Stella Montis is known for its cold, suffocating halls and cutthroat Raider encounters, but Arc Raiders players can’t get enough of the real-life Stella Montis hotel.
Yes, there is a real-world hotel located in Italy that just so happens to share a name with one of the most brutal locations game developer Embark Studios has to offer. Thankfully, the luxurious hotel Stella Montis won’t have guests looking over their shoulders for loot goblins, and instead features spots for hiking, biking, skiing, and relaxation. It’s for these reasons – and maybe more likely just for the bit of it all – that Arc Raiders players are slamming the forest getaway with dozens of five-star reviews.
“Great place,” one seemingly earnest review starts. “But I do recommend travel solo for this hotel. Any group bigger than 2 has very high chance of meeting rats in the lobby. Hotel has a medical section which is a hot spot for dead bodies.
“Also while you are here please try to be friendly to other guests.”
The first connection to the real-life Stella Montis seems to have arrived shortly after Embark initially teased the new map in an October 13 blog post, two weeks before launch. In what was likely an attempt to try and connect the dots before an official reveal, one Reddit user was able to track down the hotel and post about it (above), assuming the new Arc Raiders map could be inspired by a real place.
It’s not clear if the sleek metal walls of the video game map are actually named after the Italian inn, but the coincidence was more than enough for fans to latch onto. A review left by a user with the name Bad Wolf seems to be the oldest mention of Arc Raiders, at least on Google, with almost every reply that followed focusing on blueprints, Bastions, “rats,” and Shredders.
“I love this place, tons of drawers that gives me epic loot and even Venator blueprint if you have the correct hotel keycard,” another review says, “but be careful about the moving balls that burn you and the vase like robot thingy that would shred you to pieces. The only complain is the raiders with strange red outfit that screams ‘Goop’ crawling in the corner waiting for you to pass by, bring smoke, tagging, and trigger nades just in case.”
Despite Stella Montis’ crushing difficulty and brutal Arcs, almost every Google review from an Arc Raiders player awards the hotel with 5/5 stars – though there are a few outliers. One user left a 3/5, warning of Shredders, while another from this week stuck with a 1/5, complaining of feeling “very sweaty after leaving.” Meanwhile, the company behind the hotel has yet to comment on its newfound connection to a popular video game or the fans who have suddenly become enamored by it.
“Free Loadout Stella Montis go crazy,” one reviewer adds. “Love this place, always leave with 3+ blueprints. Remember to search the containers in the cargo docks, they have some goop.”
Arc Raiders launched for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S October 30, 2025. Although it doesn’t seem like there are any plans to add a skiing expansion to the game, Embark has recently laid out its roadmap for the first four months of 2026. Meanwhile, the studio says it’s still doing its best to combat widespread reports of cheaters.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
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