Privacy Policy for Guests / Customers

The privacy of our guests/users is of utmost importance to us and we are meant and known to ensure and abide by each term mentioned in the privacy policy, which makes the privacy of our users the top priority.

As our guests will be ensuring their confidence and trust in us, as we all know, that home is the only place we feel serene, so to provide the same comfort, we are working hard to provide a homely and morally valued experience to our Guests / Customers. We act in our Guest's / Customers’ best interests and are transparent about the processing of Guests / Customers personal data.

This document (“this Privacy Statement” or “our Privacy Statement”) describes how our platform and our hotel partner uses and process the personal data, provided by the Guest / Customers in a readable and transparent manner. It is to ensure Guest / Customer that the privacy policy is in contravention to the privacy rights laid down as per constitution of India and we try to educate our Guest / Customers about their rights, which they can exercise in relation to personal data and how Guest / Customer can contact us.

If our guests are aware of the facilities we provide, they must be knowing that we offer online travel-related services through our own websites and mobile application, as well as other online platforms such as partners’ websites and social media.

In fact, this single privacy statement applies to any kind of Guest / Customer information we collect through all of the above platforms or by any other means connected to these platforms (such as when Guest / Customer contact our Guest / Customer service team by email.

It is to inform our Guest / Customers that the personal data stored by us are not for any other purpose, other than harnessing, as part of the business relationship.

That the privacy policies are amendable and any such amendment made, will be uploaded on our website and mobile, application, which will be available in public forum for all the Guest / Customers to validate before, making any booking with us. Any change in the policy directly concerns our Guest / Customers so we provide it with utmost transparency and cognizance to to make sure the Guest / Customers know where they stand. If we make any updates to the Privacy Statement that will impact the Guest / Customers significantly, we’ll notify Guest / Customer about the changes before any new activities begin.

Definitions of Terms used in the Privacy Statement

“Trip” refers to the various different travel products and services that can be ordered, acquired, purchased, bought, paid, rented, provided, reserved, combined, or consummated by the Guest / Customer from the Trip Provider.

“Trip Provide” refers to the provider of accommodation (e.g. hotel, motel, apartment, bed & breakfast, landlord), attractions (e.g. (theme) parks, museums, sightseeing tours), transportation provider (e.g. car rentals, cruises, trains, flights, bus tours, transfers), tour operators, travel insurances, and any other travel or related product or service as from time to time available for Trip Reservation on the platform.

“Trip Service” refers to the online purchase, order, (facilitated) payment, or reservation service as offered or enabled by bookbyown in regards to various products and services as from time to time made available by Trip Providers on its various platforms.

“Trip Reservation” refers to the order, purchase, payment, booking, or reservation of a Trip.

What kind of personal data does bookbyown collects?

We can’t help Guest / Customer book the perfect Trip without information, so when Guest / Customer use our services there are certain things we need to know about our Guest / Customer, which we are bound to ask.

This is typically routine info – Guest / Customer name, preferred contact details, the names of the people traveling with the Guest / Customer, and Guest / Customer payment info. Guest / Customer might also decide to submit additional info related to Guest / Customer upcoming Trip (e.g. Guest / Customer anticipated arrival time).

In addition to this, we also collect info from the computer, phone, tablet, or other device Guest / Customer use to access our services. This includes the IP address, the browser used, payment portal and gateways used and Guest / Customer language settings. There are also situations when we receive info about Guest / Customer from others or automatically collect other info.

Why does bookbyown or any other such platform collect’s and use Guest / Customer personal data?

The main reason we ask for personal details is to help Guest / Customer organize Guest / Customer online Trip Reservations and ensure Guest / Customer get the best possible service.

We also use Guest / Customer personal data to contact Guest / Customer about the latest deals, special offers, and other products or services we think Guest / Customer might be interested in.

How is Guest / Customer personal data shared within the bookbyown’s, NUZN Infotech. corporate group?

bookbyown is part of the Nuzn Infotech corporate group, which is based and settled in Delhi and have other services and corporate partners working in the similar field alongside with bookbyown.

How does bookbyown share Guest / Customer data with third parties?

There are different parties integrated into bookbyown’s services, in various ways and for various reasons. The primary reason we share Guest / Customer data is to provide the Trip Provider with the relevant info to complete Guest / Customer Trip Reservation.

We also involve other parties to provide Guest / Customer with the bookbyown services. This includes, for example, financial institutions, advertisers, subsidiaries of the bookbyown corporate group, and the other companies that form the Nuzn Infotech, corporate group. Or, in some cases, if, we’re required to by law, we might share Guest / Customer data with governmental or other authorities

How is Guest / Customer personal data shared and further processed for insurance services?

We work with different parties when offering insurance services. Follow the link below to understand how Guest / Customer data is used and shared for insurance purposes and learn about the responsibilities of the parties involved.

How does bookbyown process communications that Guest / Customer and Guest / Customer Trip Provider may send via bookbyown?

bookbyown can help Guest / Customer and Trip Providers exchange info or requests about services and existing Trip Reservations through the bookbyown platform. If Guest / Customer want to find out more about how bookbyown receives and handles these communications, read on here.

How does bookbyown make use of mobile devices?

We offer free apps that we also collect and process personal data through. This works in much the same way as our website, but they also allow Guest / Customer to benefit from the location services available on Guest / Customer mobile device(s).

How does bookbyown make use of social media?

The use of social media may be integrated into bookbyown services in various ways. These will involve us collecting some of Guest / Customer personal data, or the social media provider receiving some of Guest / Customer info.

What security and retention procedures does bookbyown put in place to safeguard Guest / Customer personal data?

We’ve implemented a range of procedures to prevent unauthorized access to and the misuse of personal data that we process.

How does bookbyown treat personal data belonging to children?

Unless indicated otherwise, bookbyown is a service only allowed to for Guest / Customer older than 18, if booked individually and any age if accompanied by Legal guardians or parents. We only process information about children with the consent of their parents or legal guardians, or when the information is shared with us by the parents or legal guardians themselves.

How can Guest / Customer control the personal data Guest / Customers given to bookbyown?

Among others, Guest / Customer have the right to review the personal data we keep about anytime and request access to or deletion of Guest / Customer personal data by sending us an email on the customer service email I’d given by on our news portal. To find out more about Guest / Customer rights to control Guest / Customer personal data, read on.

Who is responsible for the processing of personal data on the bookbyown website and apps?

bookbyown is part of the Nuzn Infotech. corporate group, which is based and settled in Delhi, controls the processing of personal data for the provision of its services. That includes its websites and mobile apps, except for some exceptions that are clarified in this privacy statement.

Country-specific provisions

Depending on the law that applies to Guest / Customer, we may be required to provide some additional info.

What kind of personal data does bookbyown collect?

Okay, so Guest / Customer looking for some more in-depth info. Here’s a closer look at what we collect.

Personal data Guest / Customer give to us.

bookbyown collects and uses the info Guest / Customer provide us. When Guest / Customer make a Trip Reservation, Guest / Customer are (at a minimum) asked for Guest / Customer name and email address.

