco style that will appeal to adults. The boys enjoyed that the restaurant had shelves of board games, and they took down Operation and Monopoly to play while we waited for our food.
The kids menu is designed like a cute little Monopoly board. For £18, your child will get a starter of cheese croquettes with house dip, a themed main, and a dessert of one scoop of sorbet or ice-cream. Among the themed options for the main are The Battleship's Fish & Chips with mushy peas, The Boot's lemon and thyme mini chicken burger, or The Top Hat's mini beef burger - both served with chips and salad.
They also do Sunday roasts! (two courses for £25 or three for £30) and bottomless brunch at £55 per person.
Choosing from the main menu, I opted for Mr Monopoly's Melanzane - layers of aubergine and cheese, oven baked in tomato sauce, and served with garden salad. The cheese ozzed under a crispy top layer. It was a generous portion that I struggled to finish. My husband had The High Flyer - a mouth-watering cajun marinated chicken burger with chipotle mayo and rainbow slaw in a brioche bun, served with skin-on chips. Odhran also had The High Flyer but without the toppings. My younger son Reuben had The Water Works - battered fish and skin-on-chips with mushy peas. He devoured the fish, but similar to my husband and Odhran, he wasn't too keen on the chips, which were more like thick soft crisps.
For dessert the boys each had three scoops of sorbet - lemon, mango and raspberry flavour. They enjoyed it so much they refused to share a bite! But despite their lack of generosity, they insisted on a taste of my creamy Mr Monopoly's Millionaire Cheesecake, which came drizzled in caramel and chocolate.
We loved the novelty factor to the food, which had lots of nods to Monopoly. For example, the chips came in a silver boot, and the pick holding the burger buns in place had a tiny Mr Monopoly top hat attached.
But, while the food was tasty, the real winner was the cocktails! My selection was Coventry Street - Helios Sunrise Daiquiri, inspired by the statue of the Horses of Helios on Coventry Street. It was a deliciously smooth combination of rum, apricot jam, Apricot du Roussillon, apricot, lime and grenadine, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it was one of the best cocktails I've ever had.
There's a cocktail list of all the classics - Margarita, Negroni, Manhattan. But it would be a shame to visit Top Hat Bar & Restaurant and not sample something more interesting from the Signature Cocktail menu. After enjoying the Whitehall - Churchill Cherry and Vanilla Old Fashioned, my husband couldn't resist ordering another cocktail, and sampled the Tottenham Court Road - Honey Picante. Made with chilli liquor and jalapeño honey, I found it too fiery a kick, but my husband loved it.
And there were alcohol-free Signature Cocktails on offer for the kids. Odhran enjoyed the Marlborough Street, made with blackberry, lime coconut and pineapple. Reuben opted for the slightly sour Whitechapel, but found the flavour too strong. The mixologist spotted that he'd left his drink to one side, and kindly offered to replace it with a cocktail made using elderflower cordial, which Reuben gave the thumbs up.
The staff were attentive and friendly, and it was a relaxed and enjoyable dining experience.
Food and drink prices were in line with similar Central London restaurants with starters from around £7, mains from around £16, and desserts from £7. Cocktails cost around £13-£14 (£9 for alcohol free)
Take a Break's verdict
Whether it's a family day out, a get together with pals, a date night, or a work event, you can bank on Monopoly Lifesized for a fun experience in London. We can see this being very popular with a wide range of ages, and thoroughly recommend it as a unique event. But it is on the pricey side, and we would have liked the experience to last a little longer, to enjoy a couple more roles of the dice and the chance to experience another challenge or puzzle room. We would recommend making it a full day out experience with a pre or post event booking at Top Hat Bar & Restaurant. We will certainly be back for a cocktail sometime soon! We rate the full experience a 4.3 out of 5.