Secret Escapes Reviews

Name: Secret Escapes
Rating: 1.28

1.3 Rating 244 Reviews

7 %

of reviewers recommend Secret Escapes

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

1.3

Based on 244 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Own Driver
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Over A Week
Customer Service	1.1 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

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Secret Escapes 1 star review on 3rd October 2022

Steven Davies

Secret Escapes 1 star review on 24th August 2020

Sally

Secret Escapes 1 star review on 12th June 2020

Jessica Edwards

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

“We booked a Secret Escape break to Iceland (January5th - January 9th), lured in by the fantastic photos and excursion descriptions. However, along with many others we only managed to go on just one out of the three excursions due to 'Bad Weather'. Fair enough you could say, but just how often are these excursions cancelled due to bad weather ? If you are going to Iceland to go on these excursions you may, like us be terribly disappointed to learn that these excursions are cancelled. We have e-mailed Secret Escapes and asked them to advise people of this issue when they advertise holidays in Iceland in the Winter Months. It would be helpful to publish the cancellation rate of excursions due to bad weather so that potential customers can make an informed decision as to whether to book or not. As an aside, the weather was so bad that 39 snowmobilers had to be rescued by 300 rescue volunteers whilst we were there ! For us it was the worst break we have ever had, even the return flight was delayed by 10 hours due to 'Bad Weather' We raised a series of points with Secret Escapes, but have not had a satisfactory response. Will be contacting Alex Saint (CEO) in due course if we do not get some sensible replies to our issues. Update: Received another unsatisfactory reply from Secret Escapes, which we have responded to. It appears they are unwilling to warn potential customers on their advertisements, about the chances of their excursions being cancelled due to bad weather. We have had a £106.25 refund for 2 Whale Watching and Two Northern Lights tours - this is a Total refund apparently. We have also had the offer of £50 towards our next booking (as if that will happen) - aren't we lucky !”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Only putting one star because I can’t put less. Terrible service. Booked Iceland as a Christmas present (booked over a month ago), despite chasing before we left we hadn’t received one of the tour confirmations. Chased via mail and then two phone call whilst actually on the holiday to now be told that excursion can not be booked as their is maintenance on the golden circle on these dates even though this was part of the holiday package they were advertising. Funnily enough we have been able to book this ourselves today!! We also received a phone call today from another tour saying our 1pm whale watching was cancelled when had actually booked 9pm norther lights! Terrible customer service - when asked to speak to a manger we were told he was too busy, and as customer service department wasn’t correct department and they couldn’t transfer or call us back!”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I’m only giving 1 star because 0 is not an option. A truly awful experience that has resulted in my fiancé and I trying to find someone else to stay for our anniversary 2 days before the event! Having seen their amazing deal for Crazy Bear hotel (where we got engaged a year previously) we chose to book through Secret Escapes rather than booking directly. We were told two days later that the hotel could not uphold the booking due to lack of availability. I was told I could have a refund or choose another date. I asked if they could contact the other hotel in the chain and check for availability there. The sales assistant told me that all Crazy Bear hotels were fully booked for every Saturday for the next year! I did not believe this so I phoned the hotel chain myself and asked if they were available on the requested date. They had plenty of availability and said it could be sorted if Secret Escapes phoned them. So the sales assistant had point blank lied to me! I phoned Secret Escapes to pass this on to them and was assured they’d make contact. I phoned back as much as five times in the following few days for updates. No effort had been made to resolve this issue. In this time I requested to speak to a manager and was told they could not phone me at an arranged time and I needed to keep ringing back until one was available! I then launched a complaint regarding the service (or lack of) that I had received. I phoned a final time a week after the initial booking to say I had had enough and would like a refund. I was told to ring back the next day to start the process as it was too close to closing time! A response to my complaint was not made until I followed up with a further enquiry. My refund finally came through today.. giving me 2 days to try and find somewhere else to stay along with a response to my complaint - a basic sorry and your refund is on its way! DO NOT BOOK THROUGH THIS COMPANY. Every member of staff I spoke with (bar one) was incompetent and unwilling to help. The service has been disgusting, they took my money and did not provide the service I had paid for and made no effort to resolve this!”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Worst kept secret they say apparently they keep everything a secret dont want to tell you your bookings once they have your money they dont care send your tickets for rides after they run out and cant be used anymore dont send you any details unless you ask them for them worst experience of a package holiday i have ever had wont be using them again”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Communication is this company's weakness. There is little joined up thinking so where and when you are going to your accommodation, meals, sites can be changed on a daily basis and the lack of communication between Secret Escapes and its local operators was obvious from the start.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“They offer a reduced hotel rate but don’t expect any humanity or customer service. Was looking at same hotel but 2 different dates a week apart. Hotel price was the same for both nights. Pressed book and paid and immediately realised I’d paid for the wrong week. Immediately rang Secret Escapes (within 30 seconds of pressing the pay now button). Was told to email them and they would contact the hotel. 2 days later and lots of conversations and they say it can only be changed for a fee of more than a third of the cost of the hotel. This was a genuine mistake. Really not impressed especially as the hotel is still available for both nights at the same rate as I paid.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Secret Escape holiday are not the luxury they describe, and when you complain you just get fobbed off, will never use again. Sent numerous email, and photos, and they just kept saying that they hadn't received them.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Just used Secret Escapes for the first time to the Bianco Olympico Haldaliki Greece, I must say that service from the start to the finish was first class and would have no hesitation in using again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Booked a holiday to Croatia on a boat for 7days, on arrival we were allocated the wrong boat, arrived at midnight so we had no one to help us, they didn't answer our email so we couldn't get hold of them until 3days into our holiday, they told us they would refund 50% but haven't kept their agreement to this. When you call it's a foreign call centre so there is a language barrier. Never again with secret escapes.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“Terrible company will scam you”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“I recently used Secret Escapes for the first time as the deals looked amazing. So I booked one to celebrate by 50th birthday which is coming up in June. I made the booking as was very excited until I received the confirmation email. In the email it provided a link to the government website to advise on visa's required. It also supplied very graphic information on the safety issues in Kenya. I am not totally naïve and understand that this country has issues but was shocked just by how bad and dangerous it is. I contacted Secret Escapes to discuss and it took 3 phone calls and an email before I was basically told it was tough I had booked and that it was perfectly safe. I even suggested cancelling the hotel but using the flights to go elsewhere, but no it wasn't up for discussion. I realise their policy is no cancellation but I had though under these circumstances perhaps there could have been some leniency, but no nothing at all. Please see below the advise provided on the government site and decided if you would like to spend your 50th birthday celebration being scared? Will never use Secret Escapes again, shame as some good offers but no compassion whatsoever. However, there’s a heightened threat of terrorism, including terrorist kidnappings, across Kenya, including to people travelling in or through Nairobi, the coast and resort areas around Mombasa and Malindi, the towns of Narok, Naivasha, Nanyuki and Meru and their surrounding areas, and the northern border counties. Attacks, including terrorist kidnappings, could target Westerners, including British nationals. Attacks could be indiscriminate in places frequented by foreigners including hotels, bars, restaurants, sports bars and nightclubs, sporting events, supermarkets, shopping centres, coastal areas including beaches, airports, buses, trains and other transport hubs. Places of worship including churches and mosques have also been targeted. Be particularly vigilant in these areas. You should consider making personal contingency plans, and refer to our advice on travel when planning your journeys. Keep up to date with this travel advice by subscribing to email alerts. See Safety and security”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“I love the company, recently I've purchased a holiday through them, they gave me a very good promotion and their costumer service is spot on.”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