Depending on the Trip Reservation, we may also ask for Guest / Customer home address, telephone number, payment information, date of birth, current location (in the case of on-demand services), the names of the people traveling with Guest / Customer, and any preferences Guest / Customer might have for Guest / Customer Trip (such as dietary or accessibility requirements). In some cases, Guest / Customer may also be able to check-in online with the Trip Provider, for which we will ask Guest / Customer to share passport information or a driver’s license and signatures.

If Guest / Customer need to get in touch with our Guest / Customer service team, contact Guest / Customer Trip Provider through us, or reach out to us in a different way (such as social media or via a chat box in the app); we’ll collect information from Guest / Customer there, too. This applies whether Guest / Customer are contacting us with feedback or asking for help using our services.

Guest / Customer might also be invited to write reviews to help inform others about the experiences Guest / Customer had on Guest / Customer Trip. When Guest / Customer write a review on the bookbyown platform, we’ll collect any info Guest / Customer includes, along with Guest / Customer display name and avatar (if Guest / Customer choose one).

There are other instances where Guest / Customer provide us with information as well. For example, if Guest / Customer browsing with Guest / Customer mobile device, Guest / Customer can decide to allow bookbyown to see Guest / Customer current location or grant us access to some contact details. This helps us to give Guest / Customer the best possible service, recommendations, suggestions and experience by, for example, showing Guest / Customer our city guides, suggesting the nearest restaurants or places of attractions to Guest / Customer location, or making other recommendations.

If Guest / Customer create a user account, we’ll also store Guest / Customer personal settings, uploaded photos, and reviews of previous bookings there, payment methods, card details to ease the future payments. This saved data can be used to help Guest / Customer plan and manage future Trip Reservations or benefit from other features only available to account holders, such as incentives or other benefits.

Guest / Customer can also choose to add details from Guest / Customer identification documents to Guest / Customer user accounts, so Guest / Customer don’t have to submit this info for each individual Trip Reservation.

We may offer Guest / Customer referral programs or sweepstakes, and participating in these will mean providing us with relevant personal data.

Personal data Guest / Customer give us about others.

If Guest / Customer have a bookbyown for Business account, Guest / Customer can keep an address book there to make it easier to plan and manage business travel arrangements for others.

In some cases, Guest / Customer might use bookbyown to share information with others. This can take the form of sharing a wish list, taking part in a travel community or participating in a referral program, as described when Guest / Customer use the relevant feature.

At this point, we have to make it clear that it’s Guest / Customer responsibility to ensure that the person or people Guest / Customer have provided personal data about are aware that Guest / Customer had done so, and that they have understood and accepted how bookbyown uses their information (as described in this Privacy Statement).

Personal data we collect automatically.

Whether or not Guest / Customer end up making a Trip Reservation, when Guest / Customer visit our websites or apps, we automatically collect certain info. This includes Guest / Customer IP address, the date and time Guest / Customer accessed our services, the hardware, software, or internet browser Guest / Customer used, and info about Guest / Customer computer’s operating system like application versions and Guest / Customer language settings. We also collect information about clicks and which pages were shown to Guest / Customer.

If Guest / Customer using a mobile device, we collect data that identifies the device, as well as data about Guest / Customer device-specific settings and characteristics, app crashes, and other system activity. When Guest / Customer make a Trip Reservation using this kind of device, our system registers how Guest / Customer made Guest / Customer reservation (on which website), and/or which site Guest / Customer came from when Guest / Customer entered the bookbyown website or app.

Personal data we receive from other sources.

It’s not just the things Guest / Customer tell us, though—we may also receive information about Guest / Customer from other sources. These include business partners, such as affiliate partners, subsidiaries of the bookbyown corporate group, other companies in the bookbyown is part of the Nuzn Infotech., corporate group, and other independent third parties.

Anything we receive from these partners may be combined with information provided by Guest / Customer. For example, bookbyown Trip Reservation services aren’t only made available via bookbyown and the bookbyown apps, but are also integrated into services of affiliate partners Guest / Customer can find online. When Guest / Customer use any of these services, Guest / Customer provide the reservation details to our business partners who then forward Guest / Customer details to us.

We also integrate with third party service providers to facilitate payments between Guest / Customer and Trip Providers. These service providers share payment information, so we can administer and handle Guest / Customer Trip Reservation, making sure everything goes as smoothly as possible for Guest / Customer.

We also collect info when we receive a complaint about Guest / Customer from a Trip Provider (e.g. in the case of misconduct).

Another way we might receive data about Guest / Customer is through the communication services integrated into our platforms. These communication services offers Guest / Customer, a way to contact the Trip Provider, they had booked, to discuss their stay. In some cases, we receive metadata about these communication activities (such as who Guest / Customer are, where they are called from, and the date and length of the call).

We may also receive information about Guest / Customer in order to show them more relevant ads, such as the additional cookie data bookbyown social media partners make available to us.

When Guest / Customer link their bookbyown user account to their social media account, they might trigger exchanges of data between bookbyown and that social media provider. Guest / Customer can always choose not to share that data.

Trip Providers may share info about Guest / Customer with bookbyown, too. This could happen if Guest / Customer have support questions about a pending Trip Reservation, or if disputes or other issues arise about a Trip Reservation.

Why does bookbyown collect and use Guest / Customer personal data?

We use the info collected about Guest / Customer for various purposes. Guest / Customer personal data may be used in the following ways:

• Trip Reservations: First and foremost, we use Guest / Customer personal data to complete and administer their online Trip Reservation – which is essential for us to provide this service to them. This includes sending them communications that relate to their Trip Reservation, such as confirmations (including, where applicable, providing Guest / Customer with a proof of purchase and/or payment), modifications, and reminders. In some cases, this may also include processing their personal data to enable online check-in with the Trip Provider or processing personal data in relation to possible damage deposits.
• Guest / Customer service: We provide international Guest / Customer service from our local offices in more than 20 languages and are here to help 24/7. Sharing relevant details such as reservation info or info about Guest / Customer user account with our service staff, which allows us to respond when Guest / Customer need us. This includes helping them to contact the right Trip Provider and responding to any questions they might have about their Trip Reservation (or any other questions, for that matter).
• Account facilities: bookbyown users can create an account on our website or apps. We use the info our Guest / Customer gives us to administer this account, enabling them to do a number of useful things. Guest / Customer can manage their Trip Reservations, take advantage of special offers, make future Trip Reservations easily, and manage their personal settings.
  
  Managing personal settings lets Guest / Customer keep and share lists, share photos, view previously searched Trip Services, and check other travel-related info they have provided. Guest / Customer can also see any reviews other Guest / Customers have written.
  
  If Guest / Customer want, they can share certain info as part of their user account by creating a public profile under their own first name or a screen name they choose.
  
