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Privacy Policy

Weeping Willow Accommodation – Privacy Policy

Last updated: 18 March 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Weeping Willow Accommodation (“we”, “us”, or “our”). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website https://www.weepingwillowaccommodation.co.za (the “Site”) and use our services, in accordance with the requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and other applicable South African laws.

By accessing or using our Site and services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this policy, please do not access the Site.

2. Definitions and Key Terms

For clarity, the following definitions apply throughout this Privacy Policy:

  • Personal Information: Information that can identify you as an individual, either on its own or when combined with other information (e.g., your name, contact details, and identification numbers).
  • Processing: Any operation or set of operations performed on personal information, whether or not by automated means, such as collection, storage, use, disclosure, alteration, or deletion.
  • Data Subject: The individual whose personal information is being collected, held, or processed.
  • Controller: The entity (in this case, Weeping Willow Accommodation) that determines the purposes and means of processing personal information.
  • Third Party: Any person or entity other than you, the data subject, or us, who may have access to or receive your personal information.

For further definitions related to POPIA, please refer to the Information Regulator’s website.

3. Information We Collect

We collect various types of personal information in order to provide you with our services, enhance your experience on our Site, and comply with legal obligations. The categories of personal information we may collect include:

3.1. Information You Provide Directly

  • Contact Information: Your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address, which you provide when filling out our contact or booking forms.
  • Booking Details: Information such as check-in and check-out dates, room preferences, and special requests.
  • Feedback and Inquiries: Any information provided via email, feedback forms, or other communications with us.

3.2. Automatically Collected Information

  • Usage Data: Details of how you interact with our Site, including pages visited, links clicked, and other actions taken on the website.
  • Technical Data: Information such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, and device information.
  • Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect data about your browsing activities on our Site. For further details, please refer to our Cookie Policy (if applicable).

3.3. Information from Third Parties

We may also obtain information from third parties, such as social media networks, if you choose to connect with us through those channels. This may include information available on your public social media profile.

4. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal information for a variety of legitimate business purposes. The purposes for which we use your data include, but are not limited to:

  • Providing and Managing Services: To facilitate your booking requests, manage your reservations, and provide you with information about our guesthouse services.
  • Communication: To respond to your inquiries, send service-related notifications, and provide customer support.
  • Improving Our Services: To analyse usage patterns, monitor the effectiveness of our marketing efforts, and continually improve our Site and services.
  • Legal Obligations: To comply with legal and regulatory obligations, including those imposed by POPIA and other South African laws.
  • Marketing and Promotions: With your consent, we may send you promotional materials and offers that we believe may be of interest to you. You can opt out of these communications at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions included in each email.
  • Security: To protect the security of our Site and your personal data, including detecting and preventing fraud or other harmful activities.

When processing your data, we ensure that it is used solely for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy and in a manner that complies with all applicable legal requirements.

5. Disclosure of Your Information

We may share your personal information with third parties in the following circumstances:

5.1. Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our Site, managing bookings, processing payments, and delivering services. These service providers have access to your personal information only to the extent necessary to perform their functions and are obligated to protect your data.

5.2. Legal Requirements

We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or government agency). This includes situations where we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, comply with legal obligations, or safeguard your safety or that of others.

5.3. Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. In such cases, we will notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on our Site of any change in ownership or the use of your personal information.

5.4. Consent

In any other instance, we will seek your explicit consent before disclosing your personal information to any third party.

For further details on third-party processing, please visit our Cookie and Third-Party Policy.

6. How We Protect Your Information

We implement a variety of security measures to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of your personal information. Our safeguards include:

  • Technical Measures: Secure socket layer (SSL) encryption on our Site, firewalls, and secure server infrastructure.
  • Administrative Measures: Staff training on data protection practices, restricted access to personal information, and regular audits of our data handling procedures.
  • Physical Measures: Secure facilities and access controls to prevent unauthorised physical access to our data processing centres.

Despite these measures, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. Should a security breach occur, we will notify affected individuals in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have specific rights regarding your personal data. These rights include:

7.1. Right of Access

You have the right to request access to your personal information that we hold. You may request a copy of your data by contacting us at the details provided below.

