Frequently Asked Questions

What is Secret Escapes?

So how does Secret Escapes actually work?

Every week we'll run short 'flash' sales lasting no more than ten days each. There may be up to 20 sales going on at any one time, but we'll email you to let you know what's coming up during the week.

How do you get the best deals?

Our contracting team work hard hand-picking some fabulous deals, and our offers are the lowest you will find on the open market during our period of sale. If we were to ever see a lower price, we'd immediately cancel the sale and either push for better discounts and extras for our members (like champagne on arrival, a room upgrade or a three-course meal) if we were to feature that hotel or holiday again, or just drop the deal altogether.

Are you selling discount vouchers?

We DO NOT sell vouchers. We enable our members to book the nights they want to stay at a rate exclusive to them. There are no vouchers to redeem, because turning up to a five-star hotel for a romantic weekend with a voucher doesn’t sound quite right to us...

What do I get?

What do I get when I join?

We offer our members discounts of up to 70% on hand-picked boutique hotels and luxury holidays. If it's for sale on Secret Escapes, you won't find it cheaper anywhere else while we sell it – that’s our guarantee.

Who can join?

Everyone, we love you all.

Will I know what I'm buying?

Yes, absolutely. We'll always tell you exactly what you are booking and give you full details and pricing.  No 'mystery' or ‘secret’ hotels here...

How often will you send me emails?

We'll sending a weekly summary (on Monday) of all the sales that are coming up during the next seven days, as well as reminders when the new sales start – just so you don’t miss out. You can opt out of any of the emails at any time, and we’ve recently launched a new contact preferences selector, where you can take a break from our daily emails and just receive our weekly summary.

Making a purchase

Why can’t I see your prices?

You’re probably not logged in yet. Once you're logged in and have selected an offer that appeals to you, the price should now appear with full offer details to the right of the picture gallery.

How do I buy?

You can buy just as you would on any other travel website, or you can pay £25 to hold a room while you decide.

What’s a ‘hold’?

Our members can ‘hold’ a room until the end of the sale by paying £25 towards the cost of the room. Organising a holiday takes time, we know that. Especially when you’re travelling with others, organising several trips or just need time to plan – we understand that you may not be able to commit to a booking straight away.
To save you worrying whether you will lose out on your dream holiday, you can pay a small holding fee (£25) to reserve your booking while you decide. No-one else will be able to book the offer you hold, which will remain held until the end of the deal period. If you buy the room, we will take the holding fee off the price, if not, we give you back the money as credit on your Secret Escapes account.

Booking fees

What fees are included in the total price?

We do our best to keep fees and taxes to a minimum, but we may have to charge a small booking fee. If this applies, you will be notified of the fee before you buy.

What is the booking fee?

A booking fee is a small administrative fee charged by Secret Escapes when you pay for your hotel or holiday with us. This fee helps us provide customer support and helps us cover the cost of transactions on our website. For total transaction values that cost less than £99, there will be no booking fee at all, and the most we'll charge per total transaction is £10 regardless of whether you've just spent £250 or £25,000.

What do I get for my booking fee?

Regardless of what you pay, by charging a small booking fee (depending on the size of your overall transaction value), we're able to provide our members (that's you) with a dedicated team on hand to help with any queries you may have about your booking. And importantly, even WITH a booking fee, the total price of your booking on Secret Escapes is still absolutely the lowest you will find anywhere else online.

Invitations and credits

How do I share Secret Escapes with my friends?

We love it when people share – in fact, we’ve totally incentivised it. You receive credit when the friends you invite (using your very own referral link) join Secret Escapes. £5 when five of your friends join, £25 when 25 join and £50 when 50 of your friends have joined using your link. You also get £25 credit for each purchase your friends make with us.

What happens if more than one person recommends Secret Escapes to someone, who gets the £25 credit?

The person eligible for the £25 credit would be the one whose email the user clicked on.

Will there be a cash alternative to £25 credit for recommending a friend?

No. The £25 credit can only be used against purchases on Secret Escapes.

The boring, but VERY important stuff

Are you members of ABTA?

Yes, we’re a member of ABTA (membership number L8959), and we fully comply with the high standards that ABTA set and regulate.

Are you a member of ATOL?

ATOL is a protection scheme for air holidays and flights managed by the Civil Aviation Authority ("CAA").
All tour operators and travel firms selling air holiday packages and flights in the UK are required by law to hold a license called an Air Travel Organiser's License ("ATOL").
ATOL protects you from losing your money or being stranded abroad. Holiday packages (with flights) sold on Secret Escapes are always ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. The ATOL number of the particular agent will be shown in the sale details. ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services shown on this website, only to "with flights" packages.