  If Guest / Customer is a bookbyown Business account holder, Guest / Customer can also save contact details under that account, manage business reservations, and link other account holders to the same bookbyown Business account.
• Online groups: We give account holders the chance to connect and interact with each other through online groups or forums, such as travel communities.
• Marketing activities: We use Guest / Customer information for marketing activities. These activities include:
  1. Using Guest / Customer contact information to send them regular news about travel-related products and services. Guest / Customer can unsubscribe from email marketing communications quickly, easily, and anytime. All Guest / Customer need to do is click the "Unsubscribe" link included in each newsletter or other communication, or manage their preferences via Guest / Customer account settings.
  2. Based on Guest / Customer info, individualized offers might be shown to Guest / Customer on the bookbyown website, on mobile apps, or on third-party websites/apps (including social media sites), and the content of the site displayed to them might be personalized. These could be offers that Guest / Customer can book directly on the bookbyown website, on co-branded sites, or other third-party offers or products we think our Guest / Customer might find interesting.
  3. When Guest / Customer participate in other promotional activities (such as sweepstakes, referral programs, or competitions), only relevant information will be used to administer these promotions.
• Communicating with Guest / Customer: There might be other times when we get in touch, including by email, by chatbox, by mail, by phone, or by text. Which method we choose depends on the contact information Guest / Customer have previously shared.
  
  We process the communications Guest / Customer send to us. There could be a number of reasons for this, including:
  1. Responding to and handling any requests Guest / Customer, booked Trip Provider have made. bookbyown also offers Guest / Customers and Trip Providers various ways to exchange information, requests, and comments about Trip Providers and existing Trip Reservations via bookbyown.
  2. If Guest / Customer have started but not finished a Trip Reservation online, we might contact them to invite them to continue with their reservation. We believe this additional service benefits Guest / Customer because it allows them to carry on with a Trip Reservation without having to search for Trip Providers or enter their reservation details again.
  3. When Guest / Customer use our services, we might send them questionnaire or invite them to provide a review about their experience with bookbyown or the Trip Provider.
  4. We also send Guest / Customer other material related to their Trip Reservations, such as how to contact bookbyown if they need assistance while they are away, and information that we feel might be useful to them in planning or making the most of their Trip. We might also send Guest / Customer material related to upcoming Trip Reservations or a summary of previous Trip Reservations they made through bookbyown.
  5. Even if Guest / Customer don’t have an upcoming Trip Reservation, we may still need to send them other administrative messages, which could include security alerts.
  6. In the case of misconduct, we may send Guest / Customer a notice and/or warning.
• Market research: We sometimes invite our Guest / Customers to take part in market research. Review the info that accompanies this kind of invitation to understand what personal data will be collected and how it’s used.
• Improving our services: We also use personal data for analytical purposes and product improvement. This is part of our commitment to improving our services and enhancing the user experience.
  
  In this case, we use data for testing and troubleshooting purposes, as well as generating statistics about our business. The main goal here is to get insights into how our services perform, how they are used, and ultimately to optimize and customize our website and apps, making them easier and more meaningful to use. As much as possible, we strive to use anonymised and de-identified personal data for this analytical work.
• Guest / Customer reviews and other destination-related info: During and after their Trip, we might invite them to submit a review. We can also make it possible for the people traveling with or whom our Guest / Customer booked a reservation for to do this instead. This invite asks for information about the Trip Provider or the destination.
  
  If Guest / Customer have a bookbyown account, they can choose to display a screen name next to their review, instead of their real name. If Guest / Customer would like to set a screen name, they can do that in Guest / Customer account settings. Adding an avatar is also possible.
  
  By completing a review, Guest / Customer are agreeing that it can be displayed (as described in detail in our Terms and Conditions) on, for example, the relevant Trip Provider information page on our websites, on our mobile apps, on our social media accounts and social media apps, or on the online platform of the relevant Trip Provider or business partner’s website. This is to inform other travellers about the quality of the Trip Service Guest / Customer used the destination they have chosen or any other experiences they might choose to share.
• Call monitoring: When Guest / Customer make calls to our Customer service team, bookbyown uses an automated telephone number detection system to match Guest / Customer telephone number to their existing reservations. This helps save time for both the Guest / Customer and our service staff. However, our Customer service staff may still ask for authentication, which helps to keep Guest / Customer reservation details confidential.
  
  During calls with our Customer service team, live listening might be carried out or calls might be recorded for quality control and training purposes. This includes the usage of the recordings for the handling of complaints, legal claims, and for fraud detection.
  
  We do not record all calls. In the case that a call is recorded, each recording is kept for a limited amount of time before being automatically deleted. This is unless we have determined that it’s necessary to keep the recording for fraud investigation or legal purposes.
• Promotion of a safe and trustworthy service: To create a trustworthy environment for Guest / Customer, the people they bring with them on their Trip, bookbyown’s business partners and our Trip Providers, we continuously analyze and use certain personal data to detect and prevent fraud and other illegal or unwanted activities.
  
  Similarly, we use personal data for risk assessment and security purposes, including when Guest / Customer report a safety concern, or for the authentication of users and reservations. When we do this, we may have to stop or put certain Trip Reservations on hold until we’ve finished our assessment.
• Legal purposes: Finally, in certain cases, we may need to use Guest / Customer information to handle and resolve legal claims and disputes, for regulatory investigations and compliance, to enforce the bookbyown online reservation service terms of use or to comply with lawful requests from law enforcement.
  
  Providing Guest / Customer personal data to bookbyown is voluntary. However, we may only be able to provide Guest / Customers with certain services if we can only collect some personal data. For instance, we can't process their Trip Reservation if we don’t collect their name and contact details.
  
  If we use automation to process personal data that produces legal effects or similarly, significantly affects the Guest / Customer, we’ll always implement the necessary measures to safeguard to Guest / Customer's rights and freedoms. This includes the right to obtain human intervention.

To process Guest / Customer personal data as described above, we rely on the following legal bases:

As applicable, for purposes A and B, bookbyown relies on the legal basis that the processing of personal data is necessary for the performance of a contract, specifically to finalize and administer Guest / Customer Trip Reservations.

If the required personal data is not provided, bookbyown cannot finalize the Trip Reservation, nor can we provide the Guest / Customer services. In view of purposes C to L, bookbyown relies on its (or third parties’) legitimate interest, to provide and improve services and to prevent fraud and other illegal acts (as set out more specifically under C to L).

When using personal data to serve bookbyown’s or a third party's legitimate interest, bookbyown will always balance Guest / Customer rights and interests in the protection of their personal data against bookbyown’s rights and interests or those of the third party. For purpose M, bookbyown also relies, where applicable, on compliance with legal obligations (such as legal law enforcement requests).

Finally, where needed under applicable law, bookbyown will obtain Guest / Customer consent prior to processing their personal data, including for email marketing purposes or as otherwise required by law.

If Guest / Customer wish to object to the processing set out under C to L and no opt-out mechanism is available to Guest / Customer directly (for example, in Guest / Customer account settings), contact us at info@bookbyownhotels.com

How does bookbyown share Guest / Customer data with third parties?

In certain circumstances, we’ll share Guest / Customer personal data with third parties. These third parties include:

1. The Trip Provider Guest / Customer have booked: In order to complete their Trip Reservations, we transfer relevant reservation details to the Trip Provider they might have booked. This is one of the most essential things we do for Guest / Customer.
   
   Depending on the Trip Reservation and Trip Provider, the details we share can include Guest / Customer name, contact and payment details, the names of the people accompanying Guest / Customer, and any other info or preferences, Guest / Customer specified when they made their Trip Reservation.
   