7.2. Right to Rectification

If you believe that any information we hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request corrections or updates.

7.3. Right to Erasure

You may request that we delete your personal information when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, provided that there are no legal obligations preventing us from doing so.

7.4. Right to Object

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information for certain purposes, including direct marketing. If you wish to exercise this right, please contact us.

7.5. Right to Data Portability

Where applicable, you have the right to request the transfer of your personal data to another organisation or directly to you, in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

7.6. Right to Lodge a Complaint

If you believe that we have breached your privacy rights or have failed to comply with POPIA, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa. More details on this process can be found on their official website.

To exercise any of these rights or for further inquiries, please contact our Data Protection Officer using the contact information below.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The retention period may vary depending on the nature of the data and the purposes of processing. Once the retention period expires, we will securely delete or anonymise your personal data, unless further retention is required or permitted by law.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Site may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience, gather usage data, and deliver personalised content. Cookies are small text files placed on your device that help us remember your preferences and improve your overall experience.

9.1. How We Use Cookies

  • Essential Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the functioning of the Site and enable you to navigate and use its features.
  • Performance Cookies: These cookies help us understand how you interact with the Site, allowing us to improve its functionality and performance.
  • Functionality Cookies: These cookies enable the Site to remember choices you make (such as your language or region) to provide enhanced, personalised features.
  • Targeting Cookies: These cookies are used to deliver advertisements that are relevant to you and your interests. They may also be used to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.

For further details on our cookie practices and to adjust your preferences, please visit our Cookie Policy.

10. Third-Party Services and Links

Our Site may contain links to external websites and third-party services that are not operated or controlled by us. We are not responsible for the content or practices of these external sites. This Privacy Policy does not apply to such third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit to understand their data practices.

Examples of third-party services we may use include:

  • Payment processors for booking transactions.
  • Social media platforms for sharing content.
  • Analytics providers to monitor website performance.

Should you have any concerns about your personal information being processed by third parties, please contact us directly.

11. Cross-Border Data Transfers

In order to deliver our services effectively, your personal information may be transferred to, stored, or processed in countries outside South Africa. When such transfers occur, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with the requirements of POPIA. These safeguards may include:

  • Standard Contractual Clauses.
  • Data protection agreements with our service providers.
  • Ensuring that the destination country provides an adequate level of protection for personal information.

If you have any questions regarding the international transfer of your personal information, please contact us using the details provided below.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes we make will be effective immediately upon posting the revised policy on our Site, and we will notify you of any material changes by prominently displaying a notice on our homepage or by other means. It is your responsibility to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

Your continued use of the Site after any modifications indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the changes, you should stop using our Site and services immediately.

13. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Data Protection Officer or customer support using the following details:

Alternatively, if you believe that we have not handled your personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the South African Information Regulator. For more information on this process, please visit the Information Regulator’s website.

14. Data Protection Officer

We have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to oversee questions regarding this Privacy Policy and our data practices. Should you wish to exercise any of your rights or require further information about our data processing, please contact our DPO at the details provided above.

15. Consent

By using our Site and services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described herein. Your consent is essential for us to continue providing you with our services in compliance with South African data protection laws.

16. Additional Information for International Visitors

If you are accessing our Site from outside South Africa, please be aware that your personal information may be transferred to and processed in South Africa or other jurisdictions where our servers are located. By providing your personal information, you consent to such transfers and processing in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

17. Final Provisions

This Privacy Policy constitutes the entire agreement between you and Weeping Willow Accommodation regarding the protection of your personal information. If any part of this policy is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy regularly. If you have any concerns about how your data is being used or wish to exercise your rights under POPIA, please contact us without delay.

By using our Site, you agree to the terms and conditions outlined in this Privacy Policy. Thank you for choosing Weeping Willow Accommodation for your travel needs.

This Privacy Policy is designed to be thorough, addressing all key aspects required by South African law and POPIA. Should you have further questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out using the contact details provided above.