Secret Escapes Reviews

Name: Secret Escapes
Rating: 1.32

1.3 Rating 252 Reviews

8 %

of reviewers recommend Secret Escapes

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

1.3

Based on 252 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Own Driver
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Over A Week
Customer Service	1.2 out of 5
Returns & Refunds
Refunds Process	Difficult

Visit Website

Phone:

0845 078 2029

Email:

support@secretescapes.com

Location:

20-28a Hatton Wall, London United Kingdom
EC1N 8JH

Write Your review

Tell us how Secret Escapes made you happy

Minimum 10 characters

Would you like to add a photos or videos?

Strengthen your review by uploading photos & videos.

Drag files here or browse

(Supported files: jpg, png, mpeg, ogg, mp4 & webm)

What's your name?

Leave this blank if you'd like to publish your review anonymously.

(Optional)

What's your email?

We need your email address to verify that your review is genuine

Please note that we may share your email with the company to verify your order.

Secret Escapes 4 star review on 27th March 2025

Ann Ferrier

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Sort by: Most Recent Most Recent Highest Rated Filter: None None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Secret Escapes have refused to refund me for a trip to Sardinia, Italy in May stating my hotel booking is non refundable and I am therefore unable to cancel.I DONT WANT to cancel but the hotel is in lockdown so the service I have paid for is not available. COntacted the hotel who say they have not been paid so therefore Secret Escapes are illegally retaining my money. Will take this all the way - Martin Lewis, Watchdog etc. and hope others follow suit. What a scam - their reputation will be destroyed after the publicity. The public have enough to worry about during this difficult time.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Booked hotels with this company now can't go due to Covid 19. Secret escapes state not their responsibility to refund us they said it is up to hotel. Hotel inform us they have not been paid by Secret Escapes so obviously not going to refund us. We booked through Secret Escapes so our contract surely with them. Feel this company is trying to hold onto peoples money due to them being in financial problems due to Covid 19. join the club. This is disgusting service. Filled in forms - no response. We will never use this awful company again who in my opinion are acting illegally. We used to book regularly with them - never ever again and we will fight you - shame on you - absolutely terrible trying to pretend its nothing to do with you. You hopefully will no longer exist once this is over - companies who don't try to at least help you won't be getting the business back. Understand it's tough out there for you - doesn't excuse your business practice. DISGUSTING ATTITUDE”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Again, nothing from Secret Escapes regarding the refund we are legally entitled to, the letter below is an email I received on 13 March prior to our holiday which should have been on 29 March. We then received an email the following day advising we would get a credt note, NOT ACCEPTABLE, I have contacted Martin Lewis and Atol as this is illegal. Secret Escapes Dear Member, As a valued member who has booked an upcoming trip, we wanted to update you on current guidance, so you have as much information to hand as possible. Currently, the government is advising against travel to your holiday due to the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak. This means that you will not be able to travel to your destination and so we will need to cancel your booking and issue you a full refund of the booking placed with us. The money will be issued back onto the card that was used to make the booking and will take up to 14 calendar days for this amount to appear in your account. Should you require any further assistance please contact us on 0207 887 2772 Kind regards, Secret Escapes Secret Escapes © Secret Escapes 2020 120 Holborn, London, EC1N 2TD. England & Wales Company No. 07026107 This email was sent to jackie.ives”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“SE are keeping hold of the cost of my cancelled holiday as a credit on my account for use within 12 months. It was a package holiday.... flights and hotel. This is not acceptable. The whole nation is struggling on reduced income, and SE are keeping money they don’t have a right to. Shame on you!!!! No response to my emails, just an automated reply. I will never book with SE again. All trust gone. They’re capitalising on this pandemic.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Also impacted by covid-19. My show has been postponed until May 2021. I'd be happy to reschedule but as this is more than 12 months from the original booking, my hotel says this is not possible (due to Secret Escapes'policy). I have entered a contract which Secret Escapes cannot honour, it seem a straightforward candidate for a refund. I'd like to support the hotel and move the booking and help their cashflow but that doesn't appear to be an option. Secret Escapes are only contactable through a web form. I've filled it in but haven't even received a holding email to confirm they are dealing with my request. I understand they may be busy, but this is pathetic communication by Secret Escapes.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“I booked a hotel with Secret Escapes and had to cancel because of COVID-19. The hotel had not received the monies and yet Secret Escapes would not issue a refund. Other third party organizations, such as FlightHub and Expedia have provided refunds. I would never again deal with a company who lacks integrity! NEVER BOOK WITH THEM!!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Booking in UK cancelled due to lockdown. Hotel has not received money yet SE will not refund!! These are exceptional times and surely this cannot be legal?!”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“If I could give no stars to Secret Escapes I would. I had a booking for this weekend in London and as Secret Escapes are effectively denying any responsibility as a booking agent, nor are they seemly supporting their suppliers, I cannot get a refund. I can re-book (which I actually wanted to do), but only if I give them new dates immediately....how can I do this when a) we don't know when lock-down will end and b) I don't know when I can re-arrange the rest of the trip (funnily enough, it's not only a hotel room that was arranged).....AAAAAAARRRGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! At a time when we should all be supporting one another, it's shameful that companies do morally questionable things like this.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Bombard all social media about this scandal, Trust pilot, Facebook,everyone and anyone. They only bother with a waffly platitude, refund people's money. During this pandemic it is the right thing to do.