   In certain cases, we also provide some additional historical info about Guest / Customer to the Trip Provider. This includes whether they have already booked with them in the past, the number of completed bookings Guest / Customer have made with bookbyown, a confirmation that no misconduct has been reported about Guest / Customer, the percentage of bookings they have cancelled in the past, or whether they have given reviews about past bookings.
   
   If Guests / Customer have a question about their Trip, we may contact the Trip Provider to handle their requests. Unless payment is made during the booking process, via the bookbyown website, we will forward the Guest / Customer's credit card details to the booked Trip Provider for further handling (assuming the Guest / Customer have provided us with those details).
   
   In cases of Trip Reservation-related claims or disputes, we may provide the Trip Provider with Guest / Customer contact details and other information about the booking process, as needed to resolve the situation. This can include, but might not be limited to, Guest / Customer email address and a copy of the Guest / Customer reservation confirmation as proof that a Trip Reservation was made or to confirm reasons for cancellation.
   
   For completeness, Trip Providers will further process Guest / Customer personal data outside of the control of bookbyown. Trip Providers may also ask for additional personal data, for instance, to provide additional services, or to comply with local restrictions. If available, please read the Privacy Statement of the Trip Provider to understand how they process Guest / Customer’s data.
2. Connectivity Providers: Note: Certain Trip Providers may need us to share Guest / Customer personal data with a contracted Connectivity Provider to be able to finalize and administer Guest / Customer reservations. Connectivity providers act on behalf of Trip Providers and help them to manage their reservations.
3. Guest / Customer local bookbyown office: To support the use of bookbyown services, Guest / Customer details may be shared with subsidiaries of the bookbyown corporate group, including for Guest / Customer service.
4. Third-party service providers: We use service providers outside of the bookbyown corporate group to support us in providing our services. These include:
   • Guest / Customer support
   • Market research
   • Fraud detection and prevention (including anti-fraud screening)
   • Insurance claims
   • Payment
     We use third parties to process payments, handle chargebacks, or provide billing collection services. When a chargeback is requested for Guest / Customer Trip Reservation, either by Guest / Customer or by the holder of the credit card used to make their reservation, we need to share certain reservation details with the payment service provider and the relevant financial institution so they can handle the chargeback. This may also include a copy of Guest / Customer reservation confirmation or the IP address used to make their reservation. We may share information with relevant financial institutions if we consider it strictly necessary for fraud detection and prevention purposes.
     
     When a chargeback is requested for Guest / Customer Trip Reservation, either by Guest / Customer or by the holder of the credit card used to make Guest / Customer reservation, we need to share certain reservation details with the payment service provider and the relevant financial institution so they can handle the chargeback. This may also include a copy of the Guest / Customer reservation confirmation or the IP address used to make Guest / Customer reservation.
     
     We may also share information with relevant financial institutions, if we consider it strictly necessary for fraud detection and prevention purposes.
   • Marketing services
     We share personal data with advertising partners, including Guest / Customer email address, IP address, and telephone number, as part of marketing bookbyown services via third parties (to ensure that relevant advertisements are shown to the right audience). We use techniques such as hashing to enable the matching of Guest / Customer email address, IP address, and/or telephone number with an existing Guest / Customer database, to prevent this data from being used for other purposes. For info on other personalized advertisements and Guest / Customer choices, read our Cookie Statement.
   • Advertising partners
     We use advertising partners, such as met search providers, to allow Guest / Customers to compare our offers with offers from other Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). When Guest / Customer makes a reservation on bookbyown after using an advertising partner, we will send the details of the reservation that the Guest / Customer made on bookbyown to that partner.
5. Other professional third parties: In certain cases (such as disputes or legal claims or as part of auditing activities), we may need to share Guest / Customer personal data with professional advisors. These advisors include parties such as law firms or auditors. We only share Guest / Customer personal data to the extent that is necessary and such third parties process this data in line with their own professional obligations.
6. Competent authorities: We disclose personal data to law enforcement to the extent that it is required by law or is strictly necessary for the prevention, detection, or prosecution of criminal acts and fraud, or if we are otherwise legally obligated to do so. We may need to further disclose personal data to competent authorities to comply with a legal obligation (e.g. under short-term rental laws), to protect and defend our rights or properties, or the rights and properties of our business partners.
7. Business partners: We work with many business partners around the world. These business partners distribute and advertise bookbyown services, including the services and products of our Trip Providers.
   
   When Guest / Customer make a reservation on one of our business partners’ websites or apps, certain personal data that Guest / Customer give them, such as Guest / Customer name and email address, Guest / Customer address, payment details, and other relevant information, will be forwarded to us to finalize and manage Guest / Customer Trip Reservation.
   
   If Guest / Customer service is provided by the business partner, bookbyown will share relevant reservation details with them (as and when needed) in order to provide Guest / Customer with appropriate and efficient support.
   
   When Guest / Customer make a reservation through one of our business partners’ websites, the business partners can receive certain parts of Guest / Customer personal data related to the specific reservation and Guest / Customer interactions on these partner websites. This is for their commercial purposes.
   
   When Guest / Customer make a reservation on a business partners’ website, take the time to read their privacy notice as well if Guest / Customer’s like to understand how they process Guest / Customer personal data.
   
   For fraud detection and prevention purposes, we may also exchange information about our users with business partners – but only when strictly necessary.
   
   If an insurance claim is made concerning Guest / Customer and a Trip Provider, we may provide the necessary data (including personal data) to the insurance company for further processing.
   • o Partner Offer: We may present Guest / Customer with a “Partner Offer.” When Guest / Customer books a stay marked "Partner Offer," Guest / Customer reservation will be facilitated by a Trip Provider who is separate from the accommodation the Guest / Customer’re booking. As part of the reservation process, we’ll need to share some relevant personal data with this business partner.
     
     If Guest / Customer books a Partner Offer, review the information provided in the booking process or check Guest / Customer reservation confirmation for more information about the Trip Provider and how they will further process Guest / Customer personal data.
8. The Booking Holdings Inc. corporate group: Read about how we share Guest / Customer personal data with the Booking Holdings Inc. corporate group.

bookbyown is a global business. The data that we collect from Guest / Customer, as described in this Privacy Statement, could be made accessible from, transferred to or stored in countries that may not have the same data protection laws as the country in which Guest / Customer initially provided the information. In such cases, we will protect Guest / Customer data as described in this Privacy Statement.

This may also be applicable if Guest / Customer are in the European Economic Area (EEA). Countries Guest / Customer data may be transferred to may not have laws that provide the same level of protection for Guest / Customer personal data as laws within the EEA. Where this is the case, we will put appropriate safeguards in place to make sure that these transfers comply with European privacy law.

In particular, when Guest / Customer data is transferred to third-party service providers, we establish and implement appropriate contractual, organizational, and technical measures with them. This is done by putting in place Standard Contractual Clauses as approved by the European Commission, by examining the countries to which the data may be transferred, and by imposing specific technical and organizational security measures.

