Secret Escapes.....

[Smiffy]

Anyone else a "member"??
Con or useful??
I booked up to go away for my birthday next January without really reading the reviews of the hotel.
Realising it now sounds like a right dosshole, I cancelled, but unfortunately my £350.00 is now locked in to Secret Escapes as credits to use before the end of 2024.
Sometimes I amaze myself with my stupidity....

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Not useful I’m afraid …we have looked at things on it but when we look elsewhere for reviews or the same thing to check it out we usually find the ‘deal’ is not what it’s made out to be. Too good to be true - despite the lovely pictures and glowing words…

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I'm afraid the adverts are far too annoying for me to even look into them and want to deal with them, sorry.

 

[Smiffy]

Looking for somewhere nice to go with the missus for the weekend. We'd looked at what seemed like the ideal hotel in the Lake District, but the reviews on Tripadvisor make it sound worse than Fawlty Towers...

 

[Deleted member 23270]

Surprised at that, generally they use nice places. Been to a few nice hotels through SE and found them good value.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Looking for somewhere nice to go with the missus for the weekend. We'd looked at what seemed like the ideal hotel in the Lake District, but the reviews on Tripadvisor make it sound worse than Fawlty Towers...

We don‘t take too much notice of Tripadvisor overall/summary ratings based upon relatively small numbers of reviews. Obviously don’t know numbers of reviews for the hotel you’ve booked, but if they are few enough in number to read many or all of the poor reviews then we do that as we can usually pick up the stupidity and bizarre expectations of those giving the worst reviews.

 

[Smiffy]

We don‘t take too much notice of Tripadvisor overall/summary ratings based upon relatively small numbers of reviews. Obviously don’t know numbers of reviews for the hotel you’ve booked, but if they are few enough in number to read many or all of the poor reviews then we do that as we can usually pick up the stupidity and bizarre expectations of those giving the worst reviews.

Have checked two or three review sites for this particular hotel, and I don't really fancy driving 6 hours on the offchance that a large percentage of them might be wrong. It really does sound bad....

 

[GB72]

I have used Secret Escapes in the past but it was a while ago. From what I recall, the issue is that they are a middle man that travel agents post their last minute deals on. You contract is actually with a travel agent that you have little idea who they are and if anything goes wrong Secret Escapes wash their hands of it.

 

[Tashyboy]

I have used secret escapes on numerous holidays both long haul ( Vietnam and Cambodia. Kuala Lumpa, Bali and Borneo and Thailand). They were the dogs danglies. Some of the hotels were fantastic. Trips included in the holiday. Going to the far east, check when you arrive at the hotels. Personal transfers to hotels. I cannot thank them enough.
Also used Secret escapes in this country and the hotels and prices get well lets say not to brilliant. Price wise what they quote, if you look on booking.com etc there is no real saving and some of the hotels and rooms have been bang average.

 

[Tashyboy]

Have checked two or three review sites for this particular hotel, and I don't really fancy driving 6 hours on the offchance that a large percentage of them might be wrong. It really does sound bad....

Which hotel or at least which city/ area

 

[williamalex1]

What's the name of the hotel you're being sent to Perhaps someone on the forum has been there or knows about it.

 

[Smiffy]

I've got something else now....
Was looking at the Lake District and have found what sounds like a lovely place, gets very good reviews and just a smidgen more expensive.
Four days, three nights with Full English and an Ideal base near Windermere.
The other hotel we were thinking of was the "Ro" hotel. Some really bad reviews on Tripadvisor...

 

[williamalex1]

I've got something else now....
Was looking at the Lake District and have found what sounds like a lovely place, gets very good reviews and just a smidgen more expensive.
Four days, three nights with Full English and an Ideal base near Windermere.
The other hotel we were thinking of was the "Ro" hotel. Some really bad reviews on Tripadvisor..

Check out Herons Reach 3-star hotel near Blackpool, only an hour max from Windermere.
Twelve of us enjoyed a golf weekend there a few years ago, the course isn't great but playable, plus there's a SPA and pool, and only a short taxi journey into Blackpool If you fancy a wee change lol.

 

[Tashyboy]

I've got something else now....
Was looking at the Lake District and have found what sounds like a lovely place, gets very good reviews and just a smidgen more expensive.
Four days, three nights with Full English and an Ideal base near Windermere.
The other hotel we were thinking of was the "Ro" hotel. Some really bad reviews on Tripadvisor...

I will be honest, I do do trip advisor reviews and there was one thing I read before I even got to reviews and I never read one. It was 11 out of 13 hotels in Windermere. That in itself would put me off. Which then begs the questiop. WHY? Why did you book it. Alls well now though

 

[Smiffy]

Check out Herons Reach 3-star hotel near Blackpool, only an hour max from Windermere.
Twelve of us enjoyed a golf weekend there a few years ago, the course isn't great but playable, plus there's a SPA and pool, and only a short taxi journey into Blackpool If you fancy a wee change lol.

No golf on this one Geezer. Last thing on my mind nowadays

 

[Smiffy]

I will be honest, I do do trip advisor reviews and there was one thing I read before I even got to reviews and I never read one. It was 11 out of 13 hotels in Windermere. That in itself would put me off. Which then s begs the questiop. WHY? Why did you book it. Alls well now though

I read the description on Secret Escapes before reading the TripAdvisor reviews Tash, which is very unlike me.
But like you say, all's well that ends well.

 

[williamalex1]

No golf on this one Geezer. Last thing on my mind nowadays

I was thinking more about the other facilities and location.

 

[Aztecs27]

I've got something else now....
Was looking at the Lake District and have found what sounds like a lovely place, gets very good reviews and just a smidgen more expensive.
Four days, three nights with Full English and an Ideal base near Windermere.
The other hotel we were thinking of was the "Ro" hotel. Some really bad reviews on Tripadvisor...

What's it called chap? Chances are, I've either stayed there or know of it. I'm such a Lake District Whore.

 

[Smiffy]

Briery Wood Country House hotel in Windermere.
Reviews really well and got a good three night deal

 

[Aztecs27]

As predicted - been there for food, was lovely.

you're just down the Road from the Low Wood Bay hotel too - their Spa is really nice now they've re-done it - worth a day trip if you and/or Sam are into that sort of thing.

Slightly closer to Ambleside too, which has much nicer restaurants than Windermere (in general). Makes me want to go back - hopefully we can get a week sorted up there next Autumn.