Finding the route to the Liminal Hotel from the Poolrooms isn’t always straightforward. Several transitional areas, including The Deep End and the Wood Biome, can easily send players in the wrong direction if they aren’t paying attention to environmental details.
If you’re struggling to find the correct path, this guide explains how to travel from the Poolrooms to the Hotel, survive both areas, and locate the key items needed to continue progressing.
Level Overview
Reaching the Hotel isn’t simply a matter of walking through a single doorway. The journey consists of multiple interconnected areas, each containing unique landmarks and potential threats. Before beginning your search, it’s helpful to understand the general progression route:
- The Lobby – The Poolrooms – The Deep End or Wood Biome – Spiral Staircase – Liminal Hotel
Because there are several possible detours along the way, recognizing visual landmarks is often more useful than trying to memorize exact directions.
| LEVEL / ZONE | PRIMARY HAZARDS | OBJECTIVE |
| The Poolrooms | Low visibility, Mimic | Locate sub-zones and spiral staircase transition |
| The Deep End | Navigation confusion, disorientation | Reach the central transition landmark |
| Wood Biome | Narrow sightlines, tight corridors | Navigate through panels to reach the staircase hub |
| Liminal Hotel | Mannequin, maze-like layout | Locate keycards/stairwells for level progression |
Step-by-Step Transition Route
Step 1: Enter the Poolrooms
Your journey begins after leaving The Lobby and entering the tiled transition corridor that leads into the Poolrooms. Don’t stop in the connecting hallway. Certain entities can appear between the two areas, including the Die Dice entity. Continue moving until you’ve fully entered the main Poolrooms section. Once inside, take a moment to familiarize yourself with your surroundings.
Step 2: Explore the Main Pool Complex
The central pool area consists of large, open spaces connected by tiled corridors and partially flooded pathways. At first glance, every room seems identical. Instead of focusing on the architecture as a whole, identify individual landmarks that can help you maintain your bearings.
Look for recognizable features such as green-tinted rooms, large open pool chambers, unusual lighting variations, and elevated platforms. These landmarks will make it much easier to retrace your steps if you accidentally enter a dead end.
Step 3: Pass Through the Deep End or the Wood Biome
Eventually, you’ll encounter one of two major transitional areas.
- The Deep End: The Deep End is characterized by darker blue tiles and a noticeably heavier atmosphere. This area creates a powerful sense of disorientation. Distances can be difficult to understand, and the identical corridors make it easy to lose track of your direction. If you enter The Deep End, continue following the larger passageways instead of exploring every side corridor.
- The Wood Biome: The Wood Biome immediately stands out because it looks very different. Wooden walls, doors, and decorative panels replace the cold, sterile environment of the Poolrooms. Although the scenery changes dramatically, navigation remains challenging because visibility is much more limited. Watch for wooden partitions, decorative panels, narrow passageways, and pillar sections. Keep moving forward until you locate the next major landmark.
Step 4: Find the Spiral Staircase
The spiral staircase serves as the most important navigation marker in this entire route. Many players recognize it because it closely resembles the iconic pool photographs that inspired numerous liminal-space communities. Once you discover the staircase room, climb to the upper level. Follow the transition corridor and enter the doorway leading into the Liminal Hotel. Congratulations, you’ve successfully escaped the Poolrooms!
Surviving the Hotel
The Liminal Hotel introduces an entirely new set of challenges. The environment shifts from flooded corridors to endless hallways lined with repetitive wallpaper, locked doors, maintenance areas, and maze-like room layouts. Many players consider the Hotel even more confusing than the Poolrooms. Understanding how the keycard system works is essential for progressing through this area.
Keycard Locations
Several important doors remain locked until you collect the appropriate access cards.
| KEYCARD | COLOR | SPAWN LOCATION | USED FOR |
| Hotel Keycard | Dark Red / Brown | Reception | Opening maintenance transition routes and guest-access areas |
| Security Keycard | Black | Guard booth | Unlocking the emergency stairwell |
| Office Keycard | Blue / Grey | Lounge | Accessing upper maintenance sections |
Because keycard spawns can be easy to overlook, always search desks, counters, tables, and side rooms before moving deeper into the level.
Step-by-Step Escape Route
Step 1: Search the Reception Area
After entering the Hotel, head directly toward the reception desk. Check the counter carefully for the Hotel Keycard.
Step 2: Unlock the Guest Corridors
Use the Hotel Keycard to open the nearby double doors. While exploring the guest corridors, stay on the lookout for potential Mannequin spawns.
Step 3: Enter the Maintenance Section
Locate the maintenance doors and begin searching for the Security Keycard. Proceed carefully. The tighter corridors make surprise encounters much more common.
Step 4: Find the Emergency Stairwell
Once you’ve collected the Security Keycard, search for the stairwell entrance marked by a green exit sign. Unlock the door and climb to the upper level. The stairwell leads to the next transitional area and marks your successful escape from the Liminal Hotel.
Escaping the Poolrooms and navigating the maze-like corridors of the Liminal Hotel requires patience and a sharp eye for visual landmarks. By using key transitional markers like the spiral staircase and prioritizing keycards early in your hotel run, you can efficiently bypass dangerous dead ends and entity spawns. Keep your stamina intact, check every desk for access keys, and move carefully through tight corridors to ensure a successful escape into the next stage of the Backrooms.
