1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how AUSGrandStays collects, uses and protects information when you visit ausgrandstays.com. We have written it to be read, not skimmed past, because we believe visitors deserve a clear account of what happens to their information. If anything here is unclear, please ask us using the details in section 21.
2. About AUSGrandStays
AUSGrandStays is an independent hotel and resort discovery publication focused on Australia. We publish editorial guides to featured hotels and their destinations. We do not sell accommodation, take reservations, process payments or offer gambling of any kind. We are not owned by, operated by or affiliated with the hotels we feature.
3. Scope of This Privacy Policy
This policy applies to the pages of ausgrandstays.com and to information you give us through them. It does not apply to other websites that we link to, including the official websites of the featured hotels, which have their own privacy practices. We aim to handle personal information in a way that is consistent with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles, but we make no claim that the Act applies to us in every respect.
4. Information Visitors May Provide
You are not required to create an account or provide personal information to browse this website. The only way we receive information from you directly is if you choose to contact us, for example by email or through the contact form. In that case, we may receive your name, email address, optional telephone number, the hotel you are interested in, and the content of your message.
5. Contact Form Submissions
The contact form checks your entries in your browser before you submit it. The details you enter are used only to respond to your enquiry and to keep a reasonable record of it. If we use a third-party form-handling service to receive submissions, we will name it in this policy.
Please do not include payment card details, passwords or other sensitive information in your message.
6. Technical and Usage Information
This website does not use analytics or advertising tracking tools. However, like most websites, it is delivered by a hosting provider whose servers may automatically record technical information such as IP addresses, browser type, pages requested and the date and time of requests. This information is generated by the hosting infrastructure for security and operational reasons, and we do not use it to identify individual visitors.
7. Cookies and Local Storage
We do not set advertising or analytics cookies. We use your browser’s local storage and session storage to remember your age confirmation and your cookie choices. These items are described in detail, including their names and durations, in our Cookie Policy. You can change your cookie choices at any time using the Cookie Settings link in the footer.
8. How Information Is Used
We use information you send us to respond to your enquiry, to correct or improve our content and to keep a reasonable record of correspondence. Browser storage is used only to make the website work as described, for example so that you are not asked to confirm your age on every page. We do not use your information to make automated decisions about you, and we do not build marketing profiles.
9. Legal and Legitimate Purposes
We handle personal information where it is reasonably necessary to operate and improve a travel information publication, to respond to people who contact us, and to meet legal obligations. Where you have given consent, for instance through the cookie settings, we rely on that consent and you may withdraw it at any time.
10. Third-Party Services
To display this website, your browser requests resources from third-party services. Fonts are served by Google Fonts (fonts.googleapis.com and fonts.gstatic.com), and icons are served by Font Awesome through the cdnjs content delivery network (cdnjs.cloudflare.com). When your browser fetches these resources, the providers receive technical information such as your IP address and browser details. We do not control how those providers handle that information; please refer to their privacy policies.
11. Google Maps and Embedded Content
Hotel pages include a map of the property. To protect your privacy, the Google Maps embed is not loaded until you press the Load Interactive Map button. Once loaded, your browser connects to Google, which may collect information and set its own cookies according to Google’s privacy policy. If you prefer not to load the embed, use the directions link or the address shown on the page.
12. External Hotel Websites
Our pages link to official hotel websites and to Gambling Help Online. These sites are operated by other organisations. Once you leave ausgrandstays.com, their privacy practices apply, not ours. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of any site before providing personal information to it.
13. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell personal information, and we do not share it with advertisers or data brokers. We may disclose information if required by law, if we receive a valid request from a government authority, or where it is reasonably necessary to protect the rights, safety or property of our visitors or ourselves. Service providers that we use for hosting and email may handle information on our behalf.
14. Data Retention
We keep correspondence only for as long as it is reasonably needed to respond to you and to maintain appropriate records, and then we delete or de-identify it. Items stored in your browser remain there until you clear them or change your preferences; they are under your control.
15. Information Security
We take reasonable steps to protect the information we hold from misuse, interference and unauthorised access. No method of transmission over the internet or by email is completely secure, and standard email is not end-to-end encrypted, so please consider this before sending anything sensitive. We do not make any claim of certification or guaranteed security.
16. International Data Transfers
Some of the services involved in delivering this website or handling email, including Google and Cloudflare, operate servers in countries outside Australia. This means that technical information or email correspondence may be processed overseas. We take reasonable steps to choose reputable providers, but we cannot control their infrastructure.
17. Individual Privacy Rights
Under Australian privacy law, individuals generally have the right to ask what personal information an organisation holds about them, to request correction of inaccurate information and to make a complaint. You may also withdraw your consent to optional cookie categories at any time through the Cookie Settings link.
18. Access and Correction Requests
To ask for access to, or correction or deletion of, personal information we may hold about you, email us at [email protected] with enough detail for us to identify your correspondence. We may need to verify your identity before responding, and we will reply within a reasonable time. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au.
19. Children’s Privacy
This website contains information about casino entertainment venues and is intended for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it. The age confirmation on this website is a self-declaration and is not a verification of identity.
20. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time, for example if we introduce new features or services. The effective date at the top of the page shows when it was last updated. Significant changes affecting how we handle information will be reflected here before they take effect.
21. Contact Information
For questions about this Privacy Policy or to make a request, please email [email protected] or use our contact page. You can read how we use browser storage in the Cookie Policy.