Privacy notice for travellers

Data controller

REM S.r.l.s., Piazza Guerrazzi 3, 57023 Cecina (LI), Italy, VAT no. IT02100530498. Privacy contact: privacy@hootel.ai.

What we receive

When you use the app in ChatGPT (or our server from another assistant), we only receive the search parameters the assistant sends us: destination and coordinates of the place searched, dates, number of adults, children’s ages, number of rooms, budget, required amenities, property type, preferences in your own words and language. The coordinates are those of the place you named, not your location: we do not access your device’s location.

ChatGPT also tells us your language setting, so we can answer in your language, and an anonymous user identifier that does not tell us who you are. We only keep a non-reversible cryptographic fingerprint of this identifier, used solely as the key of the usage limit, that is, to stop a few users from using up the service for everyone.

We do not receive your name, your email, your ChatGPT account or the text of the conversation. We do not ask you to sign up. The app’s visual components do not use cookies or store data on your device.

We recognise the calling application in a generic way (for example “ChatGPT” or “other assistant”) for per-channel statistics.

What we keep and for how long

Searches: each search is recorded as an anonymous event with the search parameters (for free-text preferences we keep only the length, not the text), the channel, the properties shown with their position, and the time.

Details and clicks: we record which property was opened, with channel and time. When you open the booking link we record property, itinerary, chosen offer, channel and time. The click is only recorded if you actually open the link: asking the assistant for it is not enough.

This data contains nothing that identifies you and is kept for 400 days, then deleted automatically.

The fingerprint of the anonymous identifier used for the usage limit is deleted automatically within two days of last use.

Our servers keep technical logs (address requested, outcome, duration) for security and troubleshooting. For the addresses your browser reaches (booking link, photos, ranking page) we do not record the IP address or the link parameters. Logs are kept by our hosting provider for up to 30 days.

Why

To answer your searches, to give properties aggregate statistics on how often they were shown, opened and chosen, to measure service quality and to prevent abuse. Legal basis: legitimate interest in providing and improving the requested service.

We do not sell data, show ads or build traveller profiles.

Who receives the data

Technical providers: Fly.io, which hosts our servers and database; Tigris Data, which stores property photos; MapTiler AG (Switzerland), which provides the maps. When the component shows a photo or the map, your browser downloads it directly from Tigris or MapTiler servers, which therefore receive your device’s IP address and, for the map, the area displayed. These providers process data under their contracts with us and their own privacy notices.

Partner properties: they only receive aggregate statistics (appearances, detail views, clicks), never individual events. When you open the booking link you land on the property’s website, which receives the dates and guests already filled in.

OpenAI: ChatGPT processes the conversation as an independent controller, under its own privacy policy.

Where

Servers and database are in the European Union (Frankfurt). Photos and maps may be served from provider nodes outside the European Union; Fly.io and Tigris Data are US companies. Any transfers take place with the safeguards required by the GDPR.

When you leave ChatGPT

The “Book on the website” button takes you to the property’s official website through one of our addresses, which records the click without recording your IP address. From then on, the data you enter to book is processed by the property under its own privacy notice.

Your controls and rights

You can use the app without providing any personal data: just describe your trip. You can disconnect the app from ChatGPT at any time in the apps settings: from then on we no longer receive requests from you.

You can request access, rectification, erasure or restriction of data about you and object to processing by writing to privacy@hootel.ai; you can also lodge a complaint with the Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante). Since the events we keep contain no identifying data, we may not be able to link them to you.

Children

The service is not directed at children under 13. Children’s ages are only used to work out capacity and price and are not linked to any identity.

Changes

If we change this notice we update the date at the top of the page.