Privacy Policy

How PrimePlaces collects, uses, and protects your personal information.

Introduction

PrimePlaces ("we", "us", or "our") operates the primeplaces.co.za website. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or make a booking. We are committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa. Please read this policy carefully. By using our website, you consent to the practices described herein.

Information We Collect

We may collect the following personal information:

• Full name, email address, phone number, and country of residence when you make a booking, create an account, or contact us.
• Payment information processed securely through our payment provider, PayFast. We do not store your credit card details.
• Booking details including check-in and check-out dates, number of guests, and property preferences.
• Account credentials if you register via social login (Google, Apple, GitHub, or X). We receive your name, email, and profile image from these providers.
• Usage data such as pages visited, browser type, device information, and IP address, collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies.
• Communications you send us via the contact form, email, or AI concierge chat.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process and manage your bookings and payments.
• Create and maintain your guest account.
• Communicate with you about your reservations, including booking confirmations, payment receipts, and check-in instructions.
• Respond to your enquiries and provide customer support.
• Improve our website, services, and user experience.
• Send you marketing communications, but only where you have given consent. You can opt out at any time.
• Comply with legal obligations and protect our rights.

Cookies and Tracking

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to enhance your browsing experience. We use:

• Essential cookies required for the website to function, such as session management and authentication.
• Preference cookies to remember your settings, such as language and display preferences.
• Analytics cookies to understand how visitors interact with our website, helping us improve performance and content.

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality. When you first visit our site, a cookie consent banner will ask for your permission.

How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your data with:

• Payment processors (PayFast) to securely process transactions.
• Email service providers (Resend) to send booking confirmations and transactional emails.
• AI service providers (OpenAI) to power our concierge chat — your chat messages are processed but not stored by these providers for training.
• Property owners or managers as necessary to fulfil your booking.
• Legal authorities if required by law, regulation, or legal process.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure password hashing, session-based authentication with HttpOnly cookies, and restricted access to personal data. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Booking records are retained for accounting and tax compliance. You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by contacting us.

Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject under the Protection of Personal Information Act, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.
• Object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing.
• Withdraw consent previously given for data processing.
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including social media platforms and external booking services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us:

Email: stay@primeplaces.co.za
Website: primeplaces.co.za

Have questions about your data?

We are happy to help with any privacy-related enquiries.