The Hideaways Club explained

But how does The Hideaways Club actually work? What do Members own? How are the properties managed? And what should prospective Members understand before joining?

Here, we explain the structure behind The Hideaways Club, from property ownership and independent oversight to the experience Members enjoy when they travel.

What is The Hideaways Club?

The Hideaways Club is a luxury property and travel club built around a simple idea: rather than buying and maintaining a single holiday home, Members can invest in a portfolio of exceptional properties and enjoy access to homes in multiple destinations.

Today, the Club's portfolio includes luxury villas, chalets and city residences in destinations around the world.

Membership combines two distinct elements: participation in a property investment structure and access to the Club's travel and concierge services.

That distinction is important. The Hideaways Club is not simply a holiday rental service, hotel membership programme or timeshare. Members become shareholders in a structure that owns a diversified portfolio of real property assets, while their Club membership enables them to enjoy those homes.

What does a Hideaways Club Member own?

When an individual joins The Hideaways Club, their capital investment is placed into the relevant Property Company according to the membership selected.

Those Property Companies legally own the underlying portfolio of homes.

This means the property assets are held separately from the Club's day-to-day operating activities.

The model is designed to give Members something fundamentally different from paying purely for holiday accommodation: participation in a portfolio of real property alongside the ability to enjoy the homes within that portfolio.

As with any property-related investment, however, values can rise or fall. Membership should therefore be considered both in terms of the lifestyle benefits it provides and the investment risks involved.

How is The Hideaways Club governed?

Good governance is particularly important when a membership proposition combines lifestyle benefits with investment in property.

The Hideaways Club's current structure incorporates several layers of oversight.

The Property Company has its own board, which includes Club Member representation alongside directors and independent directors.

A Member Advisory Committee also provides Members with an additional mechanism for oversight and recommendations to the Board.

Investment oversight and compliance are undertaken by Velay Financial Services, which acts as Investment Manager. The Club's financial statements are independently audited annually.

Together, these arrangements are intended to create separation between the management of Members' underlying investments and the operation of their travel experience.

How are the properties valued?

Members receive an Annual Operating Review containing financial information, portfolio updates and performance information.

The property portfolio is also subject to a defined valuation process.

One third of the properties are professionally revalued each year, while the remaining properties are reviewed by the Investment Manager. These valuations contribute to determining the Net Asset Value of Members' shares.

Naturally, property values and Net Asset Value remain subject to factors including local property markets and currency movements.

What happens to a Member's initial investment?

The majority of a Member's capital contribution is allocated directly towards property assets.

Under the Club's current structure, 90% of the capital investment is invested directly into property assets, with the remaining 10% allocated to legal, administrative and seasonal leasing costs.

This is separate from the ongoing costs associated with operating and maintaining the portfolio and administering the investment structure.

Prospective Members receive detailed information about the applicable costs and membership structure before investing.

Can Members leave The Hideaways Club?

Yes.

Membership is designed as a long-term property and lifestyle proposition, but Members may decide that their circumstances have changed and that they wish to exit.

The Club provides routes through which a Member can seek to sell their share, subject to the applicable terms, market conditions and availability of a purchaser.

It is important to understand that shares in this type of investment are not equivalent to publicly traded investments. A sale cannot be guaranteed within a particular period or at a particular price, and in some circumstances it may be difficult to sell.

Prospective Members should therefore regard liquidity as an important consideration when deciding whether membership is appropriate for them.

Members may also have the option to transfer their shares to the next generation, allowing families to continue enjoying the portfolio over the longer term.

What is the difference between the Classic and City Collections?

The Hideaways Club has developed different collections for different styles of travel.

The Classic Collection centres on luxury villas and chalets, from Mediterranean escapes to mountain homes and long-haul destinations.

The City Collection focuses on luxury apartments for Members who enjoy shorter breaks and stays in major international cities.

Reciprocal partnerships further expand the range of properties available to eligible Members beyond the homes directly held within the collections.

The result is a model designed to provide substantially more variety than owning a single holiday property.

What is it actually like to travel as a Hideaways Club Member?

Property ownership is only one side of the proposition.

The other is service.

Every Member has access to a dedicated Personal Concierge who can help organise their stay, from travel arrangements and restaurant reservations to local experiences and special occasions.

Local Property Managers prepare homes for Members' arrival and provide support during their stay, while teams including housekeepers, gardeners and other specialists maintain the properties throughout the year.

The aim is to remove many of the less enjoyable aspects of owning a holiday home.

Instead of arriving to discover a maintenance problem, organising cleaners remotely or spending the first day of a holiday stocking the property, Members arrive at a home prepared for their stay.

For families in particular, that combination of privacy, space and service can be one of the principal attractions of membership.

What do Hideaways Club reviews say?

The most useful perspective on any private travel club ultimately comes from the people who use it.

Members frequently highlight three aspects of the Hideaways experience: the quality of the homes, the personal service provided by the concierge and local teams, and the ability to experience very different destinations while retaining the familiarity of staying within the same Club.

Independent online reviews similarly provide prospective Members with another source through which to assess recent experiences of the Club.

As with any significant financial and lifestyle decision, prospective Members should look beyond any single review or article - positive or negative - and consider current information, the investment documentation and the experiences of Members themselves.

The Hideaways Club is ranked 4.3 / 5 on Trustpilot.

How has The Hideaways Club evolved?

The Hideaways Club has continued to develop since its creation, adding properties, destinations, partnerships and new ways for Members to travel.

Today, the Club represents a portfolio valued at approximately £52 million, with 45 homes available for Members to enjoy.

The important point for anyone researching The Hideaways Club today is that the Club should be assessed on its current structure, portfolio, governance and Member experience.

Those are all areas prospective Members should investigate carefully before making a decision.

Is The Hideaways Club right for you?

The Hideaways Club is designed for people who love the idea of owning a beautiful second home but do not necessarily want the restrictions or responsibilities associated with owning one property in one location.

It may appeal particularly to families who travel frequently, value private homes over hotels and want to explore different destinations while enjoying a consistent level of service.

It is also an investment, and investment considerations matter.

Membership is restricted to qualifying investors, capital is at risk, property values can fall as well as rise, and selling an interest may take time.

For the right Member, however, the proposition is straightforward: rather than owning one holiday home that may sit empty for much of the year, participate in a professionally managed portfolio of exceptional homes and use the Club to explore the world.

One investment. A portfolio of homes. A world of places to call your own.