Secret Escapes Funding, Investors & Competitors
Secret Escapes has raised $310M across 5 funding rounds, most recently a $39M undisclosed-stage round in March 2023.
Last Secret Escapes funding round
$39M
Undisclosed stage · Mar 2023
Cumulative funding Secret Escapes raised
$310M
across 5 funding rounds
Key investors in Secret Escapes
Index Ventures
Idinvest Partners
Chrysalis Investments
GV
Temasek
Octopus Ventures
Accomplice
Silicon Valley Bank
About Secret Escapes
Secret Escapes is a London-headquartered travel club offering exclusive discounts on luxury hotels and holidays in the UK and international destinations. The platform negotiates up to 60% off rates for members on hand-picked properties, guaranteeing price matching. Accessible via free email signup, Secret Escapes fills hotel rooms during low occupancy periods, covering Europe, Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific resorts. Operating since 2010, it serves millions of subscribers with daily deals.
Founded
2010
HQ
LondonWebsite
Status
Privately held
Customer focus
B2C
Revenue model
Commission
Secret Escapes Funding History
Secret Escapes has raised a total of $310M across 5 funding rounds, plus 1 secondary share sale.
Secret Escapes' first fundraising round was a $60M Series C in July 2015. The most recent completed round was a $39M undisclosed-stage round in March 2023.
Secret Escapes funding rounds
| Date | Stage | Investors | Raised | Deal Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2023 | Undisclosed stage | Chrysalis Investments (lead) | $39M | Secret Escapes is a luxury travel company that helps hotels and accommodations minimize unsold inventory by offering curated deals to its large user base. The company operates a membership-based model providing premium travel experiences at accessible prices to a community that has grown to over 60 million users. In July 2023, Secret Escapes secured £31.7 million in funding as part of a broader equity raise, with Chrysalis Investments contributing £6.5 million as part of this round. The capital was deployed to support refinancing of existing debt facilities and to accelerate marketing spend with a view to driving customer acquisition and growth. The company has demonstrated a consistent track record of converting substantial revenue into operational profits and maintains healthy margins through its ability to secure exclusive deals with premier accommodations, positioning it as a key player in the luxury travel sector. |
| Feb 2022 | Series E | - | $74M | Secret Escapes is a members-only online travel club offering discounted luxury hotel bookings and holidays, operating in over 20 countries across Europe, Asia, and the US, with a global membership exceeding 60 million users. The company, founded in 2011, has raised nearly $300 million across multiple rounds from investors including Temasek, Idinvest Partners, Octopus Ventures, Index Ventures, Google Ventures (now GV), and Chrysalis Investments. It has integrated brands like Slevomat in Central and Eastern Europe and others including Travelist, Travelbird, and Empathy Marketing. No funding round is documented around February 2022; the closest prior event was a ~$74 million (£55 million) Series E equity raise in May 2020 from existing shareholders, which helped the company survive the pandemic after a Series D of ~$178 million (equity and debt) in 2017 led by Temasek. Later rounds include a July 2018 Series E of $67.46 million with reported $95 million revenue for FY2019 at a 4.93x multiple, a July 2023 Series F of $40.75 million (GBP 31 million) led by Chrysalis Investments, and an £32 million equity raise in 2023 supported by existing backers. Funds have supported global expansion, acquisitions, and growth initiatives like integrating regional brands and enhancing flash sales offerings. Financial traction shows recovery post-pandemic: EBITDA turned positive at GBP 1.2 million in 2021, with revenue GBP 108.1 million and EBITDA GBP 4.5 million in 2022, growing to £170 million revenue in 2023 amid reduced headcount from 671 to 638. The company achieved full-year profitability in 2018 and aimed for an IPO around 2021, though no confirmation appears. It has sold over seven million room nights and maintains strong hotel partnerships as a leader in travel flash sales. |
| Nov 2018 | Secondary | Chrysalis Investments | - | Merian Chrysalis Investment Company, later renamed Chrysalis Investments, acquired an existing stake in Secret Escapes on 7 November 2018, immediately after its London listing. As with TransferWise, the shares came from open-ended funds run by the investment adviser Merian Global Investors; the two purchases together cost GBP 30.15 million, and the Secret Escapes position was carried at a cost of GBP 13.1 million at 30 September 2019. The trust described the transfers as the seeding of its initial portfolio of late-stage private businesses. Secret Escapes is a members-only online travel company founded in London in 2011 that sells discounted stays at luxury hotels and curated travel experiences, taking commission on bookings while allowing hotels to move unsold inventory without publicly cutting rates. At the time of the investment it reported revenue of GBP 121 million for calendar 2018, up 66 per cent year on year, with EBITDA of GBP 2.3 million, and was the leading membership travel business in the UK, Germany, the Nordics and parts of central Europe. |
