Revised and posted as of 1 August 2007

The Ascott Group Limited (“Ascott”) is committed to safeguarding your privacy. Please read the following statement to understand how any personal information that you provide to us will be treated.

What Information Do We Collect?

Ascott does not collect personally identifying information about any individual except when knowingly provided by such individual. For example, we may ask you for information about yourself such as your name, postal address, e-mail address, telephone or mobile number, credit card details and preferences when you make a reservation, sign up as a member, subscribe to our newsletter, the Ascott Living Magazine, our direct mailers and/or our other means of notification of our promotional offers, or register as a guest or as our corporate client.

We may also ask you for your name, e-mail address, contact details, and preferences when you complete a form for a contest or survey, or ask to be put on our mailing list to receive a newsletter, the Ascott Living Magazine, our direct mailers and/or our other means of notification of our promotional offers, or other marketing information.

You always have the option not to provide the information requested, but we may not be able to process your reservation, registration or request unless certain minimum information is provided.  You will also have the option to unsubscribe from our mailing list through our unsubscription form available at our websites, namely www.theascottgroup.com, www.the ascott.com, www.somerset.com.  For corporate clients who have subscribed with us, you may contact gsm@the ascott.com to submit your formal request to unsubscribe or update your contact information.  If submitting a formal request to unsubscribe from our mailing list, please include “Unsubscribe” in the subject title of your email. This process may take 6-10 working weeks to process.

The information we collect from you (your “Personal Data”) will be stored in electronic and/or in hard copy files.

Use of Information

Ascott’s primary goal in collecting and processing your Personal Data is to improve our service levels, and to provide you with any products, services and information that you have requested.  We also use your Personal Data for administration, analysis and related activities and accounting and audit purposes, and may use your Personal Data for credit referencing purposes.

Ascott will use your Personal Data to contact you from time to time in connection with special offers, promotions and information on new services provided by Ascott, its related corporations and/or affiliates.  For the purposes of this Privacy Statement, where a corporation (a) is the holding company of another corporation, (b) is a subsidiary of another corporation, or (c) is a subsidiary of the holding company of another corporation, that first-mentioned corporation and that other corporation shall be deemed to be related corporations.  For the purposes of this Privacy Statement, an affiliate may be any legal entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under the common control of Ascott, where control of an entity shall exist through the direct or indirect control of 50% or more of the total issued share capital or registered equity of the entity.  We may also provide you with carefully selected information on products or services of third parties we believe may be of interest to you.  If you do not wish to receive such marketing information, you may either indicate your preference at the time you provide your Personal Data when making your reservation, or select ‘unsubscribe’ at the address set out below.

Sharing and Disclosure

As Ascott is part of an international group of companies operating globally, to achieve the objectives stated above, we may communicate your Personal Data to our related corporations and/or affiliates.  Some of these related corporations, affiliates and third parties may be located in countries, such as those outside the European Economic Area, that do not have similar protections in place regarding your Personal Data and its use as set out in this Privacy Statement.

By submitting your Personal Data when making a reservation (which, if made on-line, is effected by clicking the ‘accept’ button), you consent to such transfers of your Personal Data.  If you do not wish to consent please indicate this at the time you make your reservation or click the ‘do not accept’ button when making your reservation on-line.  By submitting your Personal Data to subscribe to our newsletter, the Ascott Living Magazine, our direct mailers and/or our other means of notification of our promotional offers, you consent to such transfers of your Personal Data.

Ascott may also disclose your Personal Data if we are required to do so in order to comply with any valid legal process.

How Ascott protects your information

Ascott has put in place various security procedures to protect your Personal Data to the best of Ascott's ability from accidental or unlawful destruction or accidental loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure or alteration whilst it is in our control.

Where Ascott discloses your Personal Data to third parties, it will to the best of its ability ensure in its contractual documentation and/or policies with such third parties that they comply with this Privacy Statement and applicable data protection laws.

Updating and Editing your details

If any of the Personal Data that you have provided to Ascott changes, please let Ascott know the correct details by editing your details at http://www.the-ascott.com/Members/Subscribe.asp.

You have the right to access your Personal Data and object at any time to the further collection and use of your Personal Data for marketing purposes.  If you wish to unsubscribe please go to http://www.the-ascott.com/Members/Subscribe.asp to unsubscribe. 

For corporate clients who have subscribed with us, you may contact gsm@the ascott.com to submit your formal request to unsubscribe or update your contact information.  If submitting a formal request to unsubscribe from our mailing list, please include “Unsubscribe” in the subject title of your email. This process may take 6-10 working weeks to process.

Your consent and changes to the Privacy Statement

By submitting your Personal Data when making a reservation (which, if made on-line, is effected by clicking the ‘accept’ button), you consent to our use and transfer of your Personal Data as outlined in this Privacy Statement and in our Terms of Use statement.  If you do not wish to consent please indicate this at the time you make your reservation or click the ‘do not accept’ button when making your reservation on-line.  By submitting your Personal Data to subscribe to our newsletter, the Ascott Living Magazine, our direct mailers and/or our other means of notification of our promotional offers, you will be confirming your consent to our use and transfer of your Personal Data as outlined in this Privacy Statement and in our Terms of Use statement.  Ascott may decide to change this Privacy Statement from time to time and those changes will be posted at www.the-ascott.com. 

How to Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding our Privacy Statement or would like to update your details, please feel free to contact us at www.the-ascott.com.  If you do not wish to receive marketing material from us, our related corporations or affiliates or third parties, please go to http://www.the-ascott.com/Members/Subscribe.asp to unsubscribe. For corporate clients who have subscribed with us, you may contact gsm@the ascott.com to submit your formal request to unsubscribe or update your contact information.  If submitting a formal request to unsubscribe from our mailing list, please include “Unsubscribe” in the subject title of your email. This process may take 6-10 working weeks to process.

© 2007 The Ascott Group Limited. All Rights Reserved