In certain specific cases, we transfer Guest / Customer data outside the EEA because it is in Guest / Customer interest or is necessary to conclude or perform the contract we have with Guest / Customer. For example, when Guest / Customer makes a reservation on bookbyown or through a business partner, we might need to transfer Guest / Customer data to a Trip Provider or business partner who is located outside the EEA.

Guest / Customer can ask us to see a copy of our implemented safeguards (where possible) by contacting us at info@bookbyownhotels.com

How is Guest / Customer personal data shared within the Booking Holdings Inc. corporate group?

bookbyown is part of the Booking Holdings Inc. corporate group. More information is available at Bookingholdings.com.

We may receive personal data about Guest / Customer from other companies in the Booking Holdings Inc. corporate group, or share Guest / Customer personal data with them, for the following purposes:

• To provide services (including making, administer, and manage reservations or handle payments)
• To provide Guest / Customer service
• To detect, prevent, and investigate fraudulence or other illegal activities and data breaches
• For analytical and product improvement purposes
• To send Guest / Customer personalized offers or marketing with Guest / Customer consent, or as otherwise permitted by applicable law
• For hosting, technical support, overall maintenance, and maintaining the security of such shared data
• To ensure compliance with applicable laws

As applicable and unless indicated otherwise, for purposes A to F, bookbyown relies on its legitimate interests to share and receive personal data. For purpose G, bookbyown relies, where applicable, on compliance with legal obligations (such as lawful law enforcement requests).

For example, bookbyown works closely with Rentalcars.com to offer ground transportation services to Guest / Customers. For more info, read How is Guest / Customer personal data shared and further processed for ground transport services?

All companies within the Booking Holdings Inc. group of companies may need to exchange personal Guest / Customer data to ensure all users are protected from fraudulent activities on its online platforms.

How is Guest / Customer personal data shared and further processed for ground transport services?

bookbyown Transport Limited, trading as Rentalcars.com, is a private limited liability company, incorporated under the laws of the United Kingdom with offices at 100 New Bridge Street, London, EC4V 6JA.

bookbyown and Rentalcars.com (both part of the Booking Holdings Inc. group of companies) work together closely to offer Guest / Customer ground transport services via bookbyown websites and apps, such as cars.bookbyown or taxi.bookbyown.

The ground transportation services offered by bookbyown websites and apps are operated by Rentalcars.com, under the bookbyown brand. This means that when Guest / Customer're booking or browsing for ground transport services via the app or website, bookbyown and Rentalcars.com are collectively responsible for the collection and use of Guest / Customer personal data.

In addition to the data we process to allow Guest / Customer to search for ground transport services and make Guest / Customer booking, bookbyown and Rentalcars.com can also use Guest / Customer personal data independently. This is in line with the purposes set out in this Privacy Statement and the Rentalcars.com Privacy Notice.

For further information about the relationship between bookbyown and Rentalcars.com, and to exercise Guest / Customer rights regarding Guest / Customer personal data that is collected via the bookbyown websites and apps, please feel free to contact bookbyown at any time. Guest / Customer can do this via the email address under “Who is responsible for the processing of personal data via bookbyown and how to contact us?”.

How is Guest / Customer personal data shared and further processed for insurance services?

bookbyown Distribution B.V. is a sister company of bookbyown with registered offices at 597 Herengracht, 1017 CE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. bookbyown and bookbyown Distribution B.V. work closely together to offer Guest / Customers different insurance products and services for Trip Reservations, for example, room cancellation insurance.

The offering of insurance can involve multiple parties, such as intermediaries, underwriters, and other agents. Where bookbyown Distribution B.V. is involved, it will act as the intermediary and authorized agent or appointed representative (depending on the jurisdiction) on behalf of the insurer, by offering insurance products and services to bookbyown Guest / Customers.

Please review the information provided during the booking process for more information about bookbyown Distribution B.V and the parties who work together with bookbyown to offer Guest / Customer these products and services. The details of the insurer will be visible in the insurance policy and related documentation provided to Guest / Customer.

When offering insurance, bookbyown and bookbyown Distribution B.V. may have to use and share personal data that is relevant to the insurance product. This data relates to Guest / Customer as a potential or actual policyholder, the beneficiaries under a policy, family members, claimants, and other parties involved in a claim:

• To provide offers, arrange insurance cover and handle insurance claims, some personal data, provided to us during the booking process, (“General Order Data”) may have to be shared with bookbyown Distribution B.V.. Guest / Customer may also be asked to provide additional information, such as names of family members or other beneficiaries or details about a claim (“Insurance-Specific Data”).
• If Guest / Customer make a claim under an insurance policy, this claim may be directly handled by the insurer. This means that Guest / Customer may be asked to provide personal data in order to submit the claim directly to them. The insurer will inform Guest / Customer accordingly at the point of collection of Guest / Customer information. When Guest / Customer claim is handled by the insurer, QUICK may receive information about the status of Guest / Customer claim in order to provide Guest / Customer with Guest / Customer support services.

When bookbyown Distribution B.V. acts as an intermediary for insurance products and services via bookbyown, the two companies are jointly responsible for the collection of Insurance-Specific Data and its transmission from bookbyown to bookbyown Distribution B.V. However, bookbyown Distribution B.V. acts as the sole controller for any processing outside of the bookbyown B.V. systems. Any personal data collected by bookbyown for insurance purposes will be processed as set out in this Privacy Statement.

For further information about the relationship between bookbyown and bookbyown Distribution B.V., and to exercise Guest / Customer rights regarding personal data that is collected via the bookbyown website and apps, please contact us.

How does bookbyown process communications that Guest / Customer and Guest / Customer booked Trip Provider may send via bookbyown?

bookbyown can offer Guest / Customer and Trip Providers various ways to communicate about the Trip Services and existing Trip Reservations, directing the communications via bookbyown. This also allows Guest / Customer and Guest / Customer Trip Provider to contact bookbyown with questions about Guest / Customer Trip Reservation through the website, our apps, and the other channels that we provide.

bookbyown accesses communications and may use automated systems to review, scan, and analyze communications for the following reasons:

• Security purposes
• Fraud prevention
• Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Investigations of potential misconduct
• Product development and improvement
• Research
• Guest / Customer engagement (including to provide Guest / Customer info and offers that we believe might interest Guest / Customer)
• Guest / Customer or technical support

We reserve the right to review or block the delivery of communications that we, at our sole discretion, believe might contain malicious content or spam, or pose a risk to Guest / Customer, Trip Providers, bookbyown, or others.

All communications sent or received using bookbyown communication tools will be received and stored by bookbyown. Trip Providers and Business partners Guest / Customer’ve booked a Trip Reservation through might also choose to communicate with Guests / Customers directly by email or through other channels that bookbyown does not control.

How does bookbyown make use of mobile devices?

We offer free apps for a range of different mobile devices, as well as versions of our regular website that are optimized for browsing on a phone and tablet.

These apps and mobile websites process the personal details Guest / Customer give us in a similar way that our website does. They also allow Guest / Customer to use location services to find Trip Services nearby, if Guest / Customer want.

