1. Introduction

At AupaneStays ("we", "our", or "us"), we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our website, mobile application, and any associated services (collectively the "Platform"). Please read this Privacy Policy carefully to understand our practices regarding your information.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information that identifies, relates to, describes, or is reasonably capable of being associated with you. The types of information we may collect include:

• Personal Identifiers: Name, email address, phone number, postal address, and account credentials.
• Financial Information: Payment card details and transaction history (processed securely by our third-party payment providers).
• Booking Data: Venue preferences, booking history, dates of stay, and special requests.
• Device & Usage Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, pages viewed, and platform interaction metrics collected via cookies and analytics.
• Communications: Content of your messages sent to us or to Hosts via our platform.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for various purposes, including to:

• Facilitate and manage venue bookings and process payments.
• Provide customer support and respond to your inquiries.
• Verify your identity and protect against fraud, unauthorized activity, and platform abuse.
• Improve, personalize, and optimize your experience on our platform.
• Send administrative information, such as booking confirmations, updates, and policy changes.
• Send promotional communications (only with your explicit consent where required by law).

4. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• With Hosts: To fulfill your booking, we share necessary details (such as your name and contact info) with the Host of the venue you booked.
• With Service Providers: We share data with trusted third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (e.g., payment processing, cloud hosting, email delivery, and customer service).
• For Legal Reasons: We may disclose information if legally required to do so, or to protect our rights, safety, or property, and that of our users or the public.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user data may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our platform and hold certain information. These technologies help us analyze trends, administer the platform, track users' movements, and gather demographic reporting. You can control cookie settings through your browser, but disabling them may affect platform functionality.

6. Data Security and Retention

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your personal information. However, no electronic transmission or digital storage mechanism is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, or as required by law (such as for tax and accounting purposes).

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have specific rights regarding your personal information, including the right to:

• Access, update, or delete the personal information we hold.
• Object to or restrict the processing of your data.
• Opt-out of receiving marketing communications.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details below. We will respond in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

8. Children's Privacy

Our platform is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover we have gathered data from a minor, we will delete it promptly.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or relevant laws. We encourage you to review this page frequently. Your continued use of the platform after updates indicates your acceptance of the revised policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about our Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us via our Contact Page or email us at support@aupanestays.com.