Four Seasons Privacy Policy
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts takes the issue of safeguarding your privacy very seriously. We have created this Privacy Policy in order to better familiarize you with the information we collect from hotel guests and web site visitors, and the way in which Four Seasons uses this information to better serve the needs of our guests.
What is Personal Information?
The term "Personal Information" refers to any information that can be used to identify you as an individual. It can include, among other things, your name, address, age, gender, personal financial history and social insurance number.
How is Personal Information Collected?
1. Reviewing Our Web Site
A) Initially Upon Contact With Our Web Site
When you visit our web site, you are initially given a "cookie",
and your computer is assigned an ID number. A cookie is a commonly
used device that tracks an individual user's preferences, and is
capable of enhancing your visit to the site. Cookies allow us to
provide a customized experience without the visitor having to remind
us of his or her preferences each time she or he visits our site.
Our cookies do not contain any personally identifying information.
Four Seasons cookies also do not follow visitors when traveling on
the Internet after leaving the Four Seasons web site.
We also use cookies to collect and maintain aggregate web site data
(such as the number of visitors to a particular site), which helps
us see which areas are popular with our users and which are not.
Among other things, this helps us improve and update the site, based
on such data as total number of visitors and pages viewed.
If you do not want to accept cookies, you can block them by adjusting
the settings on your Internet browser. Visitors should understand,
however, that rejecting cookies will affect your ability to benefit
from the conveniences afforded by the use of cookies, and you will
not be able to use certain customization features associated with
creating a user profile.
Once you have visited our web site and accepted our cookie, your
ID number is automatically assigned to your computer whenever you
visit our web site. Despite the fact that you remain anonymous
until you enter personal information in the web site, the ID number
allows us to log your session, so that we may better assist you
should you need some individualized service or support. Once you
enter personal information on the web site, we associate your ID
number with your contact information so we can recognize you on a
future visit. We also use it to keep track of information that
appears to be of particular interest to you.
B) While Browsing Our Web Site
While in the process of browsing our web site, you also provide us
with information that does not reveal your personal identity - what
type of destination you're seeking information about, for example.
We use this aggregated, anonymous data mainly for editorial purposes,
but we do not connect it to any Personal Information, such as your
name or address.
While you explore our web site for the information that interests
you, you may wish to put in a specific "Information Request" about
one of our hotels or resorts, or you may wish to participate in one
of our on-line surveys or promotions. To respond to this request or
to participate in our various programs, we may ask you for Personal
Information, such as your name, zip/postal code, e-mail address,
and phone number.
In the event you choose to provide us with this information, we
will only use it for the purpose we have specified to you. We
will only e-mail you if you want us to, and you can choose a
number of alternate methods by which to receive a reply to a request.
Your transmittal of your personal data shall constitute your
acknowledgment and agreement to the terms and conditions contained
in this Privacy Policy. If you are uncomfortable providing this
information over the Internet, you can always call our
Worldwide Reservations Office
for more details.
If you wish, you may also submit your e-mail address in order to
be placed on a subscription list or to receive other information.
You will be placed on these lists only when you indicate your desire
to be included. In deciding whether or not to join such lists,
please note that they are only used for internal purposes - we do not
sell or rent our lists to anyone. In the event you choose to join one
of our lists, you may ask to be removed from the list at any time.
Visitors will always have the ability to accept or decline any form
of communication from Four Seasons.
2. When Making a Reservation
A) When Making a Reservation On Our Web Site
If you decide that you would like to make a reservation at any of
our hotels or resorts, you will be linked to our reservation service
site. Although it appears to be part of our site, the reservation
site is, in fact, provided by Amadeus Travel Distribution, SA which
provides an automated reservations and distribution system to the
travel industry. We pass your computer ID number on to Amadeus, but
they are unfamiliar with you. You can search for rates and
availability at our hotels and resorts without providing any Personal
Information.
Visitors to fourseasons.com who elect to make reservations online will
be required to complete a reservation profile the first time they make
a reservation. When you create a reservation profile you will be asked
to provide specific Personal Information, including your name, address
and contact information, as well as certain guarantee and deposit
information to secure your reservation, such as your credit card
number. Your transmittal of your Personal Information shall constitute
your acknowledgment and agreement to the terms and conditions contained
in this Privacy Policy.
Your credit card number will be verified using a checking sequence, but
we do not authorize any payments at this point. Once your reservation
is confirmed, Four Seasons will be sent all of the reservation
information. From this point the information is sent to the selected
hotel in exactly the same way as if you called us directly or if your
travel agent made the reservation.
Due to the personal nature of the information you give when making a
reservation through our web site, the reservation system is secure,
such that your credit card number is protected with the most
sophisticated encryption technology available and is transmitted on
a private network.
We also receive a copy of the reservation profile at our web site
excluding your credit card number connected to your ID number. We will
then use that information to create a log in our web site database.