With Guest / Customer consent, we may send Guest / Customer push notifications with information about Guest / Customer Trip Reservation. Guest / Customer can also grant us access to Guest / Customer location data or contact details in order to provide services Guest / Customer request. If Guest / Customer upload pictures to our platform, these pictures may include location information (known as metadata) as well. Please read Guest / Customer mobile device’s instructions to understand how to change Guest / Customer settings and control the sharing of this category of data.

When Guest / Customer choose to use our “Voice Assistant” to search our services or manage Guest / Customer bookings, Guest / Customer speech will be anonymously translated into text by a third-party service provider. Guest / Customer will need to give us access to Guest / Customer device's microphone to use this feature.

In order to optimize our services and marketing activities, and to make sure we give Guest / Customer a consistent user experience, we use something known as “cross-device tracking.” This can be done with or without the use of cookies. For more general information about cookies and other similar technologies, please see our Cookie statement.

With cross-device tracking, bookbyown is able to track user activity across multiple devices. As part of cross-device tracking, we may combine data collected from a particular browser or mobile device with data from another computer or device used by the same Guest / Customer.

In order to optimize the content of the bookbyown newsletter, we combine searches and reservations made from different computers and devices. Guest / Customer can unsubscribe from the bookbyown newsletter at any time.

Personalized ads shown to Guest / Customer on other websites or in apps can be offered based on Guest / Customer activities on linked computers and devices. By changing the cookie settings on Guest / Customer device (see our Cookie statement under “What are Guest / Customer choices?”), Guest / Customer can change Guest / Customer cross-device tracking settings for advertisement purposes. Guest / Customer should know that logging out of Guest / Customer bookbyown account doesn’t mean that Guest / Customer will no longer receive personalized ads.

How does bookbyown make use of social media?

At bookbyown, we use social media in different ways. We use it to facilitate the use of online reservation services, to promote our Trip Providers’ travel-related products and services, and to advertise, improve, and facilitate our own services.

The use of social media features can result in the exchange of personal data between bookbyown and the social media service provider, as described below. Guest / Customer’re free to not use any of the social media features available to Guest / Customer.

1. Sign in with Guest / Customer social media account. We offer Guest / Customer the opportunity to sign in to a bookbyown user account with one of the Guest / Customer social media accounts. We do this to reduce the need for Guest / Customers to remember different usernames and passwords for different online services.
   
   After Guest / Customer’ve signed in once, Guest / Customer’ll be able to use Guest / Customer social media account to sign into Guest / Customer bookbyown account. Guest / Customer can decouple Guest / Customer bookbyown user account from Guest / Customer chosen social media account any time Guest / Customer want to.
2. Integration of social media plugins: We have also integrated social media plugins into the bookbyown website and apps. This means that when Guest / Customer click or tap on one of the buttons (such as Facebook’s “Like” button), certain information is shared with these social media providers.
   
   If Guest / Customer’re logged into Guest / Customer social media account when Guest / Customer click or tap one of these buttons, Guest / Customer social media provider may relate this information to Guest / Customer social media account. Depending on Guest / Customer settings, they might also display these actions on Guest / Customer social media profile, to be seen by others in Guest / Customer network.
3. Other social media services and features. We may integrate other social media services (e.g. social media messaging) for Guest / Customer to interact with bookbyown or Guest / Customer contacts about our services.
   
   We may maintain social media accounts and offer apps on several social media sites. Whenever Guest / Customer connect with bookbyown through social media, Guest / Customer social media service provider may allow Guest / Customer to share information with us.
   
   If Guest / Customer choose to share, Guest / Customer social media provider will generally inform Guest / Customer about which information will be shared. For example, when Guest / Customer sign into a bookbyown user account using Guest / Customer social media account, certain information from that account may be shared with bookbyown. This includes Guest / Customer email address, Guest / Customer age, and the profile pictures Guest / Customer’ve saved—depending on what Guest / Customer authorize in Guest / Customer social media account.

When Guest / Customer register with a bookbyown social media app or connect to a social media messaging service without a bookbyown user account, the information Guest / Customer choose to share with us may include the basic information available in Guest / Customer social media profile (including Guest / Customer email address, status updates and a list of Guest / Customer contacts).

We’ll use this info to help provide Guest / Customer with the service Guest / Customer requested, for example, to forward a message Guest / Customer want to send to Guest / Customer contacts or to create a personalized user experience on the app or our websites. It means that—if Guest / Customer want us to—we can customize our services to fit Guest / Customer needs, connecting Guest / Customer and Guest / Customer friends to the best travel destinations, as well as analyzing and enhancing our travel-related services.

Guest / Customer social media provider will be able to tell Guest / Customer more about how they use and process Guest / Customer data when Guest / Customer connect to bookbyown through them. This can include combining the personal data they collect when Guest / Customer use bookbyown through them with info they collect when Guest / Customer use other online platforms also linked to Guest / Customer social media account.

If Guest / Customer decide to connect using Guest / Customer Facebook or Google account, review the following links for info about how these parties use data they receive: Facebook and Google.

What security and retention procedures does bookbyown put in place to safeguard Guest / Customer personal data?

We observe reasonable procedures to prevent unauthorized access to and the misuse of personal data.

We use appropriate business systems and procedures to protect and safeguard Guest / Customer personal data. We also use security procedures and technical and physical restrictions for accessing and using the personal data on our servers. Only authorized personnel are permitted to access personal data in the course of their work.

We’ll keep Guest / Customer personal data for as long as is necessary to enable Guest / Customer to use our services or to provide our services to Guest / Customer (including maintaining any bookbyown user accounts Guest / Customer may have), to comply with applicable laws, resolve any disputes and otherwise to allow us to conduct our business, including to detect and prevent fraud and/or other illegal activities. All personal data we keep about Guest / Customer as a bookbyown Guest / Customer is covered by this Privacy Statement.

For added protection, we strongly recommend that Guest / Customer set up two-factor authentication for Guest / Customer bookbyown user account. This adds an extra authentication step, to make sure that anyone who gets hold of Guest / Customer username and password (e.g., through phishing or social engineering) won’t be able to get into Guest / Customer account. Guest / Customer can set this up in the Security section of Guest / Customer account settings.

How does bookbyown treat personal data belonging to children?

Our services aren’t intended for children under 16 years old, and we’ll never collect their data unless it’s provided by (and with the consent of) a parent or guardian. The limited circumstances we might need to collect the personal data of children under 16 years old include: as part of a reservation, the purchase of other travel-related services, or in other exceptional circumstances (such as features addressed to families). Again, this will only be used and collected as provided by a parent or guardian and with their consent.

If we find out that we processed info of a child under 16 without the valid consent of a parent or guardian, we reserve the right to delete it.

How can Guest / Customer control the personal data Guest / Customer’ve given to bookbyown?

