Traitors-Inspired Escapes Where Atmosphere Takes the Lead
With The Traitors finale dominating the cultural conversation, one truth has become unmistakable: setting matters. Stone corridors heighten suspicion. Grand halls amplify silence. Breakfast tables become theatres of strategy. As the final cloak is revealed and the roundtable falls quiet, the appetite for destinations steeped in intrigue, history, and quiet drama has never been stronger.
Across Europe’s most evocative landscapes, a new breed of luxury escape is answering that call—places where architecture, landscape, and experience blur into something cinematic. From ancient convents in the Dolomites to Highland castles alive with intrigue, these are journeys where the game may end on screen, but the mood lingers long after.Intrigue in the Dolomites:
Castel Badia
A Millennium Suspended Between Past and Present
High above the Puster Valley, Castel Badia reawakens a thousand-year-old Benedictine convent, transforming sacred history into a quietly compelling mountain retreat. With just 28 rooms and suites—alongside a private three-floor chalet—the property balances preserved stonework and monastic details with refined Alpine modernism, creating a setting that rewards slow observation.
At the heart of the house, the Abbess’ Hall rises with turret-like Gothic verticality, its proportions subtly heightening awareness and tension, as if every corner carries an untold story. The former Refectory—now the breakfast room—shifts effortlessly from lively morning gathering to contemplative calm, echoing the charged anticipation of on-screen breakfast scenes where alliances are silently tested.
A spa carved directly into natural mountain rock deepens the sense of sanctuary, while Castel Badia’s position offers seamless access to Plan de Corones—where the landscape moves from snow-cloaked winter drama to expansive summer trails. Rooted in ancient calm yet attuned to modern intrigue, Castel Badia reframes the Dolomites as a place not only for adventure, but for atmosphere—a quietly unconventional mountain escape for faithfuls and traitors alike.
Step Into the Game: Gleneagles, Scotland
The Original Playground of Strategy and Sport
Set amid the rolling hills of the Scottish Highlands, Gleneagles has long mastered the art of theatrical hospitality—and today, it invites guests to step into a storyline of their own.
Across its 850-acre estate, more than 50 outdoor pursuits—from archery and clay shooting to off-roading and falconry—mirror the trust-testing challenges audiences have come to love. Indoors, the newly launched Sporting Club extends the competition with tennis courts, three state-of-the-art padel courts, and a seven-metre-high indoor climbing wall.
As evening falls, the drama shifts to The Strathearn, Gleneagles’ grandest dining room. Here, traditional guéridon trolley service adds theatrical flair as dishes crafted from Scotland’s finest local ingredients are carved, dressed, or flambéed tableside beneath candlelight—an elegant stage for spirited debate over who proved most “faithful” during the day’s events.
Behind the Gates of Ballyfin: Ireland’s Grand Inner Circle
A Country House Where Suspense Unfolds Slowly
For those drawn to stately grandeur and slow-burn suspense, Ballyfin Demesne delivers one of Ireland’s most evocative escapes. Set at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains in County Laois, the Regency mansion unfolds across 614 acres of parkland, lakes, and formal gardens—cinematic in scale and atmosphere.
Inside, soaring ceilings, sweeping staircases, ornate plasterwork, and chandelier-lit dining rooms set the tone for long evenings that drift from drawing-room martinis to conversations that outlast dessert. With just 20 individually designed rooms and suites, the house feels polished, private, and deeply personal—ideal for groups seeking the run of a grand residence with character.
Outside, the mood softens. Morning walks trace the lake as mist lifts from the water, boating offers new perspectives on the house, and cycling, riding, or guided hikes restore a sense of freedom. It’s this interplay—architectural gravitas set against expansive countryside—that gives Ballyfin its subtle edge, elegance, and just a hint of conspiratorial charm.
Let the Games Begin: WildLand & Cookson Adventures
An Off-Screen Traitors Experience in the Scottish Highlands
With Traitors fervour at an all-time high, WildLand and Cookson Adventures take the intrigue off-screen and deep into the Highlands. Across two of WildLand’s most atmospheric estates—Aldourie Castle and Glenfeshie Lodge—immersive, actor-led adventures unfold in settings made for scheming, strategy, and surprise twists.
At Aldourie Castle, a fully restored 17th-century stronghold on the shores of Loch Ness, turrets, concealed staircases, and candlelit corridors create a natural stage for tension. Actor-led sequences play out across dining rooms and secret corners, with midnight missions, whispered alliances, and round-table moments echoing the pulse of the show.
At Glenfeshie Lodge, wilderness becomes the psychological gameboard. Set deep within the Cairngorms, multi-day challenges—from paramotoring over the glen to clue-driven hikes and e-foiling toward hidden rendezvous points—use isolation as a strategic tool. Trust shifts. Alliances form. The landscape itself shapes the narrative.
Cookson Adventures designs each experience as a fully tailored production, complete with planted actors, evolving scripts, dramatic reveals, and cinematic filming—resulting in a professionally edited keepsake of the weekend’s psychological unraveling. Reality, rewritten.
The Final Reveal
As The Traitors fades from screen to memory, these destinations prove that atmosphere, history, and place can be just as compelling as any twist. Whether through ancient convent walls, grand country houses, or Highland wilderness, the game may be over—but the intrigue is only just beginning.