| Jul 2018 | Undisclosed stage | Merian Global Investors (lead) | $68M | Secret Escapes, a members-only online travel and experiences company founded in 2011, announced a secondary transaction worth £52m from Merian Chrysalis Investment Company, managed by Merian Global Investors, on July 17, 2018. The funds support growth in its core business, integration of the Slevomat Group acquired in late 2017, and strategic projects like in-house hotel and flight packaging. Secret Escapes positions itself as a leader in discounted luxury travel deals, partnering with hotels and suppliers globally. This 2018 investment follows prior raises, including a $111m Series D in 2015 led by Temasek with Idinvest Partners and debt from Silicon Valley Bank, bringing total capital to nearly $153m, and a $60m Series C in 2015 led by Google Ventures and Octopus Ventures. The company had sold over 7 million room nights by 2015 and continued expanding its marketplace model. Merian later made a £2.6m follow-on in 2020 amid COVID-19 to aid navigation of challenges and long-term value. |
| Oct 2017 | Series D | Temasek (lead); Index Ventures; Idinvest Partners; Silicon Valley Bank | $69M | Secret Escapes is a members-only online travel company offering discounted luxury hotel stays, holidays, and experiences, operating primarily in the UK and expanding internationally to markets like Germany, Sweden, Czech Republic, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France, and Slovakia. Founded in 2011 by Alex Saint and Tom Valentine, the company leverages data and in-house technology to provide personalized travel offers to its large engaged membership base. For the year ended December 31, 2017, Secret Escapes reported underlying revenue of £72.3 million, with underlying adjusted EBITDA of £(8.6) million, reflecting investments in growth across established and developing territories. The business achieved profitability in 2018 with underlying revenue rising to £101.3 million and adjusted EBITDA of £1.4 million, alongside net cash flow from operations of £12.5 million and a reduced group loss of £11 million. Secret Escapes has raised significant funding, including backing from investors such as Silicon Valley Bank, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and Temasek Holdings, with total funding reported around $216-246 million across multiple rounds. A specific 2017 round led by Temasek Holdings with Idinvest Partners, Index Ventures, and Silicon Valley Bank involved $69.1 million raised, though post-money valuation details are not available in sources. The company has pursued expansion through acquisitions, such as Empathy Marketing (Pigsback.com) in Ireland, strengthening its foothold in new markets. Operationally, Secret Escapes employs nearly 1,000 people across 21 countries, serving 62 million users worldwide via various brands. It maintains a strong balance sheet to fund growth, focusing on organic expansion, market share gains, and technology integration while navigating competitive landscapes in luxury travel and e-commerce. |
| Jul 2015 | Series C | GV (lead); Octopus Ventures (lead); Accomplice; Index Ventures; Atlas Venture; Idinvest Partners; H14 | $60M | Secret Escapes is a members-only travel deals website offering exclusive discounts of up to 70% on luxury hotels and holidays, founded in the UK in 2010. By July 2015, it had expanded to 13 countries including recent launches in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Italy, with a global membership base growing from 4 million in January 2014 to over 19 million. The company had sold nearly 2 million room nights since 2011 and launched a multi-language mobile app. In July 2015, Secret Escapes closed a $60 million Series C funding round led by GV (Google Ventures) and Octopus Ventures, with participation from existing investors Index Ventures and Atlas Venture, among others like Accomplice, H14, and Idinvest Partners. The funds were earmarked for further global expansion into the US and Asia, building on prior successes in markets like Germany, Poland (via Travelist acquisition), Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, and the USA. This brought total funding to around $73 million since inception. The company reported explosive revenue growth of 260% year-on-year since 2011 through 2014, with CEO Alex Saint forecasting it to become a global multi-billion turnover business by the end of the decade. Membership was free, requiring only email signup for access to flash sales on unsold hotel inventory. Secret Escapes positioned itself as replicating UK success internationally, with strong backing from investors attracted to its commercial opportunity, massive global market potential, and founding team's strengths. Subsequent developments included a $111 million Series D in late 2015 led by Index Ventures for acquisitions and further growth into 21 territories, with membership surpassing 47 million and over 7 million room nights sold. |
Who has invested in Secret Escapes?