We want Guest / Customer to be in control of how Guest / Customer personal data is used by us. Guest / Customer can do this in the following ways:

1. We want Guest / Customer to be in control of how Guest / Customer personal data is used by us. Guest / Customer can do this in the following ways:
2. Guest / Customer can ask us for a copy of the personal data we hold about Guest / Customer.
3. Guest / Customer can inform us of any changes to Guest / Customer personal data, or Guest / Customer can ask us to correct any of the personal data we hold about Guest / Customer. As explained below, Guest / Customer can make some of these changes Guest / Customerself, online, when Guest / Customer have a user account,
4. In certain situations, Guest / Customer can ask us to erase, block or restrict the processing of the personal data we hold about Guest / Customer, or object to particular ways in which we are using Guest / Customer personal data,
5. In certain situations, Guest / Customer can also ask us to send the personal data Guest / Customer've given us to a third party.
6. Where we use Guest / Customer personal data on the basis of Guest / Customer consent, Guest / Customer’re entitled to withdraw that consent at any time, subject to applicable law.
7. Where we process Guest / Customer personal data based on legitimate interest or the public interest, Guest / Customer have the right to object to that use of Guest / Customer personal data at any time, subject to applicable law.

We rely on Guest / Customer to make sure that Guest / Customer personal info is complete, accurate, and current. Let us know about any changes to or inaccuracies in Guest / Customer personal info as soon as possible.

If Guest / Customer have a bookbyown user account, Guest / Customer can access a lot of Guest / Customer personal data through our website or apps. Guest / Customer’ll generally find the option to add, update, or remove information we have about Guest / Customer in Guest / Customer account settings.

Users with a bookbyown account can also request that we delete Guest / Customer account through the bookbyown app. Note that app features can vary between operating systems and their third-party software providers.

If any of the personal data we have about Guest / Customer isn’t accessible through our website or apps, Guest / Customer can send us a request.

If Guest / Customer want to exercise Guest / Customer right of access or erasure, all Guest / Customer need to do is complete and submit the Data Subject Request for bookbyown Guest / Customers form. For any requests about this Privacy Statement, to exercise any of Guest / Customer other rights, or if Guest / Customer have a complaint, contact our Data Protection Officer at dataprotectionoffice@bookbyown. Guest / Customer can also contact Guest / Customer local data protection authority.

If Guest / Customer’d like to object to Guest / Customer personal data being processed on the basis of legitimate interest and there’s no way to opt out directly, please contact us at dataprotectionoffice@bookbyown.

If Guest / Customer’d like to contact us by mail, address it to the Data Protection Officer and use the following address: Herengracht 597, 1017 CE, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Who is responsible for the processing of personal data via bookbyown and how to contact us?

bookbyown B.V. controls the processing of personal data as described in this Privacy Statement, except where explicitly stated otherwise. bookbyown B.V. is a private limited liability company incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands and has its offices at Herengracht 597, 1017 CE Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

If Guest / Customer have any questions about this Privacy Statement, or about our processing of Guest / Customer personal data, please contact our Data Protection Officer at dataprotectionoffice@bookbyown and we’ll get back to Guest / Customer as soon as possible.

For questions about a reservation, please contact our Guest / Customer service team through the Guest / Customer service contact page.

Requests from law enforcement should be submitted using the Law Enforcement process.

Country-specific provisions

Depending on the law that applies to Guest / Customer, we may be required to provide some additional information. If applicable, Guest / Customer will find additional information for Guest / Customer country or region below.

Cookie statement

Whenever Guest / Customer use our online services or apps, we use cookies and other online tracking technologies (which we’ll also refer to as “cookies” for the purpose of this Cookie Statement).

Cookies can be used in various ways, including to make the bookbyown website work, analyze traffic, or for advertising purposes.

Read below to learn more about what a “cookie” is, how they’re used, and what Guest / Customer choices are.

What are cookies and other online tracking technologies?

How are cookies used?

What are Guest / Customer choices?

What are cookies and online tracking technologies?

A web browser cookie is a small text file that websites place on Guest / Customer computer’s or mobile device’s web browser.

These cookies store info about the content Guest / Customer view and interact with to remember Guest / Customer preferences and settings or analyze how Guest / Customer use online services.

Cookies are divided into “first party” and “third party”:

• First party cookies are the cookies served by the owner of the domain. In our case, that’s bookbyown. Any cookie we place ourselves is a “first-party cookie.”
• Third-party cookies are cookies placed on our domains by trusted partners that we’ve allowed to do so. These can be social media partners, advertising partners, security providers, and more.

And they can be either “session cookies” or “permanent cookies”:

• Session cookies only exist until Guest / Customer close Guest / Customer browser, ending what’s called Guest / Customer “session.” Then they’re deleted.
• Permanent cookies have a range of lifespans and stay on Guest / Customer device after the browser is closed. On the bookbyown platform, we try to only serve permanent cookies (or allow permanent cookies to be served by third parties) that have a limited lifespan. However, for security reasons or in other exceptional circumstances, sometimes we may need to give a cookie a longer lifespan.

Web browser cookies may store info such as Guest / Customer IP address or other identifiers, Guest / Customer browser type, and info about the content Guest / Customer view and interact with on digital services. By storing this info, web browser cookies can remember Guest / Customer preferences and settings for online services and analyze how Guest / Customer use them.

Along with cookies, we also use tracking technologies that are very similar. Our website, emails, and mobile apps may contain small transparent image files or lines of code that record how Guest / Customer interact with them. These include “web beacons,” “scripts,” “tracking URLs,” or “software development kits” (known as SDKs):

• Web beacons have a lot of different names. They might also be known as web bugs, tracking bugs, tags, web tags, page tags, tracking pixels, pixel tags, 1x1 GIFs, or clear GIFs.
  
  In short, these beacons are a tiny graphic image of just one pixel that can be delivered to Guest / Customer device as part of a web page request, in an app, an advertisement, or an HTML email message.
  
  They can be used to retrieve info from Guest / Customer device, such as Guest / Customer device type, operating system, IP address, and the time of Guest / Customer visit. They are also used to serve and read cookies in Guest / Customer browser or to trigger the placement of a cookie.
• Scripts are small computer programs embedded within our web pages that give those pages a wide variety of extra functionality. Scripts make it possible for the website to function properly. For example, scripts power certain security features and enable basic interactive features on our website.
  
  Scripts can also be used for analytical or advertising purposes. For example, a script can collect info about how Guest / Customer use our website, such as which pages Guest / Customer visit or what Guest / Customer search for.
• Tracking URLs are links with a unique identifier in them. These are used to track which website brought Guest / Customer to the bookbyown website or app Guest / Customer’re using. An example would be if Guest / Customer clicked from a social media page, search engine, or one of our affiliate partners’ websites.
• Software Development Kits (SDKs) are part of our apps’ source code. Unlike browser cookies, SDK data is stored in the app storage.
  
  They’re used to analyze how the apps are being used or to send personalized push notifications. To do this, they record unique identifiers associated with Guest / Customer device, like Guest / Customer device ID, IP address, in-app activity, and network location.

All these tracking technologies are referred to as “cookies” here in this Cookie Statement.

How are cookies used?

Cookies are used to collect info, including:

• IP address
• Device ID
• Viewed pages
• Browser type
• Browsing info
• Operating system
• Internet service provider
• Timestamp
• Whether Guest / Customer have responded to an advertisement
• A referral URL
• Features used or activities engaged in on the website/apps

They allow Guest / Customer to be recognized as the same user across the pages of a website, devices, between websites, or when Guest / Customer use our apps. When it comes to purpose, they’re divided into three categories: Functional cookies, analytical cookies, and marketing cookies.