We also occasionally combine information from a number of web visitors
in a way that does not identify any user, in order to identify user
patterns.
B) When Making a Reservation Through our Worldwide Reservations Offices or Hotels
Reservations can also be made by calling one of our Worldwide Reservation
Offices (WROs) or by contacting a particular hotel or resort directly. When
you make a reservation we may ask you for Personal Information such as your
name, address, telephone number and method of payment. We may also obtain
from you any room preferences or special requests. Personal Information
obtained by a WRO will be sent in a secured communication to the relevant
hotel. Confirmation of your reservation will be provided to you, generally
by e-mail, directly from the hotel or resort.
3. During your stay at a Hotel or Resort
During your stay, we record your itemized spending to properly assemble your
folio, which sets out your room rate and other expenses billed to your room.
We also record this information to comply with financial reporting
requirements, including those imposed by our auditors and government regulators.
Information particular to your stay may also be stored (i.e. health issues,
payment difficulties). This stay specific information is stored at the
particular hotel where you stayed and is combined with information from previous
visits that you have made to that hotel. We may also collect certain information
as required by local laws (e.g. passport number).
In addition, we may retain the content of any document (including comment
cards, electronic documents such as e-mails and other similar forms of
communication) that you send us before, during or following your stay. This
information may be shared with employees of the hotel but will not be shared
with any third party.
How do we store this information?
1. At the Hotel or Resort
Each hotel goes to great measures to ensure that all Personal Information is kept in a secure location, be it a database or filing cabinet. Furthermore, we take steps to ensure that only designated individuals have access to this information.
2. In Our Guest Reservation System
In order to serve you better we also store certain guest information in our
Guest Reservation System ("GUESTres"). GUESTres is a secure customer database
stored on a dedicated server located in a data centre in Toronto, Ontario,
Canada.
The stored information includes guest name, address, phone numbers and credit
card number. When you make a reservation at another Four Seasons property, this
information is sent to that hotel or resort.
We also store other transaction information in GUESTres, including the number of
stays you have had at properties managed by Four Seasons and the number of nights
of each stay. We do not share this information with other hotels.
What information is not secure?
It is important to note that any e-mail communication is not
secure. This is a risk inherent in the use of e-mail. Please be aware of this
when requesting information or sending forms to us by e-mail (for example, from
the Contact Us section of our web site). We recommend that you do not include any
confidential information (i.e. credit card information) when using e-mail. For
your protection, our e-mail responses to you will not include any confidential
information.
Finally, Four Seasons cannot expressly warrant the operation of the reservation
web site and/or matters relating to its security once you log on, as it is not
our site. To be prudent, please be sure to always close your browsers when you
are done using the reservation site. Although the session will terminate after
a short period of inactivity, it is best to close your browsers immediately upon
completion, since while you are logged on it is easier for someone to attempt to
get access to your profile.
If I have created a Guest Profile, how is my Personal Information treated?
If you are invited and elect to create a Guest Profile, on
our web site, you will be asked to furnish specific Personal Information. You
will also be asked to provide a password for use each time you log-in. Once you
have created a Guest Profile, we may add online session data to your Guest
Profile on subsequent visits to our website. When you provide information,
including revised information to your Guest Profile, we may use the information
you provide to update other databases maintained by us.
By completing your Guest Profile you are considered to have provided consent to
share your Personal Information within Four Seasons in accordance with this Privacy
Policy.
Why is Personal Information collected?
1. To Provide Superior Customer Service
Personal Information is collected to assist us in making your reservation and providing the services you request at any of our properties, to ensure we meet your needs while you are staying with us and/or to allow us to contact you in relation to matters that arose from your stay with us.
Furthermore, by keeping certain Personal Information on file, such as information regarding guest history and itemized spending, former guests of Four Seasons have the ability to confirm prior transactions and reconcile statements or invoices.
2. To Keep Our Guests Informed
We may also use this Personal Information to advise you of promotions or to inform you of offers or other information that may be of interest to you. In order to do this, your information may be shared with a third party, including a customer relationship management company and/or a marketing and communications company. These companies are under contract with Four Seasons and must agree that guest information will never be sold, rented, exchanged or in any way transferred.
If you do not wish to receive information from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts you may advise one of our hotels or send an e-mail to guest.historian@fourseasons.com
3. For Marketing Research
Finally, we may wish to contact guests to conduct surveys or focus groups to receive your views of our properties and service delivery. Such information may be collected by a third party under contract with us and they will be required to protect your Personal Information as explained below. Occasionally we will combine information from a number of guests to better understand trends and expectations of our guests. Where this occurs, all identifiers are removed so that the aggregate information cannot be linked to specific guests.
What information may be exchanged between hotels?