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Booked a long weekend through secret escapes, hotel closed due to current virus .secret escapes stating they do not offer refunds but we may be able to change dates. So basically old us something that is no longer available, surely this is illegal. Fully understand no refund if I couldn’t go. They seem to be the only company not offering refunds. Getting train tickets and theatre tickets and other hotel refunded but secret escapes sticking to the pre virus policies. By the way hard rock hotel sent me back to secret escapes cause they said that they wouldn’t of had the money from them yet for our stay in April. There has to be somewhere we can report them to surely, any ideas anyone.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Basically I booked a 2 night stay with a hotel through them. Now the hotel has cancelled our booking due to Covid-19. I asked for a refund but they will only move the booking, even though I said it was for a birthday! Stay clear!!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Do not book with them!!! Booked a weekend hotel and had the hotel email me offering cancellation or postpone. I cancelled and emailed secret escapes who claimed booking is non refundable and non changable. In the middle of a global pandemic they are the only provider who havent put their customers first. Will never use them again”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Contacted secret escapes as we had booked a long weekend away for my husband's birthday. They responded with an automated email, so o er a week later I emailed again. Got a response today of your break is non-refundable or non-transferable. We were unable to travel due to the countries lockdown. I will never be using secret escapes again as they are profiting from this international pandemic and taking people's money, Corporate Greed!!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Booked a long weekend away for my husband's birthday and contacted secret escapes for a refund, as the country had gone into lockdown, got an automated response and then emailed again and I was told that what I had booked was non-refundable or transferrable so I have lost out on our break and the money I had spent. Never book with secret escapes as they obviously don't care about their customers and only about the money they are making out of this international pandemic.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Awful customer service. Hotel in Iceland has offered to change the dates of our booking as we didn’t travel because of Coronavirus. We are happy with this. However hotel said that amendments need to be done by Secret Escapes as they booked the hotel. Contacted Secret Escapes by phone to see how to arrange this. They told me that booking was non refundable/transferable. Have now sent long email to Secret Escapes describing my situation. Received automated response that they are not looking at emails now! Told me to fill in online form but this form is really only applicable to those still to travel. All very frustrating!”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Please do not book with SECRET ESCAPES. We have waited weeks for a refund the hotel has agreed to . Have emailed , phoned , spoke to various people, without success..... I wonder if they are going bankrupt and that's why they are stealing our money ..? .Should be ashamed of themselves. Just gangsters in suits ...”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“I've had exactly the same experience as other reviewers. Park International in London agreed our 3 might April stay should be refunded but would have to be provided by Secret Escapes. They refused, they are keeping the full amount of money - how does that work??? Dishonest disreputable and will NEVER use again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Never ever book with Secret Escapes! They have cancelled our holiday, stolen our money and now stopped all forms of communication. This pandemic won't collapse the company. Their thieving activity and lies will. At least when they hurry up and go bust we can get our money back. Can't wait until they lose everything like they have done to us.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“I booked Radisson Blu Durham through Secret Escapes for two nights in March 2020. I then received an email from the hotel to say that it has sadly had to close due to Coronavirus. I contacted the hotel reservations staff to request a refund and was told that Radisson had not received payment from Secret Escapes so could not refund me directly (obviously and quite rightly, in my opinion). I was also told that if I had booked directly with Radisson then it would have refunded me in full. The hotel kindly and politely suggested I contact Secret Escapes, so I did. Two unhelpful Secret Escapes personnel both refused to refund my money, and only offered a different date. However, I was going to Durham due to specific circumstances on the original date, so I told them a different date is no use to me. Secret Escapes still would not refund me. It seems very unfair that Secret Escapes is refusing to refund my money paid in good faith when neither it nor the hotel can deliver the service I bought. Even if Secret Escapes did pay Radisson, which it has not yet done, Radisson says it would refund anyway. It especially feels just plain wrong that Secret Escapes is happy to keep my money when it has not paid the hotel. Surely not what we should expect from any reasonable or reputable company. Very disappointing to say the least, and may lead people to think Secret Escapes is profiteering at this time of crisis. Secret Escapes subsequently emailed me with this ..... "We understand that in light of the ongoing novel corona-virus outbreak, you wish to cancel your booking with a refund. Hotel bookings made through Secret Escapes are non-refundable and non-changeable, and as such we are unable to provide you with a refund of your booking." So I replied as follows.... "You seem to have misunderstood, so I will say it again....... I DO NOT WISH TO CANCEL MY BOOKING FOR 29 AND 30 MARCH 2020. I would still like to visit Durham Radisson on 29 and 30 March 2020. However...... IT IS YOU THAT HAS CANCELLED BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT DELIVER MY BOOKING. The reason is....... The Radisson Durham is closed on the dates I booked. I THEREFORE WANT MY MONEY BACK. I hope I have made it simple enough for you to understand." Still waiting for a response.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Like many people we are unable to travel due to government policy during the coronavirus outbreak. The hotel have cancelled the booking and cannot offer alternative dates. Secret Escapes have refused to refund the money and either ignored us or sent us round in circles whilst ignoring their own refund policy. This company is making a profit from dishonesty during a worldwide health pandemic. Their actions are disgusting and they do not deserve our custom ever again. When things return to normal, remember never to use Secret Escapes. We have been sent round in circles as they deflect from giving a refund. Never, under any circumstances, use Secret Escapes.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

Secret Escapes is rated 1.3 based on 252 reviews