San Francisco, CA — The Black Cat Hotel, the walk-through immersive theater show inside The Palace Theater in San Francisco’s North Beach, is back for its second October with vampires in charge and a new set of house rules: no garlic, no sharp wooden implements, and no consecrated water. The hour-long show runs 18 nights through October 31, and tickets start at $39.
A Host of Vampires and Their House Rules
The Black Cat Hotel first opened at The Palace Theater in 2025, and this year’s story, A Host of Vampires, comes with new rooms and new owners, according to the show’s site.
The hotel “reopens under new management: a host of vampires with old money, impeccable manners, and a (very) keen interest in their guests,” said Sybil Lopes, marketing manager of The Palace Theater.
The House Rules card in the show’s press folder has four rules: “No garlic or allium-adjacent foods,” “No sharp wooden implements,” “No consecrated water,” and “Curtains are to remain closed.” It ends with the line “Keep your neck available.” A door tag in one of the photos reads “Do Not Disturb. Kindly return after sundown.”
A Walk-Through in Groups of About 15
Guests move through the theater in groups of around 15 while the story plays out around them, and the show’s site describes it as “an hour of live performance close enough to touch, a story that doesn’t wait for you to catch up – and a few choices that are yours to make.”
The site lists what to expect before booking:
- Time: roughly an hour inside, and around 90 minutes with check-in and the bar. Guests should arrive 15 minutes early, and late guests cannot be admitted once their group has entered.
- Touch: performers may touch guests. A guest who would rather not be touched can say so at check-in and gets something to wear that tells the staff to keep their distance.
- The route: stairs, narrow passages, uneven surfaces, and low light. One section involves crawling, and guests can opt out of it.
- Content: horror, blood and gore, strong language, loud noises, sudden darkness, tight spaces, and adult themes. Admission requires a signed waiver.
- Ages: recommended for 16 and up. Younger guests may attend at a parent or guardian’s discretion.
The Hotel Bar and Its Cocktails
The hotel bar is open before a reservation and after it, with a menu of 10 cocktails and two snack plates. The Count’s Tipple is bourbon, rye, roasted pineapple, cardamom bitters, and sugar, which the menu calls “An old fashioned with the lights off,” and Bloodlust is rum, pineapple, lime, and creme de framboise. The tenth, Nightcap, is listed as a mystery cocktail.
The Black Cat Hotel is not an operating hotel, and there is no overnight stay.
Dates, Tickets, and Check-In
- Dates: October 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31. The site’s calendar lists an 8 p.m. show each night and marks some nights “New times added.”
- Tickets: from $39. Parties of four or more get a special rate during opening week, and groups of 10 or more can save throughout the run.
- Where: The Palace Theater, 644 Broadway in North Beach. Check-in is through Joe’s Clock Shop, by China Live.
Terror Vault and the Rest of the Bay Area
San Francisco’s other walk-through show this October is Terror Vault, whose 1980s slasher story runs on select nights through November 1 at The San Francisco Mint, with general admission from $64.42. My Bay Area haunted houses guide has the rest of the region.
The Black Cat Hotel runs through Saturday, October 31, 2026, at The Palace Theater, 644 Broadway in San Francisco. Tickets are on the show’s site.