11 investors have backed Secret Escapes across its funding rounds, including Index Ventures, Idinvest Partners, Chrysalis Investments, GV, Temasek and Octopus Ventures.
Lead investors include Chrysalis Investments, Merian Global Investors, Temasek, GV and Octopus Ventures.
Secret Escapes Investors
| Investor | HQ | Rounds | Role | First check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 2 | Participant | Jul 2015 | |
| London | 2 | Lead | Nov 2018 | |
 Paris | 2 | Participant | Jul 2015 | |
 Singapore | 1 | Lead | Oct 2017 | |
| London | 1 | Lead | Jul 2015 | |
 Boston, MA | 1 | Participant | Jul 2015 | |
| San Francisco, CA | 1 | Lead | Jul 2015 | |
| United Kingdom | 1 | Lead | Jul 2018 | |
| United States | 1 | Participant | Jul 2015 | |
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Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples
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Start Free TrialAcquisitions by Secret Escapes
Secret Escapes has acquired 8 companies to date.
Last acquisition by Secret Escapes was on October 1st 2019. Secret Escapes acquired LateRooms.com for undisclosed valuation.
Latest Acquisitions by Secret Escapes
| Description | LateRooms.com is an online hotel booking platform offering last-minute deals and discounted accommodations worldwide. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Salford, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom, it aggregates inventory from thousands of properties, enabling users to compare prices and availability for spontaneous travel. | Empathy Marketing operates Pigsback.com, an email-based deals platform launched in Ireland in 2000 and expanded to the UK in 2005. Dublin and London-headquartered via empathymarketing.com, it connects brands with consumers through targeted daily offers on travel, gifts, and experiences. | TravelBird is an Amsterdam-headquartered online travel platform offering curated deals in 12 European countries. Founded in 2010, the company serves 15,000 daily users with packages for hotels, flights, and activities, employing 450 staff. TravelBird partners with resorts in Spain, Italy, and Greece for exclusive getaways. | Slevomat is a Prague-headquartered daily deals platform offering discounts on experiences, events, and products to over 1.3 million Czech customers. Partners launch around 200 new offers daily across categories like dining, travel, and wellness. The site facilitates mass bookings for concerts, spa visits, and tours. Launched in 2009, Slevomat achieved 1 billion Czech crowns in turnover within four years and employs 200 staff. | |
| HQ Country | |  |  |  | |
| HQ City | Manchester | Dublin | Amsterdam | Prague | |
| Deal Date | 1 Oct 2019 | 7 Feb 2019 | 13 Nov 2018 | 29 Aug 2017 | |
| Valuation | undisclosed | undisclosed | undisclosed | $68M | |
| EV/Revenue | |||||
| EV/EBITDA | |||||
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Investments by Secret Escapes
Secret Escapes has invested in 1 company to date.
Latest investment by Secret Escapes was on May 9th 2019. Secret Escapes invested in Twisto in their $16M Series B round.