“The process online is extremely easy, presentable, easy on the eye and the transaction from Secret escapes to the hotel themselves in ridiculously fast!!! I rang the hotel the second I paid to confirm the type of room I would like and they were lovely.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Booked a holiday to Montenegro in March flying from Gatwick airport. Checked this information prior to flying and received an email confirming departure was from Gatwick. After waiting for over an hour at the check-in desk, we were informed that Gatwick do not fly to Montenegro on Mondays. Rang Secret Escapes only to be told that the flight is from Stansted. No one bothered to inform me and as they never issued me with the reservation number and because it was a ticketless flight, I was unable to check anything on line. Secret Escapes paid for the taxi from Gatwick to Stansted but refuse to pay for the unnecessary cab journey we took from home to Gatwick. They see the reimbursement as 'compensation'. Received an email apologising for the re-route at such short notice but once Gatwick finally got the booking reference number from Secret Escapes and shared it with me, the document clearly showed that this information was available on the 13th March - 'your return flight arrives at Gatwick airport but you depart from Stansted'. Will never book a holiday with them again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Price was very competetve & holiday was good”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Amazing saving on a 2 week holiday in South Africa”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“The customer service was great but the hotel was not luxurious. - Joe”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“always go on holiday with secret escapes who i can trust”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“Great offer, excellent package deal, good after sales service”

Helpful Report

Posted 6 years ago

“We're off to chessington zoo for a cool night away with the kids - they'll love it!”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

Secret Escapes is rated 1.3 based on 244 reviews