Privacy Policy

Last updated: 24 November 2025

The Birnam Hotel (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you interact with us—whether through our website, by phone, by email, or during your stay.

1. Who We Are

The Birnam Hotel
Perth Road
Birnam
Dunkeld, Perthshire
PH8 0DN

Email: hello@thebirnamhotel.com

For the purposes of UK data protection law, we act as the Data Controller of your personal information.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal data:

Information you provide to us

  • Name

  • Contact details (email, phone number, address)

  • Payment details (processed securely by our payment providers—we do not store full card numbers)

  • Booking information (stay dates, preferences, special requests)

  • Event booking details (if you hire meeting rooms or event spaces)

  • Correspondence you send us

Information collected automatically

  • IP address

  • Browser type and settings

  • Device information

  • Pages visited, time spent on the website, and referral data

  • Cookies and tracking technologies (see Section 9)

Information from third parties

  • Online booking engines

  • Payment processors

  • Travel agencies

  • Review platforms (e.g. Google, Booking.com, TripAdvisor)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data to:

  • Process and manage bookings

  • Provide accommodation, hospitality, and customer services

  • Communicate with you before, during, and after your stay

  • Take payments and issue invoices

  • Manage event or restaurant reservations

  • Improve our website and services

  • Send marketing communications if you have opted in

  • Comply with legal obligations (e.g., record-keeping, safety requirements)

We will only use your personal information when we have a lawful basis to do so, including contract fulfilment, legitimate interests, legal obligations, and consent (where required).

4. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information with:

  • Trusted service providers (IT, website hosting, payment processors, booking platforms)

  • Professional advisers (legal, accounting)

  • Law enforcement or public authorities when legally required

  • Event partners or suppliers when necessary for services you have requested

We do not sell your personal data.

5. International Transfers

If your data is transferred outside the UK, we will ensure it is protected under appropriate safeguards, such as:

  • UK adequacy regulations

  • Standard contractual clauses

  • Measures required by UK GDPR

6. Data Retention

We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary:

  • Booking and billing records: usually up to 7 years

  • Marketing data: until you withdraw consent

  • Guest correspondence: for a reasonable period to manage enquiries and improve services

After this period, data is securely deleted or anonymised.

7. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access your personal data

  • Correct inaccurate information

  • Request deletion (in some circumstances)

  • Restrict or object to processing

  • Receive a copy of your data (“data portability”)

  • Withdraw consent at any time (e.g., for marketing)

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [Insert email address].

8. Security Measures

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information, including:

  • Secure servers

  • Encryption where appropriate

  • Access controls for staff

  • GDPR-compliant trusted third-party processors

However, no online system is completely secure; please take care when sharing personal information over the internet.

9. Cookies & Tracking

Our website uses cookies to:

  • Enable site functionality

  • Improve performance

  • Understand visitor behaviour

  • Support online bookings

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. A separate Cookie Policy may be provided for more details.

10. Marketing Communications

If you consent, we may send you:

  • Special offers

  • News and updates

  • Event information

You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails or by contacting us directly.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may include links to external sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites, so we recommend checking their privacy policies.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be available on our website, with the “Last updated” date changed accordingly.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact hello@thebirnamhotel.com

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): www.ico.org.uk

If you’d like, I can also write a Cookie Policy, Terms & Conditions, or tailor this privacy policy to match your exact hotel systems, booking engines, or processes.