Latest Investments by Secret Escapes
| Description | - |
| HQ Country | |
| HQ City | - |
| Deal Date | 9 May 2019 |
| Round | Series B |
| Raised | $16M |
| Investors | ING Group; William Reeve; Velocity Capital Fintech Ventures; UNIQA Ventures; ING Ventures; Finch Capital |
| Valuation | undisclosed |
| EV/Revenue | |
| EV/EBITDA | |
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all Secret Escapes investments and their VC round multiples. Start Free Trial | |
Secret Escapes Competitors
Secret Escapes competitors include listed companies like PB Fintech, Kakaku.com and Rasan, and private ones like Koubei, CargoX and Omio.
| Company | HQ | Status | Revenue | EBITDA | Valuation | Revenue Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hangzhou | Private | - | - | $8B | - | |
 São Paulo | Private | - | - | $1B | - | |
 Berlin | Private | - | - | $1B | - | |
 India | Publicly listed | $708M | $58M | $8.5B | 10.1x | |
 Japan | Publicly listed | $605M | $175M | $4.8B | 7.0x | |
 Saudi Arabia | Publicly listed | $174M | $73M | $3B | 11.0x |
Secret Escapes Public Comps
Secret Escapes is still privately-owned, but its public comps include Booking Holdings, Airbnb, Expedia, Amadeus, Trip.com, PB Fintech, Amex GBT, Kakaku.com, MakeMyTrip and Travel+Leisure.
| Last FY | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | EBITDA | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | |
| $27B | $8.3B | 4.9x | 4.6x | 15.9x | 12.4x | |||
| $12B | $2.4B | 7.2x | 6.5x | 36.3x | 18.2x | |||
| $15B | $2.5B | 2.3x | 2.2x | 13.5x | 8.6x | |||
| $7.5B | $2.9B | 4.0x | 3.8x | 10.4x | 10.0x | |||
| $9.3B | $5.7B | 1.9x | 1.8x | 3.1x | 7.1x | |||
| $708M | $58M | 11.7x | 10.1x | 143.3x | 101.3x | |||
| $2.7B | $426M | 2.2x | 1.9x | 14.3x | 9.9x | |||
| $605M | $175M | 7.5x | 7.0x | 26.1x | 22.2x | |||
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Common questions about Secret Escapes
| When was Secret Escapes founded? | Secret Escapes was founded in 2010. |
| Where is Secret Escapes headquartered? | Secret Escapes is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. |
| Is Secret Escapes publicly listed? | No, Secret Escapes is a private, VC-backed company. |
| How much funding has Secret Escapes raised? | Secret Escapes has raised $310M across 5 funding rounds. |
| What was Secret Escapes' last funding round? | Secret Escapes' last funding round was a $39M undisclosed-stage round in March 2023, led by Chrysalis Investments. |
| Who are Secret Escapes' investors? | Secret Escapes' investors include Index Ventures, Chrysalis Investments, Idinvest Partners, Temasek, Octopus Ventures, Accomplice, GV, Merian Global Investors, Atlas Venture, H14 and 1 other. |
| Which companies are comparable to Secret Escapes? | Companies comparable to Secret Escapes include Koubei, CargoX, Omio, PB Fintech, Kakaku.com and Rasan. |
| How many companies has Secret Escapes acquired? | Secret Escapes has acquired 8 companies, including LateRooms.com, Empathy Marketing, TravelBird, Slevomat and Skrz. |
| What was the largest acquisition by Secret Escapes? | The $68M acquisition of Slevomat in August 2017 is the largest acquisition Secret Escapes has made to date. |
| How many companies has Secret Escapes invested in? | Secret Escapes has invested in 1 company, including Twisto. |
| What was Secret Escapes' last investment? | In May 2019, Secret Escapes invested in Twisto's $16M Series B alongside ING Group, William Reeve, Velocity Capital Fintech Ventures and 3 other investors. |
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