Secret Escapes Reviews

Name: Secret Escapes
Rating: 1.28

1.3 Rating 246 Reviews

7 %

of reviewers recommend Secret Escapes

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

1.3

Based on 246 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 22nd January 2025

Issy Burns

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

“I booked a holiday via secret escapes for the first time and they cancelled due to covid-19 which is understandable but REFUSED to give me my cash refund. This is illegal to hold my funds when they cancelled my holiday booking. I will be pursuing this further as a legal representative and suing them which I will get compensation for too. No one is ever going to book with Secret Escapes again no matter how cheap your deals will be. I will wait for my 12 months to be up (as will the rest of the world) then we will demand our cash refund which legally they will be obliged to pay. Absolutely disgusting and appalling travel provider. They have no right to hold anyone’s money. The company owners should be disgusted in themselves they will end up in debt as they cannot manage their own business!!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Trying to get refund for cancelled holiday especially now as money is particularly tight in line with other posters here. I have had good experiences with them in the past but clearly without the difficulties presented by Covid 19. Checked Secret Escapes T&C's and noticed that they have been updated as of 16/4/20. Amongst some minor changes is the significant addition of a whole new section under section C 47. This is entitled 'Refund Credit Notes'. I believe that if you booked and confirmed prior to this then the previous T&C's (without the RCN reference) will form part of your contract and hopefully make acquiring a refund easier.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“As with all other reviews I have had the same experience. Their customer service is APPALLING. We booked a long weekend to Lisbon for end of March which was obviously cancelled. I have been offered a credit with a cash refund if it is not used however I do not believe I will ever see the cash ever again. I can’t even find the credit so have no idea when it expires and no explanation. DO NOT BOOK WITH SECRET ESCAPES.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“On March 2, I booked a room for 4 nights advertised as a sale price of $101 on their calendar from a nightly rate of $128. There was a calendar and I chose the nights listed at the lowest rate. The site was a glossy website "jetsetter".com. I was actually charged $169.50 per night. Contact info was for Private Booking LLC. The reservation besides being for too much money was for a much smaller double room even though the confirmation stated we had a king room measuring 210 sf. The company supposed has a price guarantee but showing them 15 sites with prices of $106 or less was ignored. This company should be reported to an internet watchdog site.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“We booked two nights in Paris with Secret Escapes which they cancelled because of the situation. We asked for a refund as no monies had been transferred to the hotel but were told no refund would be forthcoming and we had to re-book with the hotel ourselves, it was up to the hotel if they would allow us to re-book. This was not an acceptable outcome but Secret Escapes will not help - an appalling company to deal with - don't ever use them”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“As far as I’m concerned still waiting for my call-back call 9 weeks ago. I’m still on hold!! Unbelievable. I’ve also emailed to say the Pestara Chelsea Bridge tang to say the hotel would be closed because of Covid and to contact SE for my refund. I’ve duly emailed and it’s declared not to contact again as SE will get in touch with me. That hadn’t happened either. Appalling service. My first and last time with SE. I will persue for my refund for one night.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“forget ATOL , Ombudsmen , high level complaints , telephoning , sending emails etc . Ask for the money back and if they don't comply make a small claim through MCOL money claim online . It is easy to do , doesn't cost much and although the wheels of legal action turn slowly no firm can avoid going to court and facing judgement according to current consumer law unless they simply cease trading”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Complain to the CMA they have an online form. I did as I have similar experience of no refund”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Cancelled trip due to Covid 19 will not refund money even though they are now in breach of contract will only offer a credit note for 12 months. Called them numerous times all they do is fob you off and treat you like an idiot”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Our package holiday has been cancelled due to covid 19. SE have refused to a cash refund saying they can only offer a credit refund to be used within 12 months and then a cash refund when that period expires. I declined a credit refund. They are refusing a cash refund which we are legally entitled within 14 days of cancellation. I will not book with this company ever again. It's a disgraceful way to treat customers.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I advise getting the money back through your bank because Secret Escapes have no decency and will be bankrupt soon for treating customers like dirt. Customers don't forget.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“#Secret Escapes. I PAID YOU £500 FOR A HOTEL, THAT YOU CANCELLED. YOU HAVE SAID YOU W0NT REFUND ME. SHAME ON YOUR COMPANY AND YOUR DIRECTORS INC KATHRYN ELIZABETH SWAN & ANDREW JAMES BOTHA #SECRET ESCAPES GAVE YOU ONE STAR AS IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO GIVE YOU A MINUS!!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Booked a holiday to Mauritius which was cancelled due to Covid19 . Secret Escapes are refusing to give us a refund for a whole 12 months. This is illegal. My husband is a shielded, vulnerable adult and there is no way we will be travelling in the next 12 months to use the voucher. Customer Services worse than useless. It took loads of phone calls and emails before someone “ found the time to phone” . He was too busy to contact us he said. We are entitled to a full cash refund within 14 days of cancellation of the trip. We will not give up! Don’t ever book with this company.... this was our first experience with them and we will NEVER use them again. Didn’t want to give them any stars at all but unfortunately on this page it is not an option.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I booked a hotel break with Secret Escapes in this Country for a two night break in March 2020. Due to COVID 19 I tried to cancel, first of all with the hotel, they informed me that I should contact Secret Escapes, which I did. They refused to reimburse me with the money I had paid due to a cancellation clause. Then a few days later the hotel closed, I again contacted S E. who still refused to return my payments. As I paid by credit card I contacted the C C company and I have now received all monies paid. Would I book with Secret Escapes again NO. Very worrying time for my wife and myself as we are both in our late 70s.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I booked a 2 night break at the Hoxton Hotel, London through Secret Escapes for the start of April. The hotel contacted me directly offering free cancellation due to the COVID crisis, but said that I should contact Secret Escapes directly to arrange. Having contacted them via email and online form 5 times over the past month, I finally received a response today refusing any kind of refund, despite it being agreed by the hotel. And the email finished with 'I hope you find this helpful'! I had previously been a fan of Secret Escapes but will definitely not be using them again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Booked holiday to Iceland , when we arrived hotel did not match pictures on the website. The only thing the same was the name of the hotel. A room with a view. Despite me going through Resolve and proving the pictures are different they continue to ignore me. Now worried as I booked a Safari and we are supposed to go at end of June but doubt if that will happen. We cannot even get vaccinated at present . Emailed secret escapes but no response. What an awful company.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Have called three times emailed and keep getting same response your refund is pending. Management refuse to take calls and front line staff keep saying same thing there’s no one I can pass your complaint onto and They won’t give names of staff . My holiday was due four weeks ago and no one will speak to me.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I can only reiterate the extensive criticism already made!! The company are looking to avoid repaying any money or to try to pass the blame onto other suppliers!! I will never use them again and would strongly recommend others to steer clear of them!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Booked pine lakes Carnforth through this company many weeks prior to covid 19, contacted pine lakes who advised we had to contact secret escapes, as holiday cancelled by them for 1st April, still awaiting any response from secret escapes as to refund. In an email They stated they are trying to negotiate a deal with pine lakes! Still awaiting refund”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“Hi Appalling customer service. I have repeatedly declined their offer of a credit to my account requesting a full refund. As I paid by credit card I have successfully obtained a full refund through Section 75 of Consumer Credit Act 1974. The credit card company can now deal with SE. Will never book with them again - because of their poor business model they are unlikely to exist in a years time or with reinvent themselves under some other name. Good luck everyone - I feel your pain.”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

Secret Escapes is rated 1.3 based on 246 reviews