Information is shared between certified data privacy personnel
at individual Four Seasons hotels in certain limited circumstances, particularly
where health or safety concerns have arisen in the past.
Further, if a guest does not pay the outstanding account on time, or acts in an
unlawful manner in regards to payment obligations, this information may be shared
among accounting personnel at Four Seasons properties.
What Personal Information may be provided to third parties?
Agents, contractors or third party service providers of
Four Seasons may receive your Personal Information in the course of providing
services to Four Seasons to better serve the needs of our guests. Using
contractual or other arrangements, Four Seasons ensures these parties protect
your Personal Information in a manner consistent with the principles articulated
in this Privacy Policy.
We will only share Personal Information about you outside Four Seasons Hotels and
Resorts without your consent, where: (a) it is required or authorized by law (for
example, in response to a legal subpoena); (b) it is required to provide you with
services you have requested in which case you will be considered to have implied
your consent (i.e. car rental); (c) if your stay has been paid for by a third
party we will provide billing information to the paying party; (d) if you have
failed to pay amounts owed to a property.
If Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts suspects any unlawful activity is taking place,
it may investigate and/or report its findings or suspicions to the police or other
relevant law enforcement agency.
How do I access my Personal Information?
We understand that you may like to know what Personal
Information we hold about you. We are happy to assist you with your request.
To protect your Personal Information, however, we require that you prove your
identity to us at the time your request is made. You may make a request to
the Guest Historian at the Hotel where you stayed or to the Corporate Guest
Historian as set out below.
When you make a request in person, we will require you to produce some form of
photo identification such as a passport or a driver's license and you will be
asked to sign a request form.
Where you make a request by other means, we require the request be made in
writing via fax or letter including a copy of a government issued identification
and signature. We also require home and business addresses and phone numbers
so we can check them with our files and satisfy ourselves as to your identity.
The above information is required to create an audit trail of how the request
has been handled. Where a request is made, any correspondence or application
may be kept and added to your Personal Information.
Four Seasons reserves the right to decline access to your Personal information
under certain circumstances. Where your Personal Information will not be
disclosed, you will be provided with the reasons for this non-disclosure.
How do I Revise my Personal Information?
If at any time you wish to update or access your Personal Information, you can do so by contacting our Corporate Guest Historian:
| guest.historian@fourseasons.com | |
| - via fax at | 1-416-441-4437 |
| - via letter - | |
| Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | |
| 1200 Eglinton Avenue East | |
| Suite 600 | |
| Toronto, Ontario M3C 1H9 | |
| Canada |
Or you may visit our web site at www.fourseasons.com
For How long is my Personal Information retained?
Your Personal Information will be stored for the period of
time required by law in the jurisdiction of any hotel holding the information.
It may be stored indefinitely by Four Seasons as long as there is a business
purpose for doing so. From time to time we may delete your Personal Information.
How will I know if there are changes to this Policy?
If we decide to change our Privacy Policy, we will post those
changes on our web site (www.fourseasons.com)
so you are always aware of how we treat Personal Information. Changes will not
apply retroactively to Personal Information for which you have given explicit consent,
which was acquired before the change to the Privacy Policy except as may be required
by law. If at any point we decide to use Personal Information in a manner different
from that stated in this Privacy Policy, we will notify you by letter or e-mail sent
to your last known address. If you do not agree with the different way we intend to
use Personal Information, you may ask in writing that we not use it in that different
way. If you do not object, you will be deemed to have consented to the use of your
Personal Information in the changed manner.
How Is Personal Information affected by business transfers?
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts manages properties on behalf
of third party owners. Guest information required for the business transaction
between the guest and the property is shared with the property owner, but all other
Personal Information is considered to be proprietary to Four Seasons, and is not
shared with property owners. If we cease to manage a particular property, all
Personal Information remains with Four Seasons. Guest information that is
historically shared with the property owner, is retained by the property owner.
What laws apply to this policy?
Four Seasons Hotels Limited does business worldwide as Four
Seasons Hotels and Resorts and is a Canadian corporation incorporated in the
Province of Ontario. As such, Canada's Personal Information Protection and
Electronic Documents Act applies to our company. We apply the requirements
of this law to how we handle all Personal Information wherever received, and each
property managed by Four Seasons complies with the local privacy laws of the
jurisdiction where it is located.
If you have additional questions regarding the law or if you feel we have not
treated your Personal Information appropriately, you may contact The Privacy
Commissioner of Canada at the following address:
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
112 Kent Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1A 1H3
Toll-free number: 1-800-282-1376
Web site: www.privcom.gc.ca
E-mail: info@privcom.gc.ca
To whom do I direct questions or concerns regarding this policy?
Questions or concerns regarding this privacy policy should be
directed to the Chief Privacy Officer by writing to the following address:
Chief Privacy Officer
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
1165 Leslie Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M3C 2K8
E-mail: privacy.officer@fourseasons.com