The i-escape blog / Michael Cullen

By Michael Cullen, Director 

As covid uncertainty continues, so our longing for a holiday grows. We want to make booking your next holiday, or rebooking your last one, as worry-free as possible.

So we’ve extended our Flexible Booking Promise into 2022. You can browse and book freely, knowing that your initial deposit is protected.

Any queries, just phone or email us. No endless queues, no chat bots: but friendly, fair, real people.

Last updated: 12 April 2022


Our Flexible Booking Promise

If covid regulations prevent your stay, your initial deposit paid through i-escape can be freely transferred or, in some cases, refunded.”


We will freely transfer your i-escape deposit to any future stay through i-escape…

  • If the property cannot fulfil your stay because of closure or local lockdown*
  • If you cannot travel because of lockdown where you live*
  • If you cannot travel because of new travel restrictions in either direction (i.e. which were not in place at the time of booking)
  • And in all scenarios: if your hotel agrees to move dates at no charge, we will do the same with the deposit paid through i-escape

* In these cases your i-escape deposit can be refunded, if you prefer


We will not normally transfer or refund your i-escape deposit…

  • If you book a non-refundable rate (also called Advance Purchase or Fully Prepaid)
  • If you or a member of your party contract covid or need to self-isolate (this should be covered by your travel insurance)
  • If your flight is cancelled by the airline (this should be covered by your travel insurance)
  • If you decide not to travel because of covid restrictions in the destination, such as closure of restaurants or other services
  • If you cannot travel because you fail to meet the travel requirements, such as proof of a negative test or of vaccination status

Notes & clarifications

1. Your i-escape deposit means the payment taken online by i-escape at the moment of booking (typically 15-20% of the total cost). 

2. Any subsequent payments made to the property are not covered by this scheme: their own policies, as shown on your booking, will apply. We have asked all our partner properties to adhere to a fair and flexible payment protocol.

3. The use of an i-escape gift voucher does not affect your eligibility for this scheme.


How to claim

To transfer your i-escape deposit, please first email us with your booking reference explaining why you are cancelling, and attaching any relevant documentation (such as proof of flight cancellation, or positive covid status). We will then reply confirming the credit that we are holding for you. Your credit may be used against any future booking through i-escape. If you have made further payments directly to the property, we advise you to ask them about these before cancelling your booking. 

To redeem your credit note, please first make your new booking and then forward the credit note by email to us so that we can refund you. If the new stay cost is less than the original i-escape deposit, we may re-issue the remainder as a new credit note. Credit notes may have an expiry date by which they must be booked; the dates of the new stay are unrestricted and can be at any time in the future. 

We reserve the right to withdraw or amend this Flexible Booking Policy. Any existing bookings or credit notes will not be affected.