PRIVACY & COOKIE POLICY

Last Updated: December 11, 2025

1. Introduction

Hillside Hospitality (“we,” “us,” or “our”) values the privacy of our guests and business partners. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data when you book a stay, request our Premium, Signature, or Business services, or interact with our website.

We process your data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and relevant Belgian data protection laws.

2. Who is Responsible? (The Data Controller)

The company responsible for processing your data is:

Legal Name: Hillside Hospitality
Registered Address: Sluisweg 2 bus 13, 9000 Gent, Belgium
Enterprise Number (CBE/KBO): BE0775.971.690
Contact Email: privacy@hillsidehospitality.be

3. What Data We Collect & When

We collect different types of data depending on how you interact with us.

A. When you make a Booking

To finalize a reservation for our holiday homes, we require:

• Identity Data: Name, address, date of birth, copy of identity card/passport (legal requirement for accommodation)
• Contact Data: Email address, phone number
• Financial Data: Payment card details or bank account numbers (processed via our secure payment provider)

B. When you purchase Services or Packages (Premium & Signature)

To deliver our “Premium” or “Signature” packages, or add-ons like bike rentals or private chefs, we may collect:

• Health/Dietary Data: Allergies or intolerances (specifically for the Private Chef service)
  Note: This is considered sensitive data and is processed only with your explicit consent or for your vital interest.
• Physical Metrics: Height or frame size (specifically for Bike Rental reservations)
• Preferences: Specific requests regarding beverages (brewery visits) or room setup

C. When you make a Business Inquiry (Business Package)

For B2B clients booking corporate retreats or off-sites:

• Company Data: VAT number, billing address, company name
• Employee Data: Names and contact details of the organizer or attendees (strictly for logistical purposes)

D. When you fill out a Form or Subscribe to the Newsletter

• Inquiry Form: Name, email, and the nature of your question
• Newsletter: Email address and your consent to receive updates

4. Booking Platform (Hostaway)

To ensure a secure and seamless booking experience, we use a specialized Property Management System (PMS) called Hostaway.com, a European provider.

When you click to check availability or make a reservation on our website, you may be redirected to the secure booking environment of Hostaway. While on the booking page, your data is processed directly within this secure platform to finalize the reservation.

We have a Data Processing Agreement with Hostaway to ensure they treat your data with the same level of security and confidentiality as we do.

5. Why We Use Your Data (Legal Basis)

Under Belgian law, we only process data if we have a valid legal reason:

• Performance of a Contract: To process your booking, deliver the Business Package, or organize the Private Chef or Brewery Visit. Without this data, we cannot provide the service.
• Legal Obligation: We are required by Belgian law to keep a guest register for the police and to retain invoices for 7 years for tax authorities.
• Consent: You explicitly agree to receive our newsletter or provide us with health data (allergies) for catering. You may withdraw this consent at any time.
• Legitimate Interest: To answer inquiries sent via our contact form or to offer relevant upgrades to existing clients (e.g. suggesting a “Signature” upgrade).

6. Sharing Your Data with Partners

Hillside Hospitality offers a curated experience, which often involves third-party partners. We share only the strictly necessary data with them:

• Private Chefs & Caterers: Dietary requirements and guest count
• Bike Rental Agencies: Names and heights for bike sizing
• Brewery Partners: Guest names for reservation lists
• IT & Payment Providers: Companies that host our website or process payments

Important: We ensure these partners are GDPR compliant. We do not sell your data to advertisers.

7. Data Retention

We do not keep your data longer than necessary:

• Guest Register: Kept for 7 years (fiscal obligation)
• Inquiries (No Booking): Deleted after 3 years if no booking follows
• Dietary/Health Data: Deleted immediately after your stay is completed

8. Your Rights

As a user, you have the right to:

• Access the data we hold about you
• Correct any errors in your data
• Delete your data (“Right to be forgotten”), unless we are legally required to keep it (e.g. invoices)
• Opt out of marketing emails

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@hillsidehospitality.be.

COOKIE POLICY

9. Cookie Policy

A. What are cookies?

To ensure our website works correctly and to offer you a smooth luxury experience, Hillside Hospitality uses “cookies”. A cookie is a small text file that a website saves on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site.

B. How we use cookies

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: Essential for you to browse the website and use features like the inquiry form
• Functional Cookies: Allow the website to remember choices you make (such as language)
• Analytical Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience

C. Hostaway Cookies

When you enter the booking process managed by Hostaway.com, their platform may place its own cookies on your device to:

• Maintain your booking session (so you don’t lose your selected dates)
• Ensure payment security
• Remember your search criteria

Hillside Hospitality does not control the dissemination of these specific third-party cookies. We recommend checking the Hostaway privacy policy for more information.

D. Managing Cookies

You can control and/or delete cookies as you wish via your browser settings. You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and set most browsers to prevent them from being placed.

10. Complaints

If you believe we have mishandled your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Belgian Data Protection Authority (GBA):

Website: www.gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit.be
Address: Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Brussels

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