Some luxury experiences don’t just blur the line between fantasy and reality—they erase it entirely.
This fall, Ariodante, a discreet, ultra-luxury travel creation agency known for one-off cultural adventures, will debut “The Queen’s Lost Diamonds,” an immersive, unscripted, three-day live-action game taking part in the heart of Paris. It promises to be a world first in scale, complexity, and ambition, and, for the select few invited to play, a reality-bending experience with stakes that stretch from adrenaline-pumping stunts to actual historical revelations.
“This is not a game to be played,” says Ricardo Araujo, Ariodante’s founder and creative mastermind behind the project. “It’s a game to be experienced.”
The experience is built on a multi-dimensional, player-led structure with no set script, no fixed ending, and no guarantee that the story will unfold at all. It’s up to the players to make it happen. Every decision will shape each player’s trajectory. One guest’s choice to turn left on a Paris street could close a scene for another team entirely. Consider this as close to a “Westworld” simulation as a lucky few might get.
(Ariodante)
The plot traverses centuries, drawing from lesser-known but well-researched threads of French history. The narrative is rooted in real events, archival documents, and long-debated theories. Successful players may even end up reframing how parts of history are understood, with Ariodante planning to gift its research findings to a national museum in Paris.
But don’t mistake this for a cultural tour in disguise. To play, participants must be physically and mentally agile.
‘It’s not for everyone” says Araujo. “I have to meet with each applicant to choose the right players. That way, I can go on to tailor the details without them knowing anything.”
This isn’t a game where players are guided. It’s one requiring real-world intuition and nerve.
“If you don’t turn the pages of that ancient manuscript, nothing happens,” Araujo says. “If you don’t question that man in uniform, maybe you miss the
only clue. Or maybe he’s not in the game at all.”
While details are kept secret from the public and the players, the logistics involved in bringing The Queen’s Lost Diamonds to life are staggering.
There are more than 100 major structural scenes built into the experience, each adaptable in real time depending on how (or if) players arrive at them. Hundreds of actors, specialists, and even real-world luminaries are involved, many operating autonomously. The estimated actor-to-player ratio? More than 25:1, which is higher than most reality TV gameshows.
This is the first-ever live-action game to run continuously for 72 hours, day and night, without interruption. Players could be chased through a museum, interrogated at a military site, or summoned to a clandestine chapel never before open to the public—all while the city hums on around them, oblivious.
It’s not just cultural institutions that are involved. Ariodante has a curated list of ultra-luxury hotels that will allow gameplay to flow through their premises, from the lobby to suites, without interrupting the experience or drawing attention—emphasizing that player secrecy and immersion are cornerstones to the overall experience.
(Ariodante)
The Price of Admission and Selection
The starting price for “The Queen’s Lost Diamonds” is £473,000 (approx. $630,000), not including accommodations or additional custom experiences. But wealth alone won’t buy entry.
The biggest part of the application process is an in-depth conversation with Araujo—either in person or on a video call—to ensure players are the right fit for the game. Selection hinges on attitude, engagement, and whether the player is genuinely willing to dive headfirst into the unknown.
“We’re not looking for people who want to watch,” says Araujo. “We’re looking for people who want to live it.”
Travel advisors can make introductions and facilitate bookings (commissions are available), but all guests must be vetted personally by Ariodante. Because for Araujo, that first discussion isn’t just intake.
“That’s when the game begins,” he added.
Those looking to apply to participate in “The Queen’s Lost Diamonds” can start their application online at: https://www.ariodantetravel.com/queen-lost-diamonds
Travel advisors wishing to propose this game must first contact Ariodante at [email protected]
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