Functional cookies

These are cookies required for our websites and apps to function and must be enabled for Guest / Customer to use our services.

Functional cookies are used to create technologically advanced, user-friendly websites and apps that adapt automatically to Guest / Customer needs and preferences, so Guest / Customer can browse and book easily. This also includes enabling essential security and accessibility features.

More specifically, these cookies:

• Enable our website and apps to work properly, so Guest / Customer can create an account, sign in, and manage Guest / Customer bookings.
• Remember Guest / Customer selected currency and language settings, past searches, and other preferences to help Guest / Customer use our website and apps efficiently and effectively.
• Remember Guest / Customer registration info so Guest / Customer don’t have to retype Guest / Customer log-in credentials each time Guest / Customer visit our website or app. (Don’t worry, passwords are always encrypted.)

Analytical cookies

These cookies measure and track how our website and apps are used. We use this info to improve our website, apps, and services.

More specifically, these cookies:

• Help us understand how visitors and Guest / Customers like Guest / Customer use bookbyown and our apps.
• Help improve our website, apps, and communications to make sure we're interesting and relevant.
• Allow us to find out what does and doesn't work on our website and apps.
• Help us understand the effectiveness of advertisements and communications.
• Teach us how users interact with our website or apps after they’re shown an online ad, including ads on third-party websites.
• Enable our business partners to learn whether or not their Guest / Customers make use of any accommodation offers integrated into their websites.

The data we gather through these cookies can include which web pages Guest / Customer’ve viewed, which referral/exit pages Guest / Customer’ve entered and left from, which platform type Guest / Customer’ve used, which emails Guest / Customer’ve opened and acted upon, and date and timestamp info. It also means we can use details about how Guest / Customer’ve interacted with the site or app, such as the number of clicks Guest / Customer make on a given screen, Guest / Customer mouse and scrolling activity, the search words Guest / Customer use, and the text Guest / Customer enter into various fields.

Marketing cookies

These cookies are used by bookbyown and our trusted partners to gather info about Guest / Customer over time, across multiple websites, applications, or other platforms.

Marketing cookies help us to decide which products, services, and interest-based ads to show Guest / Customer, both on and off our website and apps.

More specifically, these cookies:

• Categorize Guest / Customer into a certain interest profile, for example, based on the websites Guest / Customer visit and Guest / Customer click behavior. We use these profiles to display personalized content (e.g. travel ideas or specific accommodations) on bookbyown and other websites.
• Display personalized and interest-based ads both on the bookbyown website, our apps, and other websites. This is called “retargeting” and is based on Guest / Customer browsing activities, such as the destinations Guest / Customer’ve searched for, the accommodations Guest / Customer’ve viewed, and the prices Guest / Customer’ve been shown. It can also be based on Guest / Customer shopping habits or other online activities.
  
  Retargeting ads can be shown to Guest / Customer both before and after Guest / Customer leave bookbyown since their aim is to encourage Guest / Customer to browse or return to our website. Guest / Customer might see these ads on websites, apps, or in emails.
• Integrate social media into our website and apps. This allows Guest / Customer to like or share content or products on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Guest / CustomerTube, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.
  
  These “like” and “share” buttons work using pieces of code from the individual social media providers, allowing third-party cookies to be placed on Guest / Customer device.
  
  These cookies can be purely functional, but can also be used to keep track of which websites Guest / Customer visit from their network, to build a profile of Guest / Customer online browsing behavior, and to show Guest / Customer personalized ads. This profile will be partly built using comparable info the providers receive from Guest / Customer visits to other websites in their network.
  
  To read more about what social media providers do with Guest / Customer personal data, take a look at their cookie and/or privacy statements: Facebook (includes Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network), Snapchat, Pinterest, and Twitter. Be aware that these statements may be updated from time to time.

We work with trusted third parties to collect data. We may occasionally share info with these third parties, such as Guest / Customer email address or phone number. These third parties might link Guest / Customer data to other info they collect to create custom audiences or deliver targeted ads. For info about how these third parties process Guest / Customer data, take a look at the following links: How Google uses information, Facebook's data policy.

Non-cookie techniques – email pixels

We may also use techniques like pixels, which we don’t mark as cookies because they don’t store any info on Guest / Customer device.

We sometimes place pixels in emails like newsletters. A “pixel” is an electronic file the size of a single pixel that’s placed in the email and loaded when Guest / Customer open it. By using email pixels, we can see if the message was delivered, if and when Guest / Customer read it, and what Guest / Customer click.

We also receive this info about the push notifications we send Guest / Customer. These statistics provide us with feedback about Guest / Customer reading behaviour, which we use to optimize our messages, and make our communications more relevant to Guest / Customer.

What are Guest / Customer choices?

To learn more about cookies and how to manage or delete them, visit allaboutcookies.org or the help section of Guest / Customer browser.

Under the settings for browsers like Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, or Chrome, Guest / Customer can choose which cookies to accept and reject. Where Guest / Customer find these settings depends on the browser Guest / Customer use:

• Cookie settings in Chrome
• Cookie settings in Firefox
• Cookie settings in Internet Explorer
• Cookie settings in Safari

If Guest / Customer choose to block certain functional cookies, Guest / Customer may not be able to use some features of our services.

In addition to specific settings that we may offer on the bookbyown and apps, Guest / Customer can also opt out of certain cookies:

• Analytics
  
  To prevent Google Analytics from collecting analytical data on certain browser types visit the following link: Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on (only available on desktop).
• Advertising
  
  We always aim to work with advertising and marketing companies that are members of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) and/or the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).
  
  Members of the NAI and IAB adhere to industry standards and codes of conduct, and allow Guest / Customer to opt out of behavioral advertising.
  
  Visit www.networkadvertising.org to identify NAI members that may have placed advertising cookies on Guest / Customer computer. To opt out of any NAI member's behavioral advertising program, just check the box that corresponds to that company.
  
  Guest / Customer may also want to visit www.Guest / Customeronlinechoices.com or www.Guest / Customeradchoices.com to learn how to opt out of customized ads.
  
  Guest / Customer mobile device may allow Guest / Customer to limit the sharing of info for retargeting purposes through its settings. If Guest / Customer choose to do so, remember that opting out of an online advertising network doesn't mean Guest / Customer’ll no longer see or be subject to online advertising or marketing analysis. It just means the network Guest / Customer opted out of won't deliver ads customized to Guest / Customer web preferences and browsing patterns anymore.

Some websites have “Do Not Track” features that allow Guest / Customer to tell a website not to track Guests / Customer. We’re currently unable to support “Do Not Track” browser settings.

How to contact us

If Guest / Customers have any questions about this cookie statement, write us at contact@bookbyownhotels.com

Our cookie statement may also be updated from time to time. If these updates are substantial, particularly relevant to the Guest / Customer, or impact Guest / Customer data protection rights, we'll get in touch with the Guest / Customer about them. However, we recommend visiting this page regularly to stay up to date with any other (less substantial or relevant) updates.