Luxury travel members club Secret Escapes secures $12.8 million to expand internationally

Luxury, members-only travel club, Secret Escapes has secured £8 million ($12.8m) in funding to strengthen its UK offering and expand internationally.

The round was led by Index Ventures with participation from Octopus Ventures and Atlas Venture while Torch Partners advised the company on the fundraising.

The firm says that a successful TV campaign has pushed membership beyond 2 million and that over a thousand hotels and suppliers are now on board. Not a bad performance as the company launched in January 2011.

Alex Saint, CEO of Secret Escapes,says that the new funding will create more leverage for the company to develop as a brand, extend its offering and expand aggressively in the UK. There is plenty of work ahead as Saint hopes to double membership by the end of 2013.

The company has a number of new plans in the works for the coming year, including a last-minute getaway concept and deals where members can check in on the same day they make a booking. Adding more features and useful methods for members should help Secret Escapes compete with the likes of Travesse and Gilt Groupe’s Jetsetter.

Secret Escapes provides exclusive discounts of up to 70% for its members for luxury resorts and hotels. The locations are hand-picked and members need only sign up with their email address, there is